Week 16 NFL Picks: New York Giants @ New York Jets Odds and Predictions – Free NFL Picks 12/24/11

Week 16 Free NFL Picks: New York Giants @ New York Jets NFL Week 16 Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on FOX 12/24/11: It’s not often that a team plays a road game at their home stadium, but that is exactly the scenario facing the New York Giants (7-7) this Saturday when the face the New York Jets (8-6). While the odd scenario is worth noting, this matchup is all about playoff aspirations for both teams. The Giants need a win to stay in the hunt in the NFC East, while the Jets need to win to bolster their chances of grabbing a wildcard spot in the AFC. For all intents and purposes, Saturday’s meeting is a must-win game for both sides. The Jets are the slight favorites, giving 2 ½-points as the home team in this one.

Not only are both teams in desperate need of a win, but both enter this weekend’s contest coming off ugly losses as well. The Giants played sloppy on their way to being upset by the Washington Redskins, while the Jets were dismantled by the Eagles. Defense was a major area of concern for both sides in the defeats, and the offenses didn’t look much better. The silver ling is that this time around, one of the New York teams has to win, even if both sides struggle again.

At the heart of the matchup will be the play of Giants’ QB Eli Manning against the Jets’ secondary. Manning is having a career year, having already topped 4,300 yards passing. He and the Giants rank third in the NFL in passing yards per game, but the Jets rank seventh when it comes to stopping the pass. Throw in the fact that the Giants haven’t been able to run the ball effectively all season, and it is crucial for their chances that Manning has a strong outing.

While the Giants have been one dimensional on offense, it can be argued that the Jets have been inept at times. Running back Shonn Greene has shown some signs of life lately, but the normally powerful running attack of the Jets has been inefficient all year. Meanwhile, quarterback Mark Sanchez has continued to have issues with completion percentage and turnovers, and the problems have been amplified when the ground game has faltered. The Giants can still put plenty of pressure on opposing signal callers, and if Sanchez is forced to shoulder the load, the Giants defensive linemen could start piling up sacks.

For the Giants, receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz will be the likely X-factors. Both players have at least 70 catches and more than 1,000 yards, and both have the speed to make big plays. However, drops have plagued the dup at times, and with star cornerback Darrelle Revis waiting this weekend, Nicks and Cruz will need to take advantage of every opportunity they get to make a big play. The Giants’ chances depend on it.

Meanwhile, Jets’ receiver Santonio Holmes has to step up and deliver in order for his team to win. He does have eight touchdowns on the year, but nagging injuries and a bad attitude have limited his upside. Holmes is a proven option in the clutch, but he has yet to establish himself as a dominant target. The Giants secondary can be porous at times, and Holmes needs to take advantage to help out Sanchez and the Jets’ offense.

In the end, the Giants ability to rush the passer on defense and Manning’s ability to stretch the field on offense should be the difference. Sanchez lacks poise in the pocket, and the pass rush of the Giants will exploit the weakness and possibly force some big mistakes. Meanwhile, Manning is playing at the highest level of his career, and he should be able to find some holes in a Jets defense that is good but no longer elite.

Prediction: New York Giants (+3) Cover the Spread

Free NFL Football Picks and Predictions: NY Giants +3

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