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Chuck’s Corner: New York Giants weekly prediction, week two edition

By Charles Vitolo

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 30: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants dives forward for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 30: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants dives forward for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Site expert Charles “Chuck” Vitolo gives you his weekly New York Giants prediction in this edition of ‘Chuck’s corner’.

I was happy to see that I didn’t get a ton of flack from loyal New York Giants fans after picking our beloved-team to lose last week against the Cowboys (I was way off on the score, though). While I will take a wrong prediction of a Giants’ loss any day of the week, it just didn’t come to fruition last Sunday. Most fans (rightly) saw last week’s game as a very-tall task, and it showed in the outcome. In the words of Bill Bellichick, ‘we’re on to Buffalo’.

As I previously pontificated, this week two contest is as close to a must-win game that a team could have this early in a season. While I haven’t been very encouraged by Pat Shurmur’s coaching tactics and motivational skills, I truly think he will have this team up-and-ready to play for a game of this magnitude.

The offense will be employing a ‘next-man up’ mentality, but we still feature two of the very best running backs and tight ends in all of football. This could (should) be Evan Engram’s coming-out party, and if Shurmur is worth his salt as a coach he will find a way to get the electric pass-catcher open despite not having many other receivers of note on the field.

It’s blatantly obvious that we’re going to get a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley (actually, maybe with Shrumur it isn’t?), everyone – including the Bills- surely knows this. Even still, just because a defense feels-as-though they know what you’re going to do, it doesn’t have to mean they’ll be able to stop it. The reliance on Barkley will also open-up big time play action opportunities, that I expect Shurmur to (finally) expose.

Dave Gettleman and Pat Shrumur presumably scooped-up tight end Eric Tomlinson from the Jets after 53-man cut downs for a reason, I’m going to assume it wasn’t for his receiving abilities. This game is a perfect time to feature some jumbo, three tight end sets and have our much-improved offensive line take over.

That brings me to my weekly X-factor.

Chuck’s week two X-factor:

My X-factor for this crucial match up is none other than tight end Rhett Ellison. Ellison signed a fairly-significant contract with Big Blue in 2017, but due to the drafting of Evan Engram, he hasn’t yet been a huge part of the offense. That should change against the Bills.

Ellison has a history with Shurmur, dating back to the 2016 season where the Giants head man was both his tight ends coach and (breifly) his offensive coordinator. When he took over as Big Blue’s coach, Shurmur raved about Ellison and what he felt he could do in his preferred ’12 personnel’.

It’s time to finally see it – this is the perfect scenario for Ellison to bust out, just when the team needs him most. With the Giants missing their top two (and potentially top three) receivers, Shurmur is likely going to feature a ton of two tight end sets. In my mind, the team would (again) be smart to even employ some three tight end sets, with Ellison figuring to be even more of a factor there.

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Ellison has always been a proficient blocker, but in my mind he’s also been very productive in the receiving game when called upon. The former USC Trojan has enjoyed his two-best seasons as a member of Big Blue, compiling 507 yards on 49 catches over that time span.

I’m predicting that Ellison will have his biggest game as a Giant yet, hauling in somewhere-around six balls for 90 yards.

Prediction:

I’m going to agree with the awesome fans that follow our facebook page, and predict a win for us tomorrow. 48-64 (75%) of those who answered our facebook poll on who would win the game last night predicted a win, and that’s meaningful, because many of them are (rightly) skeptical to say the least.

I strongly believe that Shrumur will not only (finally) heavily-involve Saquon Barkley, but that he will also use play action to open up some green for his receivers. This is the kind of game where a coach makes his mark, and while i’m still far from certain that he’s the right man for this job, I think he calls a good game tomorrow. James Bettcher is going to have to find a way to get some heat on Josh Allen, but luckily, Allen is turnover-prone. Expect the Giants to come away with multiple turnovers tomorrow.

This won’t be an easy game, as the Bills are a strong team, particularly along the lines of scrimmage. I’ve got Big Blue prevailing by a score of 27-24, here.

Season Prediction record: 1-0 (100%)

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