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NY Giants vs Atlanta Falcons: Will Sunday be Xavier McKinney’s breakout game?

By Danny Friedman

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 08: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants in action against the Atlanta Falcons during their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at MetLife Stadium on January 8, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Falcons 24-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 08: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants in action against the Atlanta Falcons during their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at MetLife Stadium on January 8, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Falcons 24-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Xavier McKinney #29 of the New York Giants breaks up a pass during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on September 12, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Xavier McKinney #29 of the New York Giants breaks up a pass during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on September 12, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images) /

Xavier McKinney Needs to Breakout Sooner or Later

The NY Giants’ secondary has not lived up to its much-anticipated, hyped-up potential so far through 2021.

There has been far too many 3rd down conversions, untimely penalties, and an inability to either find the ball in the air or stay with their man to force an incompletion.

Xavier McKinney is due to have a big game this week. The ‘X-Man’ played 95% of the defense’s snaps in Week 1 before losing 40% of those reps in Week 2. It’s likely a game-to-game, a scheme-based decision on the Giants’ talented trio of safeties and the rotation between McKinney and Peppers.

They both have different strengths and weaknesses. McKinney is more agile and adept in coverage while Peppers offer more explosion and an ability to be a force in the run game.

Look for McKinney to see plenty of snaps rotating against Atlanta’s talented group of pass-catchers. Whether it’s Pitts and Hayden Hurts, Ridley in the slot, or covering Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis all over the field, McKinney is sure to be in for an active game.

He almost had an awesome play in Week 1 sprinting towards the right sideline and nearly making a spectacular one-handed interception but instead knocked down the pass for an impressive PBU. He came close to a turnover in Week 1, expect a sack, tackles for a loss, or a turnover this week from Xavier McKinney.

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