Players to Watch in Week 14 matchup vs. Saints

With Dexter Lawrence being placed in injured reserve, likely signaling the end to the defensive lineman’s 2024 campaign, the Giants are going to need Brian Burns to step up in the final five games of the season. In last week’s loss to the Cowboys, Burns had three solo tackles and a pass defensed, but added three total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. The Giants have only one sack across their last four games, which Burns picked up against his former team in Munich back in Week 10.

Through 12 games, Burns has six sacks, 52 total tackles (31 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits and one forced fumble. Burns has also set a new career-high with eight passes defensed, doubling his previous high mark of four. Additionally, PFF has Burns down for 42 total pressures on the year, which already topped his 40 pressures across 16 games for the Panthers last season. The Saints have done a great job of protecting Derek Carr this season. New Orleans has allowed the seventh-fewest sacks in the league with 23, although 14 of those were with rookie Spencer Rattler under center. Carr has not been sacked more than once in any of his nine games this season, and has not been sacked even once in two of the last three games.

Micah McFadden has put together another strong season playing in the middle of the Giants’ defense. After missing the season opener, the third-year linebacker has started each of the last 11 games. McFadden currently ranks third on the defense with 80 total tackles (42 solo), he has already matched his previous career-high with two sacks on the season, and his five quarterback hits are one shy of his previous high mark set last year. McFadden has also recorded three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed.

With Bobby Okereke’s status for Week 14 up in the air, the Giants may need to lean heavily on McFadden. The strength of the Saints’ offense lies in its rushing attack. Veteran Alvin Kamara leads the team with 894 yards on 206 attempts (4.3 avg.), while adding 59 receptions for an additional 450 yards and a score. McFadden will play a large role in the Giants’ attempt to slow down Kamara and the Saints’ run game, who will play without the versatile Taysom Hill, as the veteran offensive weapon suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s loss. The Saints enter this matchup ranking inside the top 10 in rushing attempts, yards, touchdowns and yards per attempt.