Giants vs Saints: Week 5 Preview

After a defining win against the Chargers in Week 4, the Giants head down to the bayou to try and pull off their second consecutive victory. Jaxson Dart is QB1 the rest of the way, and will look to build on his success from last week against a paltry Saints defense.

I'm pumped, you're pumped, we're all pumped for the Jaxson Dart train to roll into the station in New Orleans. Let's get into it with three things to watch for prior to kickoff between the Giants and the Saints.

Dart's aura

We finally have a quarterback with aura. This kid is a revelation from the quarterback carousel the Giants have shuffled through in recent years. He has the physical and mental traits that this team has needed in a leader under center. He proved that he is here to stay with his performance in week 4. Here are his stats from last week:

• Passing: 13/20, 65% completion rate, 1111 yard, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions

• Rushing: 10 attempts for 54 yards and 1 touchdown

He has the arm to fit the ball into tight windows and can keep defenses on their toes with his legs. I love watching his touchdown run so I'm going to throw that in here for everyone from his All-22 film. He runs the play like Lamar Jackson, throwing the defense off kilter and using his legs to put points on the board.

Skatt with the huge block on the linebacker! These two are going to be fun together

It's aura plays like the above that turn heads and get people talking about Dart and his ability to lead this offense. I think Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka should get some credit too, as their adjustment to fit the play-calling to a similar style to what Dart ran with Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss was a big piece of his success. I have harped on their lackadaisical play-calling in weeks past, but I think they catered really well to Dart and the most optimal play-calling that suits his play style.

So what does this mean for the matchup with New Orleans? Well, the Saints are 0-4 and have given up 121 points this year which is third worst in the league. They are middle of the pack (13th) in passing yards allowed at 821 yards and are roughly the same against the run (16th) having given up 475 yards. They had one stinker in Seattle where they got blown out but for the most part have kept games close and the defense has racked up 11 sacks which is good for 7th in the league. They do not blitz that often, ranking in the top-5 in fewest blitzes in the league (26) and this is a very middle of the pack defense that has given up points. Although star receiver Malik Nabers is lost for the year, Dart should be able to find success against New Orleans and points shouldn't be too hard to come by given their defensive woes so far.

I'd like to continue seeing more of the pass/rush combo from Dart against this Saints defense. He and Cam Skattebo together are a duo that no defense wants to go up against. They are able to do so much, whether its with the RPO, Skattebo's legs and brusing mentality, or Dart's arm, legs and toughness. I think the aura continues in this one as Dart and Skattebo find ways to attack the Saints and put points on the board.

The pass rush is getting better each week

The infinity stones are being set in place each week as the pass rush get more comfortable. Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeax are making waves as the backbone of this defense, and honestly, the team. There was so much chatter in the offseason, and throughout training camp, that these guys were going to be the core of the team this year, and they have proved it through four weeks. They are pressuring quarterbacks, having racked up 39 pressures so far. Their 21.7% pressure rate is good for 11th in the league ranking ahead of some solid defenses in the Rams and Jaguars.

They only picked up two sacks in week 4 but it was evident that they effected Justin Herbert and the offensive line's rhythm leading to two interceptions and 17 pressures per Pro Football Reference. The Chargers also committed 14 penalties for 107 yards, which included three false starts and two holdings. The pass rush is coming together at exactly the right time as they are finally starting to click together. They are the next big hit, as production of Rush Hour 4 carries over into week 5 against the Saints.

Having the four of them on the field as much as possible against the Saints should be Shane Bowen's #1 priority in his gameplan. They all played over 70% of the defensive snaps against the Chargers and that should be the benchmark clip to hit week after week. The Saints are going to try and throw the ball and make plays outside the numbers so getting to Rattler early and often needs to be a key to the game for the Giants. The Saints are not running the ball all that well and aren't using Alvin Kamara properly in that department so there should be plenty of areas in which the Giants can exploit with a fierce pass rush this week.

Keep the pressures up and let the Rush Hour 4 crew go to work with a high volume of snaps. What they have assembled in this pass rush is one of my favorite things to look forward to every week and I can't wait to see them continue to build on their early success against a vulnerable Saints team.

Dru Phillips

How good has the kid been in year 2? Constant energy, all over the field, making plays - this guy wants it more than anyone else and it comes through in his play. In week 4 he was targeted seven times and gave up two receptions for 10 yards when he was the nearest defender, per NFL Pro. Prior to that, defenses were definitely trying to target him in the passing game - especially with bigger tight ends - to rack up yardage and some penalty yards. That doesn't seem to phase Phillips though as he had a bounce back game in a big way in week 4. He also picked up a massive interception on third down in the third quarter when the Chargers were driving. It was 13-10 Giants and they needed a turnover in a big way. Phillips has a tendency to come up in big situations and never backs down from a fight. It's plays like this one on third down late in the second half of the Chargers game that define Phillips' mentality.

This play came on 3rd & 6, Chargers on the Giants 45, with 45s left in the 2nd half. The Chargers ended up scoring because of a Giants penalty on the next play, but Phillips' effort should not go unnoticed

He will of course be manning the slot again in week 5 and that will probably mean a lot of reps against Juwan Johnson, possibly Rashid Shaheed and Taysom Hill if he is healthy enough to play. Those are some high caliber playmakers that the Saints will be running out there but no matchup seems to phase Phillips. His knack to stick on receivers and find the ball are really strong traits of his that make him so impactful and have led to his early success. He already has eight pass deflections on the year and will be looking to rack up a few more in New Orleans.

Like I mentioned, expect the Saints to try to attack him with bigger tight ends and mismatches given they have the type of guys who can do that. This matchup kind of reminds me of Dallas in week 2 where the Cowboys tried to feed the ball to Jake Ferguson as much as possible given the mismatch on Phillips. Unfortunately, Phillips' size is one of his flaws but that doesn't seem to phase him in the slightest. Expect another big day from him in this one along with a lot of energy.

Final thoughts

The Giants have a very winnable game in front of them before the schedule gets back to the gauntlet. After this one, it's Eagles, Broncos, Eagles, 49ers, Bears, Packers, Lions before Thanksgiving. This is a must win to ensure the team's confidence and identity is strong heading into a Thursday night clash with the Eagles at home in week 6.

I think they will get it done given the pass rush is humming, the defense is making plays, and Dart and Skattebo are bringing life to a once anemic offense. It just feels like they have the edge against a Saints team that doesn't quite know who they are or what to make of this season.

Of course, it is the NFL and a lot of things need to go right for this team to pick up a win. I preach this every week, but they need to continue to play smart, disciplined football. The penalties need to be kept to a minimum and the play-calling needs to be pristine. Get this one done and head into week 6 with a winning streak.