“The job is not finished.”<\/p>\n
The quote came from Kobe Bryant during the 2009 NBA Finals. The Lakers held a 2-0 lead on the Orlando Magic, and Bryant was asked why he seemed dissatisfied with the two wins, and he replied, stone-faced, “The job is not finished.”<\/p>\n
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll played that Kobe clip for his team at practice. The Giants are now embarking on the second half of the season with a 6-2 record that has made them one of the NFL’s biggest surprises. They opened as 7-point favorites against the team with the NFL’s worst record, and the line has since dropped to 4 1\/2.<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
Well, the Giants victories have come by 1, 3, 5, 8, 4 and 6 points, with each and every one of them marked by a strong second-half full of adjustments made by Daboll and his staff. The Giants win consistently, but do not win big, and trend bettors are using that recent history to pound down the line against the team visiting from Texas.<\/p>\n
1-6-1 is not a great record, but three of Houston’s losses have come by a touchdown or less. The Texans do have one of the NFL’s best rookies, running back Dameon Pierce, along with ex-Bills defensive lineman Jerry Hughes, who had two sacks, two quarterback hits, and two tackles for losses last week. That was against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in a 29-17 loss that was a four-point game entering the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/twitter.com\/Giants\/status\/1590798952420544513<\/p>\n
Saquon Barkley is playing for a contract and has been steady but unspectacular throughout the season. His 779 rushing yards rank third in the NFL. This week, he will go up against a Texans defense that ranks last in the NFL by a wide margin in defending against the run.<\/p>\n
Barkley has rushed for 100 or more yards only three times all season, and his high of 164 came in the season opener against Tennessee. His over\/under of 92 1\/2 is as high as it has been all season. That’s despite the fact that he is coming off his worst offensive game of the year against Seattle. In that game, he rushed 20 times for a season-low 53 yards and caught three passes for a season-low 9 yards.<\/p>\n
The Texans allow 180.6 yards per game on the ground, and the team ranked above them at No. 31 is the Detroit Lions at 148.8 yards per game. That is a nearly 32-yard differential between the worst rushing defense and the second-worst rushing defense, so one would assume the Giants will attack with a bunch of rushes — not only by Barkley, but also Daniel Jones, whose over\/under rushing yardage line is 34 1\/2, a number he has eclipsed four times.<\/p>\n
Giants bettors must expect that Daboll will run the ball until the Texans show him he should not be running the ball, likely to the side of the field where Hughes is not lined up.<\/p>\n
\nTwo sacks in two plays for @Iam_jerryhughes<\/a>. He's still got it! #WeAreTexans<\/a>#PHIvsHOU<\/a> on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https:\/\/t.co\/eUDwChPddF<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/vkjbGrCNpm<\/a><\/p>\n— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n