The New York Giants play the Green Bay Packers in their Week 14 matchup on Monday Night Football. The Giants defense has underperformed this season. They allow the tenth-most points, the fourteenth-most yards, the ninth-most rushing yards, and the second-most rushing touchdowns.
The Giants are expected to have their best defensive player back in the lineup.
The New York Giants’ star nose tackle is expected to return to action.
Pro Bowl nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II is expected to return to the lineup today. Lawrence II suffered a hamstring injury near the end of Week 11 and missed Week 12. The bye week gave his hamstring an extra week to heal.
Lawrence is having another impressive season.
Lawrence is having another dominant season in the NFL. He has 41 tackles, four for a loss, four sacks, 17 quarterback hits, two pass deflections, 21 pressures, a 92.8 PFF Grade, and represents 73% of defensive snaps. He is on his way to another Pro Bowl and has a chance of being a first-team All-Pro in his fifth season.
One young player filled in for Lawrence in Week 12.
The former 2022 fifth-round pick got his first career start in Week 12.
D.J. Davidson got his first career start in Week 12. Davidson was drafted in the fifth round, 147th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 5 of his rookie season.
Davidson had two tackles and represented 50% of defensive snaps in their Week 12 10-7 victory over the New England Patriots.
Davidson has appeared in ten games, recording 11 tackles, one for a loss, 0.5 sacks, one quarterback hit, two pass deflections, one pressure, a 56.9 PFF Grade, and represents 26% of defensive snaps this season.
Brian Daboll expressed hope that he would return.
Head coach Brian Daboll talked with the media on Saturday and expressed hope that Lawrence would be able to return.:
“Yeah, he did some individual stuff [Friday] and then he did team periods, which was a good thing to see. He’ll do the same thing [Saturday] and hopefully he’ll be ready to go in a couple days here. That would be the plan.”
What to expect from Lawrence today?
Expect Dexter Lawrence II to play in a limited capacity today because of the severity of hamstring injuries and the possibility of getting reinjured. Expect D.J. Davidson to get significant playing time.
Does New York have a chance of making the playoffs?
The New York Giants are in 3rd place in the NFC East with a 4-8 record and are 13th in the NFC Playoff Picture. New York has less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
They play on the road against New Orleans in Week 15, on the road against Philadelphia in Week 16, at home against Los Angeles (Rams) in Week 17, and at home against Philadelphia in their season finale.
Getting their best defensive player back does help their chances of winning. But will it be enough?
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