The New York Giants (0-1) host the Buffalo Bills (1-0) at MetLife Stadium in the Giants’ 2019 home opener.
The Giants are coming off a disappointing loss in Week 1 down in Dallas, while the Bills will be returning to the same venue they played in last week when they came back to beat the Jets, 17-16.
Here are six things to know about this week’s matchup:
Giants and Bills have split their all-time series
This will be the 13th time since the 1970 merger the Giants have played the Bills in the regular season. Things have been pretty much even as each team has won six times with the Bills scoring 220 points to the Giants’ 219. The Giants won the last meeting at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 24-10, on Oct. 14, 2015. Of course, the Giants hold the postseason advantage. No need to mention that to anyone…
Home not-so-sweet home
The Giants moved into MetLife Stadium in 2010 and really haven’t realized an advantage playing in the largest food court in the world. They are 36-36 scoring 1,676 points and surrendering 1,678. Eli Manning has averaged 270 yards passing per game at MetLife and the Giants have averaged 107 yards per game on the ground. The Giants have hosted just one postseason game in the venue, a January 2012 wildcard win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Giants are trying to avoid another 0-2 start
The Giants have started 0-2 five of the last six seasons, the exception being 2016, when they began the year 2-0 and finished 11-5. The Giants have gone on to have losing records in each of those other seasons.
The Giants are on CBS this week
The Giants will play on CBS this week, a result of hosting an AFC team. Greg Gumble, Trent Green and Melanie Collins (sideline) will call the action. It’s one of two appearances on CBS this season for the Giants. The other will come when they host the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. The Giants had most of their home games from 1956-1993 broadcast on CBS before FOX bought the rights to NFC broadcasts, leaving the AFC to CBS.
The coaches know each other well
Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Pat Shurmur go back a ways. From 1999-2008, Shurmur was an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid, while McDermott was an assistant on the defensive side of the ball. After leaving the Eagles in 2011, McDermott was the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers for six seasons before becoming the Bills’ head coach in 2017. McDermott also served on the same staff in Carolina as Giants’ special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive coordinator Mike Shula in 2016.
The game features two high profile 2018 first round draft picks
After the Giants selected Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, the Bills took quarterback Josh Allen of Wyoming five picks later. Barkley went on to become the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but Allen had a decent debut season as well. After missing four games with an elbow injury, Allen returned and led the Bills to a 3-3 record. Many were impressed with Allen’s field generalship, mobility and poise although his passing accuracy needs work. He is the only player in Bills’ history to lead the team in passing and rushing in the same season and as named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 17.
