The New York Giants (1-1) and Tennessee Titans (0-2) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 3 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Giants opened the week as 6-point home favorites, but the spread has worsened significantly with New York now at -2.5.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Titans Wire senior writer Serena Burks.
Give us the scouting report on Cam Ward. How has he looked in Year 2, and how do you expect him to play in a chilly road game?
Burks: Ward has looked better so far in Year 2. His decision-making is better; he's not taking sacks, and he's not turning the ball over. He has more weapons at his disposal, and the tutelage of Brian Daboll is visible in his development. There are still things he needs to work on to improve, but overall, he looks like a better quarterback this year.
As for the temps, Ward played two seasons at Washington State, but otherwise has spent most of his life in warm-weather states. Historically, cooler temperatures haven't been a major issue for him, but the wind and rain that are expected this weekend could present a problem. And on the road in a hostile MetLife Stadium? I expect him to turn the ball over at least once, and probably take a sack or two.
There are an awful lot of ex-Giants on the Titans sideline -- coaches and players. How have they impacted Tennessee, good or bad, thus far?
There have been mixed results with the players who traveled to Nashville with Brian Daboll. Cor'Dale Flott has been uninspiring, recording three tackles against the Jets. He didn't play last week and is questionable this week, but his impact has been minimal. Daniel Bellinger has played well, but he's sharing snaps with Gunnar Helm, so the sample size is small. I think he is more valuable in Helm's ear than on the field. Wan'Dale Robinson has probably been the most impactful, and in a good way. He has reliable hands, runs solid routes, and gives Ward an outlet. Austin Schlottmann is okay, but there is room for improvement.
Daboll is the biggest question here. Ward's development has definitely improved, but the installation of his scheme has been slow and clunky. His impact is neither positive nor negative at this point, just different. We'll see how it pans out as the season goes.
What does the Titans offense look like under Brian Daboll compared to Brian Callahan?
Through two games, the Titans' offense has struggled to move the ball down the field. Whether that's a player problem, the slow installation of Daboll's scheme, or something else hasn't been determined. The offensive line is struggling as a whole, but that feels more like a talent problem than a coaching problem. J.C. Latham still has penalty problems. Dan Moore Jr. isn't a great left tackle. Fernando Carmona and Peter Skoronski are solid guards, which has helped Ward a ton. Schlottmann has his moments. There haven't been too many plays that have blown up; they just struggle to get down the field, and some of that is play-calling.
Overall, the offensive players at least seem to be on the same page, and that's a solid improvement from Callahan's offense. But it's not enough to generate momentum alone, so Daboll has to get his play-calling down.
If you had to identify one matchup that could determine this game that isn't getting enough attention, what would it be?
Tony Pollard vs. the Giants' run defense. Everyone is talking about Cam Skattebo and Jeffery Simmons, or the weakness of the Titans and Giants secondary units, and everyone is overlooking Pollard, who is trending toward playing this week. He has some ankle soreness, but he did this several times last season, too. He would miss practice or practice on a limited basis and still be heavily involved on game day. And if Tyjae Spears can't play, the ground game will rest on Pollard's shoulders almost entirely. He's been underestimated for most of his career, despite four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. His ability to run the ball on Sunday will dictate how well the Titans' offense can move the ball.
How do you see Sunday's game playing out? Who wins, and what's the final score?
This is actually tough. If Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns were playing, the Giants wouldn't have a problem with the Titans. Jameis Winston is a solid quarterback, though, and the Titans are on the road for the first time this season. I'm going to give the nod to the Giants, but it's not going to be a blowout. I think the Titans do enough to keep it close, though. Giants win, 23-20.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans: Behind Enemy Lines
