newjerseynewsroom.com

BY ELI NACHMANY

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Standing at an average 3-2 record, the New York Giants need to win football games to distance their team from the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

Unfortunately enough, the Giants find themselves playing the surging Buffalo Bills this week, a team intent on winning again to be 5-1.

New York is in a position that many Giant fans didn't foresee in Week 6 — after beating the Philadelphia Eagles but losing to the Seattle Seahawks, the Giants stand behind the Washington Redskins in an odd-looking NFC East.

The Giants and Bills will square off this Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Meadowlands in what looks to be a high-quality football matchup.

To better understand the Buffalo Bills, one must know the way in which the team scores points.

In the passing game, Buffalo and New York are statistically similar but are actually inherently different in their base concepts and such.

Sure, Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has passed for 1,233 yards and 10 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions, while Giants quarterback Eli Manning has thrown for 1,486 yards and 11 touchdowns to 5 interceptions; such are similar numbers but don't paint the whole picture.

The Bills utilize a three-step-and-hit passing game, focusing on short-routes and quick patterns to methodically drive the ball down the field.

In Buffalo's offense, the ball is out very quickly — Ryan Fitzpatrick is developing into one of the game's better cerebral passers and makes rapid decisions with the football.

As such, Giant fans, don't expect Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora to dominate up front and get too many sacks or quarterback-pressures — if Fitzpatrick executes well on Sunday, the Giants may not have a chance to rush this passer.

Where the Bills really make the most noise is in the running game, where a star (albeit late in his career) is emerging for the team.

Fred Jackson, a quiet but productive veteran, provides the offensive impetus for the explosive Bills.

This season, Jackson is putting up serious numbers, carrying the ball 90 times for a grand total of 480 yards and five touchdowns.