The New York Giants have officially entered the NFL playoffs.
They’re the only team that has won three of the last four games and were tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the most points in the league last week.
They were also the first team to lose in New Orleans.
Here are five things you need to know heading into Sunday’s game.
1.
Will the Saints win the NFC South?
If the Saints’ Super Bowl hopes are all about the Superdome, this game will be an even bigger game than usual.
That’s because the Saints will be without their starting quarterback for the first time this season.
It will also be the first meeting between the two teams in Super Bowl history.
This game will have the potential to be one of the biggest games in franchise history.
The Saints and Buccaneers are both on the cusp of winning their first division titles since 2010, and it will be a matchup of two teams that are in a playoff hunt.
The NFC South is the only division in the NFL where the winner of the NFC East will face the loser of the AFC South.
The Dolphins will play the Falcons, while the Buccaneers will play a wild-card team from the division.
The winner of this matchup could surprise us all, but the NFC West could be the biggest winner of all.
2.
Can the Buccaneers have a bounce-back game?
The Buccaneers’ last four losses have been by an average of 11 points per game.
This is not a team that is built for the postseason, and the Bucs are just two games away from matching the Saints in total points.
The Bucs should win this game, but it will likely come down to the final minute of regulation.
3.
Can Julio Jones bounce back from a broken collarbone?
Julio Jones is in the midst of his career renaissance, but this season he is still playing through a broken right collarbone.
The Falcons are in their best shape of Jones’ career, but they will be relying on the run game to be the difference.
The run game is a key component of the Bucs’ offense, which will be limited by their inability to keep opponents under 100 yards rushing.
They have scored at least 10 points in each of their last two games.
4.
Can Ryan Tannehill lead the Bucs to victory?
Tanneham is the top-ranked quarterback in fantasy football right now.
The Buccaneers are looking to build off their win over the Falcons.
Tanneman has a perfect 3-0 record in the past two games, with a touchdown and an interception against the Eagles.
The biggest thing to watch is Tanne’s ability to hold onto the ball and complete passes.
Tanner is averaging a league-leading 6.5 yards per attempt this season, but he has thrown two interceptions, and only one of those was in the end zone.
The defense is a concern, too, as they are allowing an average 30.5 points per contest.
5.
Will Teddy Bridgewater be ready to play?
The biggest question for Teddy Bridgewater is his status for Sunday.
The former Heisman Trophy winner is out for the season due to a knee injury, and his availability is uncertain.
But he was the No. 1 quarterback in the preseason and will play Sunday against the Saints.
His return would give the Buccaneers a huge boost in this game.
If he’s out for more than a few weeks, he’s a fantasy quarterback worth monitoring.
For now, he has to focus on his job as a starter.
6.
Who is the biggest story of Week 5?
The Saints have won four straight, and they’ll be without Drew Brees for the final time this week.
However, the team has won six straight games without an interception.
The Giants are on a six-game winning streak, but have been unable to beat the Saints for the last three games.
The two teams are the only teams with at least five wins in the NFC.
This will be one to watch, and if there is one thing the Giants should know it’s that they have a big lead over the Saints heading into the bye week.
7.
Can Eli Manning stay hot?
Eli Manning has averaged 24.0 fantasy points per start in his past six games.
He hasn’t scored more than 17 fantasy points in any game this season but he did score 28 against the Falcons on Sunday.
His latest goal-line throw against the Vikings on Sunday was one of his best throws of the season.
The latest over/under for the Giants is 24 points, and we can only assume he will continue to produce fantasy points for a big win over this Saints defense.
8.
Can Dak Prescott play?
Prescott hasn’t had a lot of success this season when he’s playing on a bye week, but Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay will give him plenty of time to adjust.
Prescott had a career-best 28.5 fantasy points against the Giants in Week 5.
He’s been averaging just over 15 points per outing over his past two outings