Patriots vs. Giants: 6 Bold Predictions

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Pass the time until kickoff between the New England Patriots and New York Giants by taking a look at these six bold predictions for the big game.

6. Brandon LaFell will lead Pats in receiving yards

For the second straight week, Brandon LaFell will lead the Patriots in receiving yards. LaFell’s six-drop outing against the New York Jets a few weeks ago is now a distant memory. The former Carolina Panther is gaining his form, as evidenced by the five-catch, 102-yard effort last week against the Washington Redskins.

As always, the opposing defense will allocate the bulk of their attention resources toward Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. Considering how poorly the Giant’s pass defense has performed this season—the G-Men rank second-worst in the NFL having surrendered 308 yards per game—there simply won’t be answers for all of the Pats’ weapons.

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LaFell will resume his post above Danny Amendola in the Patriots offense with a stat line of eight receptions, 125 yards and touchdown in this game. Brady loves using LaFell in the screen game, as LaFell resembles a tall, slight running back after the catch.

Remember, LaFell was an extremely effective wideout for the Pats last season. Before catching the winning touchdown in the divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens and snagging the opening touchdown of Super Bowl XLIX, LaFell notched 74 receptions for 953 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2014 regular season, all of which were career highs.

LaFell is a player who Brady makes better, to put it simply, and that will be on full display in this game.

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