Patriots vs. Giants: 8 reasons why you should be excited

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Kickoff between the New England Patriots and New York Giants is fast approaching. Here are eight reasons why you should be excited for the showdown.

8. Shane Vereen facing former teammates

At this time last season, Shane Vereen was Tom Brady’s favorite target out of the backfield and Dion Lewis was sitting on the couch. Over the course of the 2014 regular season, Vereen caught 52 passes for 447 yards and then starred in the Super Bowl win, bailing out Brady 11 of the 12 times he was thrown to and gaining 64 yards.

But then the offseason rolled around, and Vereen’s time in New England came to an end. It’s very rare that the Patriots view a running back as irreplaceable. In the case of Lewis, the Patriots have shown much more attachment, locking-him up for the foreseeable with an in-season contract extension.

Related: An open letter to Dion Lewis

It will be fun to watch how the Giants use Vereen in this game. A juicy matchup will be the coverage of Jamie Collins on Vereen and watching those two athletic freaks go at it.

As is always the case when it comes to players facing their former teammates, there will be words thrown back and forth between Vereen and his fellow Super Bowl XLIX ring-bearers.

Next: 7. Casillas facing former teammates