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

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

3. Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Malcolm Butler

This matchup will be one of the best battles in the NFL this week. On one side, we have one of the best wideouts in the game, a guy who missed the first four games of 2014 but still ended-up no the Madden NFL 16 cover. On the other side, we have the hero of Super Bowl XLIX, the reason Brady has four rings in his possession.

Beckham Jr. ranks sixth in receptions (59), fourth in receiving yards (759) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (7). Those seven scores are the same as Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, ranking right behind Tyler Eifert’s nine touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Butler is breaking to the upper ranks of NFL cornerbacks. He leads the Pats with eight passes defended, which is the same amount as premier cover men Aqib Talib and Sam Shields.

A neutral NFL fan would enjoy watching this game solely because of the draw of the Beckham Jr.-Butler matchup. Competition will be tight and trash talk will be loud between the two players.

Next: 2. Patriots playing a winning team