Big Blue ready for some Staff’ competition
The Giants expect Matthew Stafford to play Sunday. That isn’t the question. It’s how effective the Lions star quarterback will be after dislocating and tearing ligaments in the middle finger on his right hand.
One prominent Giant believes they may have caught a break.
“I think it’s going to slow the zip down on the ball and give us more opportunities to make plays,” safety Landon Collins told The Post after practice on Thursday. “Our secondary, we always try to make big plays. That’s going to be something we key in on if [his throwing] is not the same [as] we watch on film.”
Stafford has practiced fully this week, and has used a black glove that covers only his middle finger. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said the Giants will start the game expecting to see a fully healthy Stafford, but they will adjust if they notice any differences.
“If he is functioning differently, then maybe we will change things,” Spagnuolo said.
Collins expects that to be the case. While Stafford did lead the Lions to a come-from-behind win over the Bears on Sunday, he completed only 9-of-20 passes for 90 yards and threw two interceptions after hurting his finger.
“You need all your fingers to grab [the ball],” Collins said. “He has to play with four fingers now. I think this finger thing will slow him down just a tad, but he’ll still be the same quarterback.”
Giants wide receiver Tavarres King, who played at Georgia with Stafford, expects him to be the same player he always is. He’s seen his toughness up close, and believes the Lions quarterback will be just fine.
“He’s not going to let a finger stop him from going out and competing and trying to win for his team,” King said. “He’s a guy that you want to go into battle with. ... He’s just got that competitive edge to him.”
Translation: The Giants’ secondary will need to be at its best, facing a player Collins said has performed so well, he compares favorably to the best quarterbacks in the league. Stafford is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, having thrown 22 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions, while completing 66.7 percent of his passes for a 97.8 rating, the highest of his eight-year career.
It’s no coincidence the Lions are having a strong season as a result, riding a five-game winning streak and all alone atop the NFC North at 9-4, two games ahead of the Vikings and Packers.
The Giants believe he is among the best quarterbacks they will face this season, right up there with the Steelers‘ Ben Roethlisberger and Saints’ Drew Brees.
“The quarterback is the catalyst; he makes it all go,” Spagnuolo said. “I haven’t faced Stafford in a while, but I see a mature quarterback that can do anything and everything all these other great quarterbacks can do. ... He is controlling everything. He gets them in and out of good plays and bad plays and it is pretty impressive. We know how talented he is.”
The Giants’ secondary has emerged as one of the best units in the sport, anchored by lock-down cornerback Janoris Jenkins and Collins, who some believe is in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Lions lack a true No. 1 receiver after Calvin Johnson surprisingly retired in March. Instead, Stafford spreads the ball around, completing at least 43 passes to five different receivers, led by Golden Tate, who has hauled in 71 catches for 820 yards and three touchdowns. It should make for an interesting matchup, granted Stafford’s middle finger doesn’t affect him too much.
“They have strengths, we have strengths,” linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. “We’re going to put them to the test on Sunday.
“[I have] as much confidence [in the secondary] I can have in anything else. The guys are playing lights out.”