5Qs, 5As preview with Big Blue View: Giants facing Seahawks in a ‘must-win’ Week 4 game

The Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants will close out Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season on “Monday Night Football” in a game that will see the return of Jamal Adams to New York and the first appearance of the Hawks in primetime this season.

The Seahawks come in looking to head into the Week 5 bye sitting pretty at 3-1, while the Giants enter the game looking to avoid a 1-3 start with games against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins in the subsequent two weeks. That combination, added into the Seahawks playing in the stadium where they hoisted the Lombardi trophy a decade ago with Adams returning to the defense and Geno Smith poised to write the second chapter of his revenge tour, should make for an exciting game.

As always, Field Gulls teamed up with Big Blue View to preview the game, with Ed Valentine courteous enough to answer the five questions this week.

1. Expectations were somewhat lofty for the Giants coming off a postseason berth in Brian Daboll’s first season, and so far 2023 hasn’t gone as many fans had hoped. What’s the feeling for the direction of the team in general among fans, and is the 1-2 start considered a bump in the road or are fans beginning to fear the post-Joe Judge rebuild has gone into the ditch?

You know how fans are — at the first sign of trouble everything and everybody should be tossed overboard. There were raised expectations, but realistically most prognosticators would have said 1-2 after three games is where the Giants were likely to be. The way they have played over that stretch, being embarrassed by Dallas, needing a miraculous comeback to beat Arizona, not yet showing improvement on offense and playing poorly on defense has raised alarm bells.

At Big Blue View, we have always discussed how last year’s team over-achieved and regression could happen this season. Is that what we’re seeing? I think it’s too soon to tell. Monday’s game is really a must-win for the Giants with games the two following weeks against Miami and Buffalo.

2. A lot of Seahawks fans hoped that the team would draft John Michael Schmitz, but they opted to go another direction and add a center on Day 3. How has Schmitz performed for the Giants so far, and are fans happy with his performance as a second round pick?

Schmitz has been very good. Due to injuries and poor performance there has been a lot of chaos around him. He has been a bright spot overall. (Editor’s Note: Schmitz was selected five picks after Zach Charbonnet, just in case anyone wants to take notes for future Creed Humphrey-ing.)

3. Seattle fans are familiar with the big names on the roster - Daniel Jones, Leonard Williams, Saquon Barkley, Kayvon Thibodeaux, etc. Who are the more unknown players who could be significant factors whose names Seahawks fans may not know?

On offense, wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson. Hyatt was the Giants’ third-round pick and he has to be more involved in their offense with his speed. Robinson was a second-round pick a year ago and played his first game in

Week 3 after tearing an ACL last year.

On defense, Jason Pinnock is the replacement at safety for Julian Love. He’s more athletic and splashier, but maybe not as consistent.

4. The most points the Los Angeles Rams have scored this season came in Week 1 against the Seahawks. The most points the Detroit Lions have scored this season came in Week 2 against the Seahawks. The most points the Carolina Panthers have scored this season came in Week 3 against the Seahawks. The Giants scored 31 against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, so will Daniel Jones and company put 32 or more on the board against the Seahawks defense and keep the trend alive?

I have my doubts about that. The last two quarters against Arizona marked the only good offense the Giants have played in three games. Will Saquon Barkley play? Can the Giants, for the first time all season, block well enough to give Jones a chance to use his playmakers adequately?

5. There’s been a lot of movement in the line since it opened earlier in the week, but as of right now the Giants are favored by a point. Do you think the desperation to avoid 1-3 with Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills on the schedule in Weeks 4 and 5 will be enough to help the Giants come away victorious? And will there be enough scoring that fans should be the over, which currently sits at 47?

Funny that you framed the question that way. Desperation is exactly why I chose the Giants to win when we did our weekly staff picks. In sports, the more desperate team is often the one that plays with more aggression, more abandon and comes out on top. The Giants know what comes next and they know that if they don’t win Monday they face a strong possibility of starting the season 1-5. Which means that the season is basically over. As for the over/under, that’s hard. I wouldn’t be shocked if it is really close to that number one way or the other. I will take the over, but it won’t be by a lot.

And now we’re on to Monday Night Football. But first, “Thursday Night Football” and then a quadruple header on Sunday.