Five Key Matchups: Giants vs. Broncos

With the Giants' top four receiving targets out for Sunday's game and running back Paul Perkins missing the contest as well, the pressure on Eli Manning will ratchet up. He will be forced to take chances and make plays in order to keep the Giants in the game, and that benefits a player like Chris Harris Jr. Harris has just one interception on the year, but this could be a game in which he can take a step toward another Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro nod. This defense tends to take advantage when offenses begin to press, and that should be no different Sunday night.

Through four games, Trevor Siemian has shown glimpses of the type of player he can be in this league. He's already turned in a four-touchdown performance, and he's showed off his mobility on several occasions. Again and again, he's proven his ability to shake off big hits and deliver precise passes. Now he must deliver on a consistent basis.   That can partly be aided by situational awareness, which Siemian harped on following Week 4. He's hoping to learn how to better evaluate when to take a sack and when to take a chance with a throw, and he should continue to improve in this department as the season progresses.   Against the Giants, Siemian will have his next opportunity to prove to the league he can progress toward being a top-end starter in the NFL. And Landon Collins will do his very best to stunt that development.   Collins, a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2016, intercepted five passes last year. He also compiled four sacks, so Siemian must be aware of where the third-year player is at all times. Though Collins doesn't have an interception yet this year, the Broncos' quarterback must ensure he doesn't leave the ball floating up for Collins at an inopportune moment. Should Collins fight through his injury and play, he'll be a dangerous threat to the Broncos' offensive hopes. And if the Giants' defensive playmaker gets his hands on the ball, it could change the course of the entire game.

For as many weapons as the Giants will be missing in this weekend's game, they'll still have rookie tight end Evan Engram, who presents a problem for any defense. As Andrew Mason detailed on DenverBroncos.com, Engram's versatility can make him a matchup nightmare. "At 240 pounds, Engram's agility makes him more like a big wide receiver than simply a tight end, and there are elements of both positions in his play. At the Senior Bowl in January, Engram said he studied Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Broncos Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe to hone his route-running technique," Mason wrote. The Broncos could use some rotation of players to guard Engram, but Justin Simmons will likely figure into the mix at some point. How he handles the responsibility — and whether the defense can avoid giving up big plays — should determine the effectiveness of New York's offense. Engram remains New York's most-dangerous weapon, and if the Broncos shut him down, this game shouldn't be close.  

After a handful of defensive players — including Olivier Vernon — were ruled out for Sunday's game, Jason Pierre-Paul may be the Giants' most-dangerous pass rusher available on Sunday. Though the eighth-year veteran has just 1.5 sacks through five games, he has a history of making big plays. That's why it's a necessity that Menelik Watson and Garett Bolles play well. If the Broncos can keep Trevor Siemian clean and upright, the Broncos should be able to move the ball efficiently. What could swing the game, however, is a strip sack or interception that comes off a big hit. If the Broncos allow that to happen, they could end up in a precarious spot.