FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots have the best record in the NFL, haven't lost in two months and have only a matchup with one of the league's worst teams standing between a 10th consecutive win and their bye week.
But that doesn't mean the Patriots (10-2) are taking anything for granted heading into Monday night's game with the New York Giants (2-10).
Part of the reason is that New England will enter the game with two starters missing on an offensive line that has been of the league's durable stable this season. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell left last week's win over Cincinnati with a knee injury that has since landed him on injured reserve. Left guard Jared Wilson will also be out this week with an ankle injury.
The group of Campbell, Wilson, center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Mike Onwenu and right tackle Morgan Moses have started 11 of the first 12 games this season. The lone deviation from that quintet had been in Week 4 when Ben Brown started in place of Wilson, who was inactive with ankle and knee injuries.
“We’ve got to prepare the right way because this is a damn good defense and everybody knows it," Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. "Everybody in the league has seen it. They were just in a dogfight last week with a real good team. It’s going to be key for us being on the top of our game.”
The Giants enter as losers of their last six but have found a little traction over two games under interim coach Mike Kafka. The Giants, coming off a 34-27 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions, are also expected to have a few new wrinkles this week after Kafta fired former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and elevated outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen to the job on an interim basis.
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is also expected to be back after sitting out the past two games after suffering a concussion on Nov. 9 at Chicago.
Dart started the week still in the concussion protocol, but was a full participant when the team had its first walkthrough. Kafka said a final decision of his availability was still pending.
Giants receiver Wan’Dale Robinson said Dart has stayed in the mix while he's been sidelined.
“He’s preparing each and every day,” Robinson said. “Even whenever he was announced that he wasn’t playing, he was still acting like he was preparing to play. I just think that just goes to show his maturity and him just being a pro.”
Vederian Lowe replaced Campbell when he went down against the Bengals, with Brown again taking Wilson’s spot. They are both expected to fill those spots again on Monday, with tackle Marcus Bryant also mixing in as needed.
The good news for the Patriots is both Brown and Lowe have ample starting experience. Lowe started 13 games at left tackle last season, and Brown logged 10 starts at center in 2024 after David Andrews went on injured reserve. Bryant has appeared in all 12 games this season.
“It's not the same five, but it's five — we've been working together all year," Bradbury said. “It’s not panic. It's just move on, next man up.”
There were several plays Patriots quarterback Drake Maye wanted to have back in last week's 26-20 win over the Bengals.
One was failing on a third-down quarterback sneak with the Patriots leading 20-13 early in the fourth quarter. They wound up getting a 19-yard field goal, but Maye said that can't be the norm.
"I've got to find a way to get in, that's the biggest thing. I wouldn't say it's art. It's a mentality," Maye said. “If I've got to flip the switch or I'll do some smelling salts or do something. I think you try to get in the end zone on the 1. ... I've been successful sometimes this year on QB sneaks. I did a lot of them in college on the 1-yardline. Just have to find a way."
The Giants led Detroit 27-17 with 12 minutes left last weekend and lost 34-27 in overtime. That tied the NFL single-season record with five defeats when leading by 10 or more points and led to the firing of Bowen.
Linebacker Brian Burns said he and his teammates haven’t stepped up in some of the moments that mattered most.
“It was one play here, one play there,” Burns said, citing long touchdown runs by Jahmyr Gibbs. “You’ve got to be tight on all cylinders playing a guy that dynamic. That’s where we failed in that aspect and those critical downs, and that’s what we have to be better at.”
For everything that has gone wrong with the Giants this season, their offensive line has exceeded expectations. Journeyman quarterback Jameis Winston, who started in place of Dart the past two weeks, was not sacked by the Lions until the final play of the game, and that has paved the way for a rushing offense that now ranks ninth in the league.
“We’re physical up front — I think we use good technique, and I would say we’re pretty athletic,” left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “We have a veteran group, and getting more snaps together, just watching film, getting more practice reps — I think it helps us.”
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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