Beckham has been under the microscope for the past week after taking a one-day trip to Miami with some fellow receivers after the regular-season finale with a wild-card playoff game at Green Bay less than a week ago.

Beckham dropped a career-high three passes in the Giants 38-13 loss to the Packers on Sunday, and more controversy followed: It was alleged that he punched a hole in a wall outside the Giants’ locker room at Lambeau Field.

He was not in the locker room at the Giants’ headquarters Monday to answer questions.

Coach Ben McAdoo said he became aware of the hole Monday, but he did not say who did it, adding he takes responsibility.

Reese said the Giants are investigating any potential vandalism and they would hold the appropriate party responsible for the damage.

He did not identify any suspects, but said he had a heart-to-heart talk Monday with Beckham, who was voted second team All-Pro after catching 101 passes this season for 1,367 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Reese has an outstanding relationship with Beckham, whose emotional play and passion annoys opponents and gets him into some ugly situations, highlighted by his run-in with Josh Norman in a game against Carolina in December 2015. He was suspended for a game by the NFL for being flagged for three personal fouls.

”I see a guy who needs to think about some of the things he does,” Reese said. ”Everyone knows he’s a gifted player, but there’s some things he’s done that he needs to look in the mirror and be honest with himself about it. I think he’ll do that. We’ll help him with that, but he has to help himself.”

Beckham was fined numerous times by the league this season, including more than $72,000 in the first four games of 2016, with the biggest chunk a $36,000 penalty for an illegal hit on Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro.

”We’ve all grown at different times in our lives, and it’s time for him to grow,” Reese said. ”He’s been here for three years now, and I think he’ll do that. He’s a little bit of a lightning rod because of the things he does on and off the football field. He’s gotta be responsible. I believe he understands that he has a responsibility being one of the faces of this franchise, and that he’ll accept that responsibility.”

McAdoo had no complaints about how Beckham practiced last week, and he felt Beckham played with tremendous effort on Sunday. He said it was possible the receiver might have been pressing in dropping a touchdown pass and believes he will learn from it.

When asked if Beckham might have hurt his hand putting a hole in the wall, McAdoo said he had already answered a question on that topic.

”I don’t condone putting holes in the wall,” McAdoo said of the team’s response to the issue. He said he had a conversation with Beckham about the hole on Monday.

”The team takes full responsibility, I take full responsibility,” McAdoo said. ”That’s no way to carry yourself after a ball game. Let’s move on.”

As far as the drops, McAdoo said Beckham will deal with them.

”That’s something that is going to stick with him for a long time,” said the rookie coach who led the Giants to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth since 2011. ”He’ll learn from it. He’ll grow from it. He’ll bounce back.”

Eli Manning has no concerns about Beckham.

”I think Odell is passionate. He’s passionate and he wants to win,” the Giants quarterback said. ”This was important for him. He wanted to go out there and have the best game of his career. Maybe he put too much pressure on himself, and emphasis. Unfortunately, going to the playoffs is different.”

A Packers spokesman said the team would not comment on any questions related to the hole in the wall.

The NFL did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press asking whether it was looking into the damage to the wall, and whether Beckham would be disciplined or have to pay for the damage if he was responsible.

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AP Sports Writer Genaro C. Armas in Green Bay, Wisconsin contributed to this report.

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NY GIANTS vs PHILADELPHIA
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, December 22, 2016
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.
LINE: Giants -2.5.
O/U: 41.5
PREDICTION: Giants 24, Eagles 16

Oddsmakers currently have the NY GIANTS listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the PHILADELPHIA, while the game’s total is sitting at 41.5.

PHILADELPHIA — The New York Giants can clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2011 with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.

The Giants (10-4) hold the top wildcard spot, two games ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) and the Green Bay Packers (8-6).

They finish the season on Jan. 1 against the Washington Redskins.

The Eagles (5-9) will play the role of spoiler against their East Division rivals, having been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a loss at Baltimore. The Giants knocked off the Eagles 28-23 in Week 9. The game was one of six losses for the Eagles in games decided by seven points or fewer.

Philadelphia’s rookie quarterback Carson Wentz threw for 364 yards in the first meeting with the Giants, a career high, but he will be facing a defense that has allowed an NFL-low passer rating of 70.0 since Week 5.

Since Week 7, the Big Blue defense have the best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 14.9 points a game, and are the best in third-down defense, allowing a conversion just 29.6 percent of the time.

The architect of New York’ defense is Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive coordinator who oversaw the 2007 championship defense.

“He’s done a really good job,” said Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison of Spagnuolo. “Historically, the defense speaks for itself because it’s a Super-Bowl winning defense. It was a just a matter of getting everyone in the right position and getting everyone to buy in and used to playing with each other.

“That’s tough when you bring in a new group like we’ve done this offseason. It’s a credit to 1/8Spagnuolo 3/8 in getting guys to buy in and play together.”

One of those guys Harrison referred to is defensive end Romeo Okwara, an undrafted free-agent out of Notre Dame, who has done a nice job of filling in for Jason Pierre-Paul who is out with season-ending surgery. In his first start of the season against Dallas in a nationally-televised game on December 11th, Okwara recorded eight combined tackles and the first sack of his career.

“Their defense is playing really well,” said Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich. “They are getting after the passer and rushing the passer very well. They have two really good corners, obviously a good safety, good secondary.

“They have good personnel on their defense. It just seems like they are hitting their stride defensively. We know 1/8Spagnuolo 3/8 is a very good coordinator. They are playing with a lot of momentum right now and playing at a high level. Really good in the red zone. Really good on third down. Pretty good against the run. So it will be a good challenge for us.”

The Eagles running game will get a boost from running back Darren Sproles, who was cleared after undergoing concussion protocol. However, his replacement in the Baltimore game, Kenjon Barner, is out with a hamstring injury. Sproles is second to Ryan Mathews (615 yards) in rushing with 366 yards.

Philadelphia averages 112.9 yards on the ground and 227.5 in the air.

The Giants will be without running back Shane Vereen who reinjured his triceps in the 17-6 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Vereen has endured a tough-luck season. He missed nine games earlier with the triceps injury, returned to face Dallas, but lasted just three plays before sustaining a concussion. Vereen was cleared for the Lions game, but re-injured his triceps.

The workload will go to Paul Perkins, who is coming off the best game of his rookie season. The UCLA product carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards against the Lions.

“Whenever any player is able to get in a rhythm — not just running backs — quarterbacks, receivers, anybody. Whenever you’re able to get in that rhythm the game starts to slow down and you get more comfortable.”

The Eagles have outscored the Giants 54-7 in the last two games they’ve hosted New York at Lincoln Financial Field. Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s five career losses against the Eagles are his most against any opponent, as are his 26 career interceptions thrown against Philadelphia.

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Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -4.
O/U: 41
PREDICTION: Giants 24, Lions 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 4-point favorites versus the Lions, while the game’s total is sitting at 40½.

The showdown between two of the NFL’s hottest teams could be decided by a single digit. In this case, that digit happens to be the middle finger on Matthew Stafford’s throwing hand.

Stafford reportedly suffered torn ligaments and a dislocation in the first quarter of the Detroit Lions’ 20-17 win over Chicago on Sunday. He threw two interceptions, including a pick six, after having the finger taped and putting on glove on his hand. Stafford still led his club to its eighth fourth-quarter comeback victory, the most by any team since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Detroit, which leads the NFC North, will try to extend its winning streak to six games when it faces the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. The Giants have won seven of their last eight games, including a gritty 10-7 victory over NFC East leader Dallas on Sunday night.

“I expect it to be extremely competitive,” Stafford said. “They’re playing for a lot and we’re playing for a lot. It’s an NFC game and it’s going to be a big one. So we’re excited for the opportunity. It’s great to be in this position, we’ve just got to go out there and play well.”

His finger complicates that process. The Lions’ pedestrian running game puts added pressure on Stafford to carry the offense. He’s ninth in the league in both completion percentage (66.7) and passing yards (3,447). He’s also tossed 22 touchdown passes and was intercepted just five times prior to the injury.

Stafford, who scored the game-winning touchdown against the Bears with a 7-yard scramble, hopes the injury will be less of an issue with a week to experiment on equipment and treatment options. He’s unsure whether he’ll wear a glove against the Giants. An early forecast of inclement weather could force another in-game adjustment.

“It’s never fun when it’s on your throwing hand but I’ll figure it out and we’ll go from there,” he said. “(The glove) is not really for my state of mind, it’s for what’s going to be functional. So whatever’s most functional, with what I can perform the best with, that’s what I’ll go with.”

Stafford’s job won’t be any easier if Detroit is missing its leading rusher once again. Theo Riddick, who is most effective as a receiver out of the backfield, sat out against the Bears with wrist and ankle injuries. Riddick did not practice on Wednesday and one of his backups, Zach Zenner, is in the league’s concussion protocol.

With three games remaining, the Lions (9-4) could wrap up their first NFC North title with a victory on Sunday and a Green Bay loss. The Packers and Minnesota Vikings are tied for second place with 7-6 records and Detroit already holds the tiebreaker over Minnesota after sweeping the season series.

The Lions don’t have any soft touches remaining on the schedule. They have to play the Cowboys in Dallas the night after Christmas, then face the Packers at home on New Year’s Day.

In coach Jim Caldwell’s mind, the upcoming games aren’t any different from the ones his team just played.

“It didn’t matter what the Bears’ record was last week,” he said. “That game still had a lot of magnitude. It was very, very important. This one is exactly the same. It just so happens, and that’s how it’s going to be down the stretch, that you’ve got a team that’s playing very, very well and that’s riding high.”

The Giants (9-4) kept their division title hopes alive by defeating the Cowboys for the second time this season. They diffused the Dallas attack despite the absence of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who underwent sports hernia surgery last week and is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season. New York forced three turnovers, sacked rookie quarterback Dak Prescott three times and held Dallas to 260 total yards.

Other than the crossing route that wide receiver Odell Beckham turned into a 61-yard touchdown reception, the Giants’ offense was a virtual no-show on Sunday. Quarterback Eli Manning threw an interception and lost two fumbles and the rushing game averaged 2.8 yards per carry.

“I’ve got to play better,” Manning said. “Got to find completions, got to protect the football better. That’s what’s got to happen in these types of games. You get into December, you’ve got to protect the football. That’s the most important thing right now.”

Manning was also picked off twice the previous week in a 24-14 loss to Pittsburgh and has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in the last three games. Fortunately for him, the defense has masked the offense’s struggles. Opponents have been held to 20 or fewer points in five of the team’s last six victories.

“We’ve got to keep finding ways to win,” he said. “The defense is playing outstanding, so we’ve got to help them out. We’ve got to score more points, give them a lead and don’t make it hard on them.”

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It’s not for the Detroit Lions and New York Giants as they head into Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.

Both are 9-4, in good position, and either team can make the postseason with a win and a combination of other results.

The Lions are riding a five-game winning streak that has given them a two-game lead over Minnesota and Green Bay in the NFC North. The Giants are two games behind Dallas (11-2) in the NFC East but they hold a one-game lead in the wild-card race after winning seven of eight.

The problem for the loser will be the schedule. After the Giants, the Lions close at Dallas and then return home to face the Packers, who have are playing much better after a midseason slump.

The Giants close with road games against division rivals. They have a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game against the Eagles (5-8) and finish at Washington (7-5-1), which beat them earlier this season.

”They’re playing for a lot, we’re playing for a lot,” said Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford , who will be playing with an injured middle finger on his throwing hand. ”It’s an NFC game, it’s going to be a big one. We’re excited about the opportunity, obviously, great to be in this type of a position. Just got to go out there and play well.”

The Lions, who made the playoffs as a wild card in coach Jim Caldwell’s first season in 2014 with an 11-5 record, are looking to get back to the postseason after going 7-9 last year. The Giants are looking to end a four-year playoff drought in Ben McAdoo’s first season as coach.

”For us to be here where we are, standing at 9-4 with playoff contention right there on the horizon, it is definitely fun to be here and to understand that the offense hasn’t reached that top pinnacle of where we want to be, and we know it is coming,” said receiver Victor Cruz, a member of New York’s Super Bowl-winning team in February 2012. ”We know it is only a matter of time and hopefully it is this week.”

The defense has been the strength of both teams, with New York’s group preserving probably all nine wins. The Giants’ offense has yet to score 30 points. The Lions’ offense has played well in the fourth quarter, posting comeback wins eight times.

Some things to consider for Sunday’s game:

MATCHING MANNINGS: Caldwell is close with Peyton Manning, dating to their years with the Indianapolis Colts. While he has watched Eli Manning from afar, he sees a lot of similarities.

”He has the same sort of mental makeup and you’d have to certainly attribute that to Archie and Olivia,” Caldwell said of the quarterbacks’ parents. ”They’ve had some young guys in that family, or the men in that family, that have performed very, very well under pressure. They’ve been built for it. He’s had maybe some of the best tutelage that one can have watching his older brother play, and then obviously both of them watching their dad play.”

ELI WOES: The Giants’ offense has been horrible in recent weeks, and so has Eli Manning. His passing yards have been in the 190s in the last three games and he has thrown three interceptions and lost two fumbles. He has not had a 300-yard game since throwing for 403 against Baltimore on Oct. 16.

”I got to play better,” Manning said. ”Got to find completions, got to protect the football better. That’s what’s got to happen in these type of games, and you get into December, you got to protect the football. That’s the most important thing right now.”

LEANING ON THE OL: Detroit desperately needs its offensive line to keep the Giants’ line off Stafford, who hurt the middle finger on his right hand early in last week’s win over Chicago . The line, which includes first-round pick Taylor Decker at left tackle and third-round pick Graham Glasgow at center, will have to block 350-pound defensive tackle Damon Harrison and defensive end Oliver Vernon.

The Giants have 26 sacks since mid-October, second best in the league in that span.

FIELD POSITION: Giants punter Brad Wing has placed 10 of his last 22 punts inside the opposition’s 20. He was the NFC special teams player of the week for netting 42.9 yards in the win over the Cowboys. Watch New York long snapper Zak DeOssie; he is dealing with a hamstring issue.

NO RUNNING: The Lions and Giants are among the NFL’s worst rushing teams. Detroit is ranked No. 29, averaging 83.7 yards. The Giants are No. 31, averaging 78.7 yards. Theo Riddick leads the Lions with 357 yards on 92 carries, a 3.9 yard average, but is a major threat as a receiver. Rashad Jennings has 459 yards on 136 carries for New York, a 3.4 yard average.

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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Allen Park, Michigan contributed to this report.

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New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns
When: 11/27/2016 1:00 PM
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -7. O/U: 44
PREDICTION: Giants 33, Browns 13

Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 7½-point favorites versus the Browns, while the game’s total is sitting at 44.

The season is getting real exciting for one team while the end of the line is on the horizon for another.

The New York Giants at 7-3 are looking for their sixth straight victory and are steaming full speed ahead for the postseason.

The 0-11 Cleveland ship is springing leaks and all the Browns can hope for is a life preserver to stay afloat until they can sail off into the sunset and their own postseason of preparing for next year.

When the Giants travel to Cleveland for a 1 p.m. ET Sunday kickoff, it will be the 49th time the two teams have met in the regular season. The Browns hold a 26-20-2 edge.

Las week, New York might have underestimated the Chicago Bears. But quarterback Eli Manning rescued the Giants by throwing two touchdown passes in the third quarter to rally his team over Chicago — another of the NFL’s bottom-dwellers.

Could the Giants have been looking ahead? Doubtful. And they won’t take the Browns lightly after the close call with Chicago.

The Browns lost 24-9 to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Quarterback Josh McCown took over for rookie Cody Kessler, who was knocked out of a game for the third time this season. McCown will start Sunday. On Wednesday, the Browns designated quarterback Robert Griffin III to return from injured reserve.

Griffin practiced Wednesday but has not been cleared to play. He was the starter in Game 1 but broke a bone in his left shoulder.

And for the first time, frustration in the Browns’ locker room boiled over with perhaps the team’s best two players speaking up.

Terrelle Pryor Sr., the former quarterback who has had a breakout season, called out the offensive line after Kessler and McCown were sacked eight times by the Steelers.

“Somebody’s got to say it so I will,” Pryor said. “I’m tired of our quarterbacks getting hit. This is (baloney). They can’t keep getting hit like that. … Whoever’s given up their blocks, they need to stop it.”

Left tackle and future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas also criticized the front office for letting center Alex Mack (Atlanta Falcons) and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz (Kansas City Chiefs) leave through free agency.

“Well, we lost a couple really good players, I think the best at their position,” Thomas said. “But that was our strategy in the offseason. That’s what we decided to do.

“You’ve got to lie in the bed that you’ve made, and I don’t make the decisions on who comes and goes. So that’s not something that I can concern myself with.”

Just another complication for Browns first-year coach Hue Jackson.

He said he wished his players wouldn’t voice frustrations to reporters, but in a roundabout said Pryor and Thomas, who has not missed a snap in his nine-year career, had earned some cache to speak out.

“They want to win,” Jackson said. “It’s all coming from a good place.

“These guys work extremely hard. They come in this building every day and they’re in here working their tails off with the expectation to go out and win and play well.”

While Jackson and the Browns are trying to figure out how to survive, New York counterpart Ben McAdoo is pushing all the right buttons in his first season, but he knows there’s work to be done.

“We haven’t accomplished anything yet,” McAdoo said. “The highs are high and the lows are low and you’re going have to put out three dumpster fires a day. Other than that, you need to focus on your preparation and get ready for the next opponent.”

McAdoo embraces away games and relishes time his squad can spend on the road.

“Anytime you get a chance to get on the road and bond and spend some time together, some quality time together that way, your team has a chance to grow and get closer,” he said.

And the Giants have done just that, especially the defense.

The Giants’ defense has eight picks and 14 sacks in their last eight game. Landon Collins is headed to the Pro Bowl (80 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions) and defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon are playing at a high level.

Pierre-Paul did show up on Wednesday’s injury report with swelling in a knee, which kept him on the sideline.

And for the first time in two years, the Giants compiled back-to-back 100-yard rushing games the past two weeks.

Manning will be licking his chops as he goes against a defense that is 31st in yards (409.5), 22nd against the pass (265.5), 31st against the run (143.9) and 31st in points allowed (29.5).

The Browns rank next to last in sacks with 16.

Manning got a dose of good news on Wednesday when guard Justin Pugh, who has missed the past two games with a knee injury, returned to practice. Even though his status for Sunday’s game still is in limbo, there were reports Pugh was “very active in drills.”

Yet Manning is not taking the Browns’ defense lightly, pointing to cornerback Joe Haden, who is one of the best at his position.

He’s got great ball skills. When the ball’s in the air, he does a great job finding it and catching it,” Manning said.

Haden will have his hands full, though, as he most likely will line up opposite of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was dealing with a jammed finger. After a slow start, Beckham has compiled 819 yards on 59 receptions and scored six touchdowns.

The Browns’ other starting corner, Tramon Williams, was limited in practice with a knee injury that sidelined him last week

These teams have at least one thing in common –neither has scored 30 points this season.

Weather is not expected to be an issue with temperature along Lake Erie in the 50s. But if Mother Nature does rear her head, Manning will be prepared.

“I think you just have to go with the game plan,” he said Wednesday. “We’re not going to be able to do everything. Just try and have answers for all their defenses. If we get to Sunday and it is bad conditions, you just deal with it from there.”

One of the things the Browns must deal with on their journey to possible infamy is keeping the fan base and staying the course. They have a boatload of draft picks and Jackson is committed.

“I truly believe I’m just the man for the job,” he said. “That has not shown, and I respect that and I understand how our fans and all feel, but I’m not running from this. I’m going to run through it, and I’m going to deal with it head on. We are going to fix this.”

But how bad is it in Cleveland? The cost of a ticket for the game is about the same as two Happy Meals. That’s pretty sad considering the Browns once proud franchise.

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Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Giants
When: 8:30 PM ET, Monday, November 14, 2016
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Bengals -1. O/U: 47
PREDICTION: Giants 27, Bengals 23

Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 1-point favorites versus the Bengals, while the game’s total is sitting at 48½.

This Monday Night Football matchup pits two of the top six passing offenses against each other in a prime-time showcase. The Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1), led by quarterback Andy Dalton, take their fourth-ranked passing attack into MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Giants (5-3) and two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants hope to counter the Bengals high-flying aerial attack with their own sixth-ranked air show.

After Monday night, both offenses could be even higher in the offensive rankings. The Bengals defense is 25th in total defense and tied for 19th in scoring defense. Cincinnati gives up 262.4 yards a game through the air and has allowed 16 touchdowns. The Bengals are 0-3-1 when an opponent passes for 250 yards or more. Their opponents are averaging six yards per play.

The Giants have the 23rd-ranked defense in the NFL. This unit gives up 371.2 yards a game. The Giants have the 25th-ranked pass defense in the NFL. New York is tied for a league-low 11 sacks generated. The Giants have not been able to consistently get pressure on the quarterback without blitzing.

Quarterback Eli Manning is coming off a four-touchdown performance against Philadelphia, the third time he has tossed at least three scoring passes in a game this season, but he also was picked off twice for the third time. Like Cincinnati, the Giants have a stud wideout in Beckham, who caught a pair of scoring passes against the Eagles to give him five in the past four games. The biggest problem for the Giants has been a stagnant running game led by Rashad Jennings that ranks last in the league with a meager average of 68.3 yards per game. Rookie Paul Perkins could see more time this week to help work the clock and protect a defense that yields 277.4 yards passing.

Team record: 5-3 SU,3-3-2 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
NY Giants is 3-5-2 ATS in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Giants’s last 6 games at home
NY Giants is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Cincinnati

Though both teams have had success passing the football, the Giants have had struggles getting their rushing attack going this season. They rank last in the NFL, averaging only 68.2 yards a game. Some of those issues belong to the offensive line’s inability to open holes. Others blame the loss of running back Shane Vereen to a triceps injury in the preseason. Giants head coach Ben McAdoo thinks they have a good young player in rookie running back Paul Perkins. So does Manning.

If Perkins is to help improve the Giants running game, he will have a chance against a Bengals run defense that gives up an average of 116.1 yards a game. A once fundamentally strong defense led by coordinator Paul Guenther, the Bengals miss too many tackles and have produced 57 penalties. The defensive line has been impressive as pass rushers, getting 25 sacks on the year, but their insistence on getting to the passer has opened up run lanes.

Another rookie who could play a major role in the outcome of the game against the Bengals is wide receiver Sterling Shepard. Starting wideout Victor Cruz has a sprained ankle and could miss the Bengals game. This will put Shepard into the starting spot against a defense that gives up tons of yardage to passing teams.

Another rookie the Giants were counting on to play a significant role, cornerback Eli Apple, was benched against the Philadelphia Eagles. Apple, the Giants’ first-round selection out of Ohio State this year, had at least three mental mistakes against the Eagles and found himself on the sideline. “We’re going to dust Eli off and we’re going to put him back out there, and he’s going to get better and learn from it,” said McAdoo of the rookie defender.

Quarterback Andy Dalton has a streak of four straight games with a 100-plus passer rating snapped in London, but he has thrown for 2,349 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. Star wide receiver A.J. Green is second in the NFL with 896 yards, including three games with at least 169 yards, and the offense received an added boost with the return of tight end Tyler Eifert against the Redskins. Eifert had 13 touchdowns last season and showed what a difference-maker he can be in his first start with nine catches for 102 yards and a score. Cincinnati’s defense has been vulnerable through the air, allowing an average of 262.4 yards.

Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green has made a living out of embarrassing NFL cornerbacks, Pro Bowlers and rookies alike. Green is second in the NFL in receiving yards with 896. Against a secondary that continues to give up big plays, the Bengals will be attacking cornerbacks Apple, high-priced free agent Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with Green deep.

Coming off their bye week should work wonders for Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert. Eifert missed the early part of the season due to issues with his back. Now 100 percent healthy, Eifert is a tough matchup for any safety in the NFL. On Monday night, Eifert will be facing safeties Landon Collins and Nat Berhe. Collins has three interceptions on the year and is an improved coverage player. But his true strength lies in his physicality in the run game, not as a coverage player. Berhe is a smart player and will need to use his brains to hold up in coverage against a more athletic.

Team record: 3-4-1 SU,2-5-1 ATS
Cincinnati is 2-6-2 ATS in its last 10 games
Cincinnati is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games

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Atlanta at N.Y. Giants
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -2.5. O/U: 51.5
PREDICTION: Giants 23, Falcons 20
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Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 3-point favorites versus the Falcons, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.

New York’s offense wasn’t sharp in the opener, with one touchdown coming on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s fumble return and the other coming on Jennings’ plunge after an interception return to the 1-yard line. Manning threw for 193 yards on 20-of-36 while Jennings rushed for 52 yards and wideout Odell Beckham had a team-high five receptions for 44 yards. With star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul recuperating from a fireworks accident, the Giants allowed Dallas to convert fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 76 and 72 yards that took 2:53 and 1:27.

The Giants were a 27-26 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Cowboys. They covered the +7-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (53) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 0-1 SU,1-0 ATS
NY Giants is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Giants is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Giants’s last 11 games
NY Giants is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

Atlanta’s Julio Jones put on a show in the season opener by hauling in nine catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns while fellow wideout Roddy White had four receptions for 84 yards. Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 298 yards with a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions while rookie running back Tevin Coleman provided balance to the offense by rushing for 80 yards on 20 carries in his NFL debut. The Falcons surrendered 336 passing yards to Philadelphia after ranking last in the NFL last season with an average of 279.9 yards allowed.

The Falcons were a 26-24 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Eagles. They covered the +3.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (50) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
Atlanta is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta’s last 5 games
Atlanta is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta’s last 6 games on the road

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Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 28, 2014
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -3. O/U: 52
PREDICTION: Giants 33, Eagles 23
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Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Eagles, while the game’s total is sitting at 52.

Beckham has been the talk of the NFL the last two months, posting at least 90 receiving yards in eight straight games with 421 yards and six TDs over the last three contests. Of course, Beckham’s breakthrough has coincided with improved play from Eli Manning, who has three touchdowns without an interception in each of the last two games. Jason Pierre-Paul continues to be a defensive force for the Giants, recording a sack in four straight games with seven total sacks during that stretch.

In their last action, New York was a 37-27 winner on the road against the Rams. They covered the +6.5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (64) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 6-9 SU,7-8 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
NY Giants is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Giants is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Giants’s last 9 games
NY Giants is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Philadelphia has allowed 89 points over its last three games and has held only one of its nine opponents under 20 points since shutting out New York on Oct. 12. Mark Sanchez will get another start for the Eagles after throwing for a career-high 374 yards in last week’s 27-24 loss to Washington – his fourth 300-yard performance of the season. The Eagles have five Pro Bowlers, including LeSean McCoy, who needs 90 rushing yards to achieve the second-highest single-season total of his career.

Philadelphia lost its last outing, a 27-24 result against the Redskins on December 20. The Eagles failed to cover in that game as a -7-point favorite, while the 51 combined points took the game PUSH the total.

Team record: 9-6 SU,9-6 ATS
Current Streak: lost 3 straight games.
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road

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Washington at N.Y. Giants
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 14, 2014
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -6.5. O/U: 47
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Giants -6.5. O/U: 47
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Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Redskins, while the game’s total is sitting at 43.

The story surrounding the Giants continues to be the emergence of first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr., who has gone over 90 yards receiving in six straight games and caught a career-high 11 passes for 130 yards and a score last week. Another rookie rose to the occasion against the Titans, as well, as fourth-round pick Andre Williams ran for a career-high 131 yards as New York racked up 402 yards of offense and posted its second-highest point total of 2014. One negative for the Giants this season has been their 30th-ranked rushing defense, although they held Titans rookie starter Bishop Sankey to 2.8 yards per carry.

New York won its last outing, a 36-7 result against the Titans on December 7. The Giants covered in that game as a -2.5-point favorite, while the 43 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 4-9 SU,5-8 ATS
NY Giants is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
NY Giants is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Giants’s last 7 games
NY Giants is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

Coming off their first shutout since 2011, the Redskins are not sure whether their quarterback on Sunday will be Colt McCoy, who suffered a neck sprain against St. Louis, or Robert Griffin III, who was benched in favor of the former late last month. Regardless of who is under center, Washington certainly needs more out of Alfred Morris, who managed only six yards on eight carries against the Rams, and the return of wideout DeSean Jackson (shin) should help as well. One player who stepped up in Jackson’s absence last week was Pierre Garcon, who caught nine balls for 95 yards after totaling 14 catches for 111 yards in his previous five games.

In their last action, Washington was a 24-0 loser at home against the Rams. They failed to cover the +2.5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (24) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Team record: 3-10 SU,4-9 ATS
Current Streak: lost 5 straight games.
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington’s last 7 games
Washington is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games on the road

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When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, November 9, 2014
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Seahawks –10. O/U: 44.5.
PREDICTION: Seahawks 16, Giants 10
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Oddsmakers currently have the Seahawks listed as 9-point favorites versus the Giants, while the game’s total is sitting at 43½.
Seattle has experienced a few distractions in recent weeks – namely the trading of receiver Percy Harvin to the New York Jets – and is hoping it can settle in and produce a strong second half. “We’re making progress,” Seahawks coach Peter Carroll told reporters. “We’ve survived some really hard games and we’ve won some really hard games. We’re battle tested, we’re ready to go.” Quarterback Russell Wilson has passed for 1,669 yards and continues to be efficient with 11 touchdowns against just three interceptions. Middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (toe) is progressing but will miss his fourth consecutive game.

Seattle won its last outing, a 30-24 result against the Raiders on November 2. The Seahawks failed to cover in that game as a -13-point favorite, while the 54 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 5-3 SU,3-5 ATS
Seattle is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Seattle is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle’s last 9 games
Seattle is 18-7 ATS in its last 25 games at home

Rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had eight receptions for 156 yards against the Colts last Monday and expressed that he is ready to test himself against Sherman and the Seattle secondary. “These are the games you live to play for, the moment you live to play for, to go against the best of the best, to go against Richard Sherman, the Seattle Seahawks and the L.O.B. (Legion of Boom),” Beckham told reporters. “To go against all those guys, why not? Why not embrace that opportunity?” Manning has passed for 1,932 yards and 16 touchdowns for an offense averaging 345.9 yards per game. The leaky defense is giving up 391.8 per game and will be even more fragile with cornerback Prince Amukamara done for the season with a torn biceps.

Last time out for New York, they were a 40-24 loser as they battled the Colts at home. The Giants failed to cover in the match as a +3-point underdog, while 64 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 3-5 SU,3-5 ATS
Current Streak: lost 3 straight games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Giants’s last 6 games
NY Giants is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
NY Giants is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Giants’s last 6 games on the road

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