Defense faces challenge in Week 8

The Giants are looking to win their fifth consecutive game for the first time since 2008 when they fly across the country to take on the Seahawks in Seattle.

The Giants and Seahawks are two teams that many pundits overlooked heading into the season. Now the two teams face off in Week 8 as the only matchup of the weekend featuring two teams with winning records, with the Giants sitting at 6-1 and Seattle at 4-3.

The Seahawks’ offense has been one of the best in the NFL this season, thanks to some unlikely sources. This weekend’s matchup will provide a good test for the Big Blue defense, which has performed as a top unit in its own right.

Here are five players to watch in Week 8.

Jones is coming off his best performance of the season. Against Jacksonville, the young signal-caller completed 19 of 30 passes for 202 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton. Jones also set new career-highs with 11 rush attempts for 107 yards (9.7 avg.) and a touchdown to give the Giants the lead with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. He became just the third quarterback with 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game this season, joining Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. His performance earned him the honor of NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

“I appreciate it,” Jones said about the award. “A lot went into that from a lot of guys, and it was a group effort. Happy and appreciative but understand that it’s a team award, a team recognition and I appreciate everyone.”

The 25-year-old quarterback has led five game-winning drives this season, the most in the NFL. His 5.9 yards per rush attempt matches Browns RB Nick Chubb for the sixth-highest in the league, while his 15 carries of 10+ yards are tied for the fifth-most. Jones has registered three consecutive games with a passer rating of 94.0 or higher. Perhaps most importantly, Jones’ ability to protect the football has improved greatly, as he has recorded only four turnovers (two INT, two fumbles) in seven games.

“That’s what we’re trying to do: trying to eliminate turnovers,” Brian Daboll told the media Wednesday. “He touches the ball on every play. There’s a wide variety of reasons to turn the ball over, and I think that his decision-making process has been very good. We need to continue to improve on that. He’s kept two hands on the ball in the pocket. Again, sometimes, they’re just going to make a really good play on defense. I think he’s practiced with good habits. It’s something…