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10 things to watch for against the Bills

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  1. GIANTS LOOK TO GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS AGAINST AFC EAST **

NEWS
> Scouting Report: Breaking down the Bills
> Victor Cruz ruled out vs. Bills
> Latest Giants-Bills injury report
PHOTOS
> Know Your Opponent: Bills roster
VIDEOS
> Giants Online: Week 4 Preview


Giants fans perk up when the AFC East comes up on the Giants' schedule every four years because they know what happened the last two times around. In 2007 and 2011, the Giants captured two Super Bowl titles under head coach Tom Coughlin, who is 7-1 against the division in the regular season.

The Buffalo Bills (2-1) are the first up from the division this year as Sunday's kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Ralph Wilson Stadium. After defeating the Redskins on Thursday night in Week 3, the Giants (1-2) had 10 days to prepare for what they hope is the start of a winning streak.

2. GIANTS INJURY REPORT

Out: WR Victor Cruz (calf), DE Robert Ayers Jr. (hamstring), TE Jerome Cunningham (knee), DT Markus Kuhn (knee).

Questionable: LT Ereck Flowers (ankle), TE Daniel Fells (ankle).

Probable: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (concussion), DE Owa Odighizuwa (foot), RB Orleans Darkwa (knee).

**3. BILLS INJURY REPORT

Playmakers on Buffalo's first-team offense, defense, and special teams, presented by Nike

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Out: RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring), G John Miller (groin), WR Sammy Watkins (calf), S Aaron Williams (neck), WR Marquise Goodwin (ribs).

Probable: WR Percy Harvin (hip), QB Tyrod Taylor (ankle), LB Preston Brown (hamstring), K Dan Carpenter (left knee).

4. WR CORPS STEPS UP WITHOUT CRUZ; RB'S TOO?

Down to four healthy players at the position, it's all hands on deck in the receiving room. In addition to Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle, who got going in Week 3 with 116 yards and a touchdown, Dwayne Harris and Geremy Davis will look to be factors from the third wide receiver spot.

Meanwhile, running back Shane Vereen, who is second on the team in receptions, can pretty much line up anywhere and catch the ball.

5. REX BOASTS NO. 1 RUSH OFFENSE, DEFENSE

Unsurprisingly under new coach Rex Ryan, the Bills enter Week 4 with the No. 1 rushing offense (yards per game) as well as the top rushing defense (74.0). Conversely, the Giants are No. 2 against the run (74.7) and 23rd on the ground offensively (93.3).

"The theory and the concept behind how they play is there definitely," coach Tom Coughlin said of how the former Jets head coach runs his new team. "That's Rex's team, Rex's concept of X's and O's."

6. QB TAYLOR A FORCE TO DEFEND

While he'll play without his starting running back (McCoy), wide receiver (Watkins), and right guard (Miller), Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor is a "force" to defend. In addition to having 4.5 speed, he is completing 74.4 percent of his passes with a rating of 116.1.

"Tyrod can throw the ball, man," said Giants cornerback Jayron Hosley, who was teammates with Taylor at Virginia Tech. "As much as people like to talk about how versatile he is with running the ball and being able to scramble and escape the pocket and make guys miss, he can throw that ball. He can put the ball on the money. He's got a nice, soft touch. He's a complete quarterback. You can't just look at him as a one-[dimensional] guy." 

7. OWA TO SUIT UP?

A foot injury has kept rookie third-round pick Owa Odighizuwa from making his NFL debut. But all of that could change Sunday as the UCLA product was able to practice fully this week. With Ayers, a fellow defensive end, ruled out, Odighizuwa could have an expanded role in Week 4 if the coaches deem him ready.

"It puts that whole thing into play, for sure, in more than one way if he does get to dress," Coughlin said. "He practiced enough and well this week. He hasn't played in a while, so it may be that he would be fatigued and we may have to look at it that way if, in fact, he plays." 

8. BECKHAM SHEDS ROOKIE LABEL ON SUNDAY

Missing the first four games of his first NFL season did not stop wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from becoming the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. But, as Eli Manning liked to point out this summer, that meant Beckham still had four games to go before shedding his rookie label. That sentence concludes with the final whistle on Sunday.

 "Oh yeah, man, that's awesome actually," Beckham said when he was reminded of finishing his "rookie" season. "Got one more game."

However, Beckham already the most catches (110) by a player in his first 16 NFL games – despite only playing 15 so far – and is only 19 yards behind Bill Groman (1,593) for the most receiving yards during that span. With a 100-yard receiving game on Sunday, Beckham would tie Groman (nine) for the most in a player's first 16 games.

9. MORE MANNING MILESTONES

Giants quarterback Eli Manning needs 33 passing yards (40,519) to move into 13th place and pass Hall of Famer Joe Montana on the NFL career passing yardage list. Earlier in the year, Manning moved ahead of Johnny Unitas (40,239).

10. SUPER BOWL XXV REMATCH

The 2015 NFL regular-season schedule features 19 Super Bowl rematches as part of the year-long celebration of Super Bowl 50. In addition to Giants vs. Patriots (XLII and XLVI) in Week 10, Giants vs. Bills is a rematch of Super Bowl XXV, which the Giants won 20-19.

[**>> 25 STORIES ABOUT SUPER BOWL XXV

Keep an eye on these five players as the Giants face the Bills

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