New England Patriots-New York Giants: Keys to the game and who will win

New England Patriots (8-0) at New York Giants (5-4)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. - TV: CBS

*TV announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson

*Keys to the game: It's the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL against the league's 32nd-ranked defense in yards allowed per game, putting the onus squarely on the Giants to come up with a game plan to contain Tom Brady & Co. The Giants acknowledged this week that the difficulty is in the Patriots' ability to tweak their approach from game to game to attack a defensive weakness, rather than shove their strengths down an opponent's throat.

New York's No. 1 priority is getting pressure on Brady, but their nine sacks through nine games is the franchise's lowest total since sacks were first compiled in 1963, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Patriots' offensive line is banged up and RB LeGarrette Blount is coming off a 29-carry game, so the Giants may be able to focus on a more balanced Patriots offense.

The Giants' offensive line faces its own stiff test as New England visits with 27 sacks on the season. Keeping QB Eli Manning upright has been a challenge at times this season, and the Giants like to rely on quick underneath passes and let their receivers do the work. New England has the league's third-ranked run defense. If the Patriots can stuff the run and sit on the slant and short routes, Manning will have to prove he can strike vertically in the face of pressure.

*Matchup to watch - Patriots RBs James White and Brandon Bolden vs. Giants linebackers: A lot of players have succeeded in the Patriots' passing back role, from Kevin Faulk to Danny Woodhead to Shane Vereen to Dion Lewis, who suffered a torn ACL last week. Brady acknowledged it is a "pretty important position in our offense," and the role now falls to White and/or Bolden, who will be charged with picking up blitzes, cleaning out the pocket and serving as a mismatch out of the backfield against linebackers.

*Player spotlight - Vereen: The Patriots didn't miss him as much when Lewis was healthy, but now they'll see their former playmaker on the other side of the field. Vereen, in his first season with the Giants after four with the Patriots, is still working into his role in the offense with 483 combined yards and three touchdowns in nine games.

*Fast facts: The Giants have won their last three meetings, two Super Bowl victories sandwiched around a regular-season win at Gillette Stadium in 2011, making them the only team to not lose at least once to the Patriots since 2008. ... Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. has 77 catches for 1,148 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 career home games.

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY

The Giants have won the past three meetings - including two Super Bowls - by relentlessly harassing Patriots QB Tom Brady. They have barely sniffed any quarterbacks this season, leaving the secondary defenseless to contain Brady's plethora of weapons.

*Our pick: Patriots 37-27.