Nor'easter Forecast to Bring Rain, 40 MPH Gusts for Winston's First Start
The National Weather Service's wind advisory for East Rutherford runs until 6 a.m. Sunday, as Jameis Winston takes his first start under an offense Matt Nagy says is now designed around his strengths rather than Jaxson Dart's legs.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 90% chance of rain and wind gusts up to 40 mph for Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff between the Giants and the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium, with a wind advisory in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday and a coastal flood advisory until 6 p.m., according to the agency's forecast for East Rutherford. The conditions, which CBS Sports and AccuWeather have described as a nor'easter moving through the Northeast, arrive as Jameis Winston makes his first start since Giants coach John Harbaugh named him the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season Wednesday.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said this week he eliminated or reduced pre-snap motion and shifts to help Winston process plays faster, a change made after Winston went 11 of 27 for 111 yards with an interception in relief of Jaxson Dart, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Nagy said the offense is now designed around Winston's strengths rather than Dart's ability to run.
Kicker Dominic Zvada and punter Jordan Stout, both new to the Giants this season, will kick into the same wind Sunday.
Outside linebacker Brian Burns, who has a low ankle sprain, is listed questionable and did not practice this week, according to the Giants' official injury report.
Asked Friday whether the team had prepared specifically for the weather, Harbaugh joked, according to a transcript posted on giants.com: "We made the wind really pick up, but the rain we did not. We couldn't make it rain."
The coastal flood advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday.