ATLANTA - It might not be pretty, but something has to give.
Two injury-plagued NFL teams that have endured a frustrating first six weeks to the season will meet Monday night when the Atlanta Falcons (2-4) host the New York Giants (1-5).
The Falcons' defense ranks last in the league in third-down percentage, second-worst in scoring average and third-worst in average yards allowed. They've been hit hard by injuries, and defensive captain and middle linebacker Deion Jones won't be back for another four weeks.
The Giants' offense has struggled to sustain drives behind 37-year-old quarterback Eli Manning, who has been sacked 20 times, third-most this season. Star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has complained about the scheme and wants more touches. Injuries have caused problems for New York, too.
"None of us have played or coached well enough to be where we want to be, so we own that," said Pat Shurmur, who is in his first year as coach of the Giants.
"Outside the building, it's always giving praise and assigning blame. That's the noise that happens outside the building. We correct each play specifically, each situation specifically, each event in a game specifically, with the idea that if a mistake is made, you correct it and move on. The goal is to not have it happen again. That's where it is."
The Falcons lost starting safeties Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal to season-ending injuries by the third game and were so lacking in depth last week that they lined up star receiver Julio Jones in the secondary on the final play of a narrow win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It's a good thing they did. Jones ran toward Jameis Winston after his 11-yard gain and forced the quarterback to lateral. Three more Bucs touched the ball before it bounced out of bounds near the goal line as time expired, snapping a three-game losing streak for the Falcons.
For takeaway-starved Atlanta, it was a rare fumble against a defense that has forced just one this season, a ball that bounced out of bounds two weeks ago at Pittsburgh. The team's only fumble recovery came on a fumbled punt return in the opener at Philadelphia.
"For us, it has to be a mindset," Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell said. "Right now, collectively, we're not getting the job done."
The Falcons picked off two passes last week, but they've struggled to bring steady quarterback pressure all season. It will help that defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is expected to return from an ankle injury that sidelined him for two games. Atlanta can't afford to keep waiting to knock the ball loose, though.
"It just has to be more at the front of our thinking, and when we get our chances to own them, we've got to make sure we do that," Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said. "The ball in the passing game - we're making progress there with making interceptions - but we've got a ways to go in terms of forcing fumbles and getting them."
New York has lost three straight. Despite an outstanding start to the season by rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the Giants were held to 13 points in their previous game, a blowout loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The team is dealing with some off-field problems, too, and Manning knows it can get carried away. After New York went 3-13 last season, this one could be headed in the same direction.
"That's always a challenge," said Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP who hasn't won a playoff game since the 2011 postseason and endured losing records four of the past five years.
"It's just a challenge to try to focus on the things that you can control, and that's us and your assignments, the game, going out there and playing well. Keep the focus on that, and we'll be OK."
Giants receiver Sterling Shepard wants to score early and keep the ball away from Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who has a strong quartet of targets in Jones, Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu and tight end Austin Hooper. Atlanta has scored an average of 34.5 points in its four games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season.
"It's just us going out and executing the game plan," Shepard said. "If we can do that, I have no doubt in my mind that we can put up 30 and keep up with the Falcons' offense. They're going to score points, and we have to go into the game with the mentality that we're going to do the same."
The Falcons will lean on Tevin Coleman as their new starting running back after placing Devonta Freeman (groin) on injured reserve this past week. Freeman, who already missed three games with a bruised knee and last week's game with the groin injury, could return this season.
"I've always been impressed with the way they move the ball and the way they score points," Shurmur said. "They find a way to score points no matter who is running the ball."