The latest installment of the Eagles-Giants rivalry inevitably lost some luster last Sunday night when the Giants not only scored a measly seven points in primetime, but lost star left tackle Andrew Thomas for the season.
Instead of being only one game out of first place in the NFC East, the Giants (2-4) are now in last and once again fighting to keep a season from going off the rails.
Still, we’re only seven weeks into the season and the Eagles (3-2) are clearly a vulnerable opponent that barely squeaked by the hapless Browns last Sunday. This remains a big chance for the Giants to send a statement that they aren’t ready to pack it in under head coach Brian Daboll.
“We’re really hungry,” quarterback Daniel Jones said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’re always hungry to get any win, especially a divisional game at home. We’re fired up and excited to get out there.”
Giants fans obviously hope that manifests on the field after another nightmare outing at home where the offense couldn’t generate big plays — none gained more than 15 years — despite the defense dominating what had been the NFL’s fourth-highest scoring team.
Yes, the Giants will see a drop-off at left tackle with 2022 third-round pick Josh Ezeudu stepping in for Thomas. But stud rookie receiver Malik Nabers and running back Devin Singletary are back after missing two games with injuries.
The Eagles, meanwhile, present nothing special defensively while allowing 22.4 points per game. They pressure opposing quarterbacks on 17.7 percent of dropbacks, which is the sixth-lowest rate. They allow the seventh-most yards per rush (4.7). They also allow the 10th-most yards per pass attempt (6.9).
Explosive plays will be key for the Giants because like the Eagles, like the Giants, rank top five in red-zone defense.
The Giants have to translate what they’ve done at times on the road, like when Jones completed pass plays of 30 and 41 yards as the offense drove for 23 points in Seattle, into more consistent production at home as well.
“Our inability, I would say this game (against Cincinnati), to generate explosive plays, whether that’s through the run or through the air is not where I want it to be right now,” said Daboll, who has mostly been a good play-caller this season despite the lack of execution. “So we’ll keep doing it. Keep calling them. And we just got to keep on improving in that area.”
This team is overdue for a win at home (0-3), and starting fast needs to be a priority because the Eagles have yet to score a point in the first quarter this season.
For the defense to do its part, the formula will start with slowing down an old friend. Ex-Giant Saquon Barkley will make his long-awaited return to MetLife Stadium after leaving the franchise for the Eagles in March, and his Philadelphia career has been stellar so far.
With Barkley averaging the fourth-most carries per game in the league, the seventh-year pro is averaging the third-most yards per game (96.4) and has four touchdowns. But the Browns contained him to 47 yards on 18 carries by “stacking the box” with an extra defender on 62.9 percent of the Eagles’ snaps.
The Giants don’t typically align their defense that way, so it’s crucial for Dexter Lawrence to lead a big effort up front. And the All-Pro defensive tackle is no longer going against future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce, who retired after last season.
“We’ve got to stop Saquon from getting going,” Lawrence said. “We’ve got to clog the holes. We’ve got to get a lot of guys on him, a lot of bodies on him. He’s good at finding the second lane, third lane type of thing. We’ve got to stop his feet before he gets going because then he’s explosive.”
As for the fan reception awaiting Barkley in the Meadowlands, Jones and Lawrence both admitted that he probably won’t be greeted too kindly. His impact on the franchise won’t be forgotten, but business is business.
“I appreciate what he did for this organization and who he was as a teammate and a person to me, most importantly,” Lawrence said. “But Sunday is war and he knows that.”
Get your popcorn ready!
Giants Gameday
The Game: Eagles (3-2) at Giants (2-4), MetLife Stadium, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
The Line: Philadelphia by 4
History: The Eagles lead the all-time series, 93-88-2, thanks to winning a remarkable 17 of the last 21 matchups in the past decade. The Giants won the most recent matchup in Week 18 of last season when the Eagles rested some starters. The Giants are 1-4 against the Eagles under head coach Brian Daboll.
Key Matchups:
Giants LT Josh Ezeudu vs. Eagles OLB Josh Sweat: The Eagles’ defensive front, with the eighth-fewest sacks (11) on the season and seventh-most yards allowed per rush (4.7), is not as potent as recent years. But this is still a tough spot for the Giants’ backup left tackle to be thrust into action. Ezeudu struggled in five starts last year. Sweat leads the Eagles with six QB hits and two sacks.
Giants WR Malik Nabers vs. Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell: Nabers is back from concussion protocol after two games and should be heavily targeted as the Giants try to jumpstart their offense. It could be a battle of first-round picks with Darius Slayton questionable to play for the Eagles. Mitchell, the No. 22 overall pick, has started in all five games with six passes defended.
Giants OLB Brian Burns vs. Eagles LT Fred Johnson: Burns has racked up three sacks and six QB hits so far in his first season in New York and needs to take advantage of this mismatch. Johnson is a sixth-year pro who has made only nine career starts but has been inserted into the Eagles’ lineup because of an injury to Jordan Mailata.
Giants secondary vs. Eagles WRs A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith: It’ll be interesting to see which explosive Eagles receiver the Giants send cornerback Deonte Banks to travel with, and whether they’ll try to double-team the other with safety help like they did with Cincinnati’s Jamar Chase last week. It’ll be a challenge either way as the Eagles average the 11th-most yards per pass attempt (7.6).
Injury Report:
Giants: OUT: P Jamie Gillan (left hamstring), CB Adoree’ Jackson (neck); QUESTIONABLE: DT Dexter Lawrence (hip), OLB Brian Burns (groin), S Dane Belton (illness).
Eagles: OUT: TE Dallas Goedert (hamstring), OT Jordan Mailata (hamstring), DT Byron Young (hamstring); QUESTIONABLE: CB Darius Slay (knee), CB Eli Ricks (groin).
Giant Facts: The Giants and Eagles are tied for the 25th-worst touchdown rate in the red zone (44.44 percent). … The Eagles are one of only eight teams with a worse turnover differential (-6) than the Giants (-2). … Former Giant and current Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is fourth on the Giants’ all-time rushing list (5,211 yards) behind Joe Morris, Rodney Hampton and Tiki Barber’s record of 10,449.
The Prediction: Eagles 23, Giants 20
