In a season full of abnormalities, two teams with a combined record of 2-9-1 will square off Thursday night in a game that might carry serious playoff implications. The Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) will host the New York Giants (1-5) in this NFC East showdown of heated rivals.
Here is a closer look at Thursday’s game, complete with a free pick. Philadelphia is a 4.5-point favorite at home, according to most sportsbooks.
By the Numbers
Even though they are coming off of their first win of the season, the Giants have a long way to compete week after week. New York is averaging a paltry 16.8 points per game, second-lowest in the league while averaging a league-low in total yards on offense.
A big part of their offensive woes stems from the loss of star running back Saquon Barkley, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. It also doesn’t help that second-year quarterback Daniel Jones has shown some regression, throwing three touchdowns to six interceptions.
Defensively, Big Blue has been competent. They allow an average of 25.3 points, 16th in the NFL, and are 11th in total yards allowed per game. Their run defense is a top-10 unit, giving up around 106 yards on the ground on average.
But the Giants have struggled mightily on third downs, where they allow opponents to convert 53.8% of the time, the second-highest rate in the NFL. New York has found some success in forcing turnovers, though, tied for fifth in the NFL with eight takeaways.
Now for the home team. The Eagles have shown some life the last two weeks following their lone win of the season at San Francisco, but their play does not translate positively on the standings. Philly’s offense is better than New York’s but not anywhere close to good, averaging 23.5 points and just under 359 yards per game, ranking 22nd and 26th, respectively.
They’ve found some success with 122.3 rushing yards per game but will be without lead back Miles Sanders due to injury. That will place even more pressure on quarterback Carson Wentz, who, like Jones, has regressed to the tune of eight touchdowns and nine interceptions, the second-most in football.
On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia gives up close to 30 points per game (29.2, to be exact), which ranks 23rd. They’ve also struggled against the run but should fare better against a non-existent Giants rushing attack.
On average, the Eagles have allowed 378.8 total yards per game, 17th in the league, and are within the top-20 in a few other defensive statistics. However, they only have five total takeaways on defense, a strong cry from their offense’s 12 turnovers.
Biggest Key
It doesn’t happen often, but both teams will have the same primary key to victory: protecting their inconsistent quarterbacks. For the Giants, that means keeping the turnover-prone Jones upright and allowing him to find his primary weapons. That might be easier said than done, though, as Philadelphia has 21 sacks through six games, and New York is in the process of interchanging rookie tackles Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart.
The same goes for the Eagles, who also have a turnover-prone quarterback of their own in Wentz. The last three opponents for Philly (San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Baltimore) all have vaunted pass-rushes and exposed the Eagles’ injuries and weaknesses on the offensive line.
That will be the blueprint for New York too, who ranks just inside the top half of the league when it comes to generating pressure. With no Sanders or Zach Ertz to fall back on, Philadelphia will need to give Wentz as much time as they can to scan the field and make a play.
Previous Matchups
This rivalry has been one-sided over the last few years. The Eagles have won their last seven games and 11 of their last 12 against the Giants. Last season, Philadelphia won the first overtime game between these two teams since 2006 by a score of 23-17, then followed with a 34-17 win a few weeks later at the Meadowlands.
Shockingly, New York has won just four games against Philadelphia over their 20 matchups in the last decade, with their last win at Lincoln Financial Field dating back to 2013.
Injury Report
The Giants will be missing a pair of key defenders as expected in linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Oshane Ximines, both of whom were placed on IR. The rest of the report is pretty light, with wide receiver Darius Slayton officially questionable with a foot injury and was limited in practice all week. Rookie slot cornerback Darnay Holmes was also previously on the injury report but does not carry an injury designation heading into the game.
Meanwhile, the Eagles once again are facing a plethora of injuries. As mentioned earlier, running back Sanders and tight end Ertz are officially ruled out for Thursday’s contest, arguably the two best players on Philly’s offense.
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery will also miss the game with a calf and foot injury, as will defensive tackle Malik Jackson. Fortunately, the Eagles are expected to see the returns of wide receiver DeSean Jackson, tackle Lane Johnson, and cornerback Avonte Maddox.
Betting Pick
It will be fascinating to see how both of these struggling teams step up knowing that they’re both in playoff contention.
Will the Giants find a way to generate more pressure on the defense and force turnovers? How will backups like Corey Clement, Boston Scott, and Richard Rogers handle their expanded roles on the field due to injuries to starters?
With all that being said, I’m far more encouraged by the Eagles play the last three weeks than the Giants. Philly held strong against three pretty tough opponents and now takes on a team they’ve owned for several years. Plus, with the short week, I expect Eagles head coach Doug Pederson to have an easier job getting his team prepared than Giant’s first-year coach, Joe Judge.
Give me Philly with the points.
Pick: Eagles -4.5
