Forget everything you know about this season. Forget that in week 8 the Eagles made the Giants look like amateurs. Forget that the Eagles are in the midst of a three game winning streak and dismantled the Falcons last week. And forget that the G-Men took down the Cowboys this past Sunday.
Forget everything you know and only consider one thing – this is late season NFC East football with the playoffs on the line. If the Eagles win, they’ve likely guaranteed themselves a trip to the playoffs and a shot at the division title. If the Giants win, things get interesting with the potential of a three-way tie at the top. This is football at its best.
All things considered, the Eagles likely have the edge in this match-up. They started out strong, had their mid-season lull, and like most Decembers, are firing on all cylinders. The Giants started out the season perfectly, but then fell flat on their face after a match-up with their first formidable opponent, the Saints.
Despite last week’s win against the Cowboys, the Giants of week 14 are a team that’s falling apart and missing a beat. Eli Manning, who is dealing with a minor foot injury, will more than likely play on Sunday night, although his recent play is less than we expect from him. He’s been sloppy and already has thrown 11 interceptions and fumbled 7 times this year. The moral to the story is this – if you pressure the younger Manning, he will turn it over.
Running back Ahmad Bradshaw did not participate in practice yesterday, and with the recent benchings of defensive end Osi Umenyiora and defensive tackle Fred Robbins, this is a team that is off-kilter and not in sync. Maybe that win against a Cowboys team that often mails it in during December really doesn’t mean that much.
Either way, the Birds are in for a fight. Although they are in the midst of a three game winning streak, this game is in New Jersey (you know, where the Giants play), and the Eagles have been wildly inconsistent this season.
To get the win, the Eagles need to establish themselves defensively at the game’s start. If Eli is rattled early and rattled often, you can expect at least one ball to magically find its way into the hands of Asante Samuel or Sheldon Brown. And speaking of Asante, if the man lays down the same type of hits he did in Atlanta, the G-Men are in for a hurting.
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson is expected back on Sunday, and while the team was able to make do last week when he was recovering from his concussion, the more weapons at hand, the better. And we all know that DJax is capable of making a big play at any time.
The most important key to success for the Eagles this week is Andy Reid’s play-calling, and how well those plays are executed, especially in the red zone. There has been a good ratio between run/pass plays over the last few weeks, and we’ve seen several guys make big plays this season – Avant, Weaver, McCoy, Celek, and DJax. If the ground and air attack is intelligently mixed, this team will be fine. McNabb has several weapons in his arsenal that are capable of putting the hurt on the Giants.
Penalties remain a problem with the Eagles, who are currently tied with the Ravens at 90 for second most in the NFL this season. Obviously a problem for more than just this season, it’s something that has a real potential of ruining the Eagles’ trip this weekend. This is one thing that is fully in the hands of this team, and they can do without having dumb mistakes effect their yardage on kickoffs, or even worse, the points that they put on the board.
Lastly on injuries, Brian Westbrook is out again this week, and the same can be said for wide receiver Kevin Curtis. Jeremy Maclin is questionable. Expect linebacker Akeem Jordan back in the lineup on Sunday, as well as Joselio Hanson, who is back from his four week suspension.
If any recent history is considered at all, just remember this – the Eagles have won three straight against the Giants. Don’t expect another blowout. This game will come down to the final minutes as two tough teams vying for the playoffs duke it out. The Eagles definitely have the edge, but they’re going to have to bring their best on both sides of the ball to get the victory.
