NFC Game Of The Week
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Eagles: They’ve been dominant all year. An 8-0 start, they’ve been in control of the NFC East throughout the year. However, last week against the Tennessee Titans was their best win of the season and as usual, I will explain. It was such a complete effort on both sides of the football. On offense, they were able to move the ball down the field in a timely, yet effective manner. The Titans bottled up the run and dared Jalen Hurts to beat them and guess what? He accepted that challenge and that was the best I’ve ever seen him look at either level. The defense was strong in shutting down Derrick Henry and forced Ryan Tannehill to beat them. It was such a great win and now, the Eagles sit at 11-1 and in cruise control of the NFC East at this moment. Here’s the thing. I knew they could run the football as that’s been their bread and butter the last few seasons and they play stingy defense. The question mark was the passing game, and could Jalen elevate them and move the needle? He’s shown he can. Can I show A.J. Brown some love? His impact is so obvious, and it’s also been felt in many ways. His presence reminds me so much of Terrell Owens’ impact back in 2004 (I took it back!). He’s made everyone around him better and most importantly, A.J. has given Jalen a vertical threat down the field. I had picked the Eagles to win the division this year, but I didn’t expect them to be this strong. I’ve seen the comparisons to the 2017 group that won the Super Bowl. Quite frankly, this team is better than that group. A few more victories and the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will travel through South Philadelphia. On Sunday, they renew a rivalry.
Giants: Well, the positive is they didn’t lose on Sunday against the Commanders. The negative is they didn’t win either and that’s because the game ended in a tie. Prior to this game, I saw them get punched in the mouth against the Detroit Lions and they appeared to get off to a quick start against the Dallas Cowboys but ran out of gas and couldn’t keep up. I can’t say it enough! Continue to keep this offense built around Saquon Barkley! Do that and the rest will follow. I can’t stress that anymore. The other day, I referred to the New York Giants as the “New England Patriots” of the NFC and as always, I’ll explain what I meant. Just as New England, the G-Men don’t have that Wide Receiver that can consistently scare a defensive backfield. Many thought Kenny Golladay was the answer for them in free agency, but that’s been far from the case. They run the football heavily, Daniel Jones controls things and because he doesn’t have the weapons to throw too down the field, he does a lot of dinking and dumping. Despite everything I listed, they are still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the NFC and you still must tip your cap to Brian Daboll. Just wait until he gets more weapons on that offense and they’ll be a scary group to come for years. They’ll look to get back into the win column on Sunday with the conference leading Philadelphia Eagles in town on Sunday.
Eagles X-Factor: Miles Sanders– He was always the guy they built this offense around. Now, he’s one of the guys. The Eagles have been one of the best rushing teams in the league and Miles was a big part of that. Watching him for a while, he’s used the same way Christian McCaffrey is. Both backs can be moved all over the field and wherever they are, they make big plays. Miles also reminds me some of Reggie Bush back during the New Orleans Saints days. He’s a great talent, but injuries have kept him on the sidelines. When healthy, Miles is a key contributor to this offense.
Giants X-Factor: Dexter Lawrence– Say it with me! You better have game if you have two first names! Dexter is the heart and soul of this Giants defense. They’ve been so successful this year on defense and Dexter’s play has been the reason why. He’s so powerful off the ball and can push blockers into the Quarterback’s pocket. He does the little things on a consistent basis and that’s what made him so great this year. This New York Defensive Line has been strong all year long and he’s been a big reason why.
Final Thoughts: It’s been such a long time since I’ve had the privilege to break down this rivalry. These two have a history against one another. The Michael Strahan and Jon Runyan battles, 2007 when the Giants sacked Donovan McNabb 12 times and of course, the DeSean Jackson return at MetLife. Here we go again. Last week, the Eagles were dominant on both sides of the ball, and they didn’t let up one bit. They will see a much better Giants defense than the one they saw against the Titans. Can the Giants get after Jalen? This Eagles Offensive Line has been one of the best in the league throughout the year and that battle in the trenches will be one to watch. That will be key for the Giants. Making life difficult for Hurts and keeping A.J. Brown underneath with coverage. For the Eagles, it’s crucial to bottle up Saquon and force the Quarterback to make throws down the field. NFC East football always comes down to the wire and I anticipate that happening here once again.
Prediction: Eagles 30, Giants 20
