Eagles Have Interesting Season Finale History in New York

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles have an interesting history of playing the Giants at the Meadowlands, inside the great shadow cast by the New York City skyline.

Two games come quickly to mind.

First, there was the finale played on Dec. 30, 2012. It was the 224 game – and final one – for Andy Reid as the Eagles head coach. He was fired days after a 42-7 loss in a season that ended at 4-12.

Second, there was the game played on Jan. 3, 2016. The Eagles had canned Chip Kelly just days prior and Pat Shurmur was named the interim head coach. Neither team had anything to play for, but the Eagles had lost five of their previous seven games coming in.

Shurmur banded the team together for a 35-30 win. Some media believed that Shurmur should be named the head coach in the offseason.

Instead, the Eagles hired Doug Pederson, who, after losing 28-23 to the Giants in his first trip to North Jersey on Nov. 6, 2016, has beaten them six straight times. Shurmur went on to be the tight ends coach then offensive coordinator in Minnesota before taking over as the Giants’ head coach two years ago.

Another chapter will be added to this rivalry on Sunday when the Eagles (8-7) visit MetLife Stadium with an NFC East title hanging in the balance.

It will be one of woe or of great jubilation, because a win clinches the Eagles’ second NFC East title in the last three seasons. A loss, coupled with a win by the Dallas Cowboys over the Washington Redskins, and the Eagles’ season will be over.

The Giants’ season ended weeks ago. Though New York has won two in a row, they are 4-11 and headed for another spot in the top of the NFL draft.

It’s those two recent wins, with an offense that has put up 36 and 41 points, respectively in them, and the fact they could be hellbent on playing spoiler to the Eagles’ are what could make them a dangerous foe.

“I think what’s important is that we go out and battle and put a winning performance on the field,” said Shurmur during a conference call on Thursday. “For our fans, we want to go out and help them have an enjoyable day and watch their team win. That’s what we’re really looking for. I know at this point in the season there’s ramifications, the outcome of these games will determine a lot of things. In this case, really what we’re trying to do is go out and put on the field a winning performance.”

Shurmur recalled the Eagles team he took to New York in that 2015 season finale. He didn’t say there was any fiery locker room oratory to inspire the team or any great game plan he designed to account for the win.

Shurmur was more philosophical on how he got his team that year revved up to win a game that didn’t matter – sort of the situation is Giants team is in right now.

“Coaches and the players on all teams in every situation are extremely prideful,” said Shurmur. “I think we all have a finite career, whether it’s playing or coaching so you want to try to make the most of every opportunity.

“I think that sort of is how I look at it. I think that’s the way our players look at it. They’re hyper-competitive. Every time they do something they want to win. That’s why you just tap into that, tap in and remind them of that, and they tend to do it.”

Shurmur figures to do a whole lot of reminding leading up to kickoff.

It could be his final game, which would be ironic since his final game as the Eagles’ head coach came inside the same stadium. Or it could be the crowning achievement of Shurmur’s coaching tenure in New York, though it may not be enough to save his job.

It may, however, be enough to send the Eagles home for the year, a sad chapter in the Eagles history of playing in North Jersey.

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