How Giants Can Keep Pace with the Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have been good, but there is one way that, if the Giants can execute, could make for a much closer game.

Author:
Gene Clemons
Publish date:
Dec 7, 2022 3:06 PM EST

In this story:

New York Giants

The Giants have a 1-2-1 record since returning from the bye week, and this weekend, they face the Philadelphia Eagles, arguably the best team in the NFL this season.

Despite the public perception that the Giants have no chance in this game, the Eagles are not invincible. A Week 10 double-digit loss to Washington at home showed that Philadelphia was still human and could be punched in the mouth.

It is in the run game where they have shown the most defensive vulnerability. If the Giants want a chance to come out victorious, they will need to invest in the run game early and often. One way to do that is to lean into quarterback Daniel Jones's ability to be a game-changing rusher.

The Eagles have surrendered 99 or more rushing yards eight times this season. In those games, they have found themselves in close games, with one of those being the loss to the Commanders, and four other games were one-score victories, including a seven-point win over Green Bay, three-point wins over Detroit and Arizona, and a one-point win against the Colts.

Of their three double-digit victories over teams that rushed for over 99 yards, two of those games (Dallas and Houston) were one-score games in the fourth quarter. That’s a clear indicator that running the ball allows you to keep it close against them.

The four games where teams rushed for under 99 yards were all double-digit wins except their eight-point win over Jacksonville, and in that game, they were leading by double digits until Jacksonville scored midway through the fourth quarter.

In addition to one of the better run games in the NFL, the Giants can play 11-man football because of Jones's ability to run the ball. There are two ways he can hurt the Philadelphia defense as a runner.

The first is to attack the defense via scramble. One of the advantages an athletic quarterback has is when the pocket breaks down, or the defense does a great job in coverage, he can pick up extra yards by running the ball, thus turning a negative play into a positive.

The Eagles have a very good pass rush and coverage units. So when they send pressure at Jones, he must make them pay for man coverage by taking off with the ball.

He has broken off big runs and picked up quality first downs when he runs the ball, and that keeps drives alive, takes time off the clock, and makes the defense play more snaps than they are accustomed to.

The second way he can positively affect the run game is through designed quarterback runs. They tend to be so productive because they play off run action to the running back and allow the offense to manipulate the eyes of the defense.

It makes it easier for Jones to operate. Jones’s success gives the running back the same advantage when they run read action plays. The defense is forced to account for Jones and opens lanes that a back the quality of Saquon Barkley to exploit and turn into bigger gains.

This symmetry in the running attack can help keep a fast, attacking style of defense like the Eagles flat-footed long enough to allow blockers to get better leverage or reach the second and third-level defenders. Below you can see how the offense uses Jones in designed quarterback runs.

This is a critical game for the Giants, one that could determine if there are true contenders for a playoff spot or merely the pretenders so many claimed they were when they came out the gate with a 7-2 record halfway through the season.

As Jones continues to make his case for a long-term commitment from the Giants, his legs need to serve as the extra tool he brings to the game over some of those other quarterbacks with similar passing numbers and ability.

If he can find success as a runner, don't be surprised to see Barkley have success, and the defense holds up better. The Giants have proven this season that if you let them keep it close until the end, they can find a way to take a victory home.