How the Giants Can Slow Down the Eagles Rushing Attack
With playoff hopes all but out the window, the Giants will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in a rematch of a Week 12, which saw the Giants win 13-7.
The Eagles will not have a lot of time to prepare, as they just played on Tuesday due to a postponement resulting from COVID-19 outbreaks. It might be a quick turnaround, but it is a critical game for the Eagles, who have become one of the best rushing teams in the NFL after starting the season abandoning the run.
Although the Giants won their first matchup, they were ineffective against the run. The Eagles amassed over 200 yards (208) on the ground and averaged 6.3 yards per carry in the process. That rushing yardage was the most allowed by the Giants defense this season.
When New York arrives in Philadelphia for the game on Sunday, they must look to do some different things to avoid a repeat of being gouged on the ground. They cannot count on quarterback Jalen Hurts throwing three interceptions and receivers dropping sure touchdowns if they want to come away with another victory.
Let’s look at what they did the last time and what they need to do to improve their chances the next time they face this Eagles rushing attack.
Use a True 4-man Front
The nature of a three-man front defense is that there are normally uncovered guards who can climb to the second level to block defenders in the run game. This is something that Philly's offensive line does better than most in the NFL. They will get to the second level, block linebackers or defensive backs, and spring their ball carriers for big gains.
In the last game, the Giants went with a four-man front of sorts, but they used outside linebackers like Azeez Ojulari and Quincy Roche as down linemen. Due to a size/strength difference, they just didn’t hold up well against the rushing attack--edge rushers using speed rarely ever win against downhill rushing attacks.
One of the ways the Giants can assist their second-level defenders is by bringing another defensive lineman on the field. Danny Shelton could join Austin Johnson on the inside and give New York more beef upfront. Four true defensive linemen would allow them to play in gaps and cover up the offensive linemen forcing them to double team the interior guys.
They could also line the four defensive linemen head-up on the guards and tackles (two 2-techs and two 4-techs). That leaves the center as the only uncovered offensive lineman who could climb to the second level. This allows the linebackers to run free, be unconcerned with taking on offensive linemen, and focus on bearing down the ball carrier.
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Trust Man Coverage
The Giants have invested heavily in this defensive backfield. It is games like these where they need to step up and show their worth. Playing good man coverage is not about making every play as a coverage guy. It is mitigating the big risk and allowing the players dedicated to the box to cause disruption, either in the pass rush or stopping the run. In this case, man coverage would do both.
In that game, the Giants looked to be in zone/man combination coverage on the three interceptions Hurts threw. His first interception was a bad throw that went behind the receiver, and Darnay Holmes was able to bring it in.
The second and third interceptions resulted from Hurts trying to force the ball where receivers were covered.
This was an abnormal game for Hurts. He usually takes care of the football, so the defense can’t trust they will get a chance for those turnovers next time. A defense needs to take away his opportunity to scramble and make throws on the run because he has a lot of time to throw.
Man coverage allows the Giants to blitz Hurts and force him to make quick throws before receivers are ready for the ball. Man coverage also allows the defense to commit seven and eight defenders to the box to combat the run. More eyes focused on the line of scrimmage forces the Eagles to try and throw over the top of the defense. That is a low percentage throw for every quarterback in the NFL.
Spy Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts is the leading rusher for Philadelphia this season. He led the team again on Sunday, accounting for 77 yards on eight carries. That type of production is not only worthy of alarm, it warrants a full-on game plan. That's what the spy is designed to do.
The problem a quarterback who can run presents for a defense is that they create an 11-on-11 situation that many teams can not. The Giants are keenly aware of this advantage because of Daniel Jones ability with his legs. It can make it difficult to attack rushers.
Defenders usually feel like they are outnumbered. The spy is a way to allow a defense to play as they have typically played against a rusher but account for the quarterback if he decides to run. All quarterback reads are negated if the defense commits a person to the quarterback.
Logan Ryan would be a great option to spy Hurts. He was unavailable this week but hopefully will be available when they face Philadelphia again. He has the speed to run with Hurts and is one of the surest tacklers on the team. This also allows him to help when Hurts hands the ball off in the run game. He can also be another Blitzer in the passing game.
With Ryan spying and the other defensive backs playing man to man, six or seven defenders can concentrate on stopping the run game. As a disrupter, he can ensure that Hurts knows there's a penalty to pay for extending plays and running the ball.
The most dangerous time for the quarterback to run the ball is when the play breaks down, and he is unaccounted for. This is the time when quarterbacks like Hurts can be the most dangerous. It is not just the ability to extend the play and allow receivers to get open but the ability to pick up cheap yards that extend drives.
When the defense rushes, Hurts, and he tries to escape, Ryan can be there to hit him. When Hurts tries to scramble and extend the play for his receivers, Ryan can close the distance down and pick up a tidy coverage sack or force Hurts to throw the ball away.
Final Thoughts
The Giants were fortunate to come out of their first meeting with Philadelphia with a win. They will need more than luck when they travel to Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles have won their last seven home meetings against the Giants.
New York will need a sound defensive game plan to stop the most potent thing in the offensive attack of the Eagles. These things would show Philly something they have not seen in competition from New York or on film against any other opponent.
It could mean the difference between a season sweep that helps spoil Philly's playoff hopes or a split that officially signals that team has given up on the season.
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