New York Giants - Philadelphia Eagles Matchups to Watch
The New York Giants will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, avoid elimination from playoff contention, and defeat perhaps their biggest rival in the franchise's history.
This battle has several talented players matched against one another, making for some great entertainment. Still, these two particular matchups are among the key ones that could influence Christmas Day's outcome.
When the Giants Have the Ball
The Giants went into New Orleans last week riding a three-game win streak with a ton of momentum. Quarterback Tommy DeVito rose in fame with each touchdown throughout the streak, but when he played the Saints last Sunday, he threw for just 177 yards, and New York settled for just two field goals overall.
It seemed like head coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and the rest of the coaching staff wanted to run the offense solely through DeVito against a veteran-led defense that was very much in a division title race. This plan didn't work partly due to running back Saquon Barkley's lack of usage.
The two-time Pro Bowler played a season-low 50 percent of snaps and rarely saw the field on third down. With that in mind, he carried the ball just nine times for 14 yards (both season-lows). Granted, New Orleans' run defense was among the best in the league, and New York seemed to just give up on rushing after a small sample size of attempts.
Hopefully, Daboll and Kafka realize that Barkley is a tremendous key to Christmas Day's game against the Eagles, as Philadelphia has been run all over lately. In Weeks 1-9, the star-studded Eagles run defense didn't allow over 75 yards in a game and only forfeited two rushing touchdowns in that span. However, since their Week 10 bye, opponents have rushed for over 90 yards in each game and have tallied three rushing touchdowns.
The Eagles, who were once 10-1 and well ahead of the rest of the league, are now 10-4 and losing a tiebreaker with the Dallas Cowboys to make them the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff picture. Philadelphia's hot start has already helped them clinch a spot in the postseason, but like all teams, they aim for the highest seed.
If Barkley could take advantage of the battered Eagles' run defense, he'd need to see time on the field first- the Giants' chances of remaining in the hunt and continuing the Eagles' losing streak would skyrocket. Nevertheless, Philadelphia has some players capable of reaching the backfield quickly, but no one does it faster than edge rusher Haason Reddick.
Like the rest of the Eagles, the 2022 Pro Bowler's stats have taken a slight dip since the bye week, but he still leads in Philadelphia in sacks (11), tackles for loss (11) and is second on the team in quarterback hits with 19 this season. That said, each team he's faced since Week 11 has had above-average offensive lines. On the other hand, the Giants do not, as they lead the league in sacks allowed by a massive margin.
Reddick typically lines up opposite the right tackle, who, whether starter Evan Neal or backup Tyre Phillips, has contributed to the drastic season from the front five. Like the Saints, the Eagles have something riding on their games against the Giants--their losing streak and playoff positioning. If Reddick uses these factors as motivation against New York's depleted right side, he'll reach Barkley very quickly and greatly increase Philadelphia's chances of winning.
When the Eagles Have the Ball
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown was a star on the Tennessee Titans from when he was drafted in 2019 until 2021. But the 2022 NFL Draft Day trade to the Philadelphia Eagles eventually pushed him to superstar status.
Brown notched career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in Philadelphia's Super Bowl runner-up campaign, and in 2023, he's on pace to break personal records in each of those categories. In Weeks 3-8, Brown recorded 120-plus receiving yards each game and was recognized as the early Offensive Player of the Year favorite. Brown currently sits in the top 6 in the NFL in each category.
However, like the Eagles' defense, Brown and the offense have also struggled since the bye week, as he broke 90-plus yards in just two of the last five games. But like the defense, Brown and the offense will be hungry to end the losing streak at home against a divisional rival and move up in the NFC playoff picture.
Brown is a member of one of the best-receiving duos in the NFL, along with DeVonta Smith. That said, the Eagles' 2021 first-round pick didn't practice on Thursday or Friday, meaning his availability for Monday is uncertain.
Smith's impact as a receiving threat at all three levels has made opposing teams unable to focus on Brown fully, leaving the two-time Pro Bowler to dominate for most of the season. But if Smith is out, quarterback Jalen Hurts will all but certainly target Brown more.
The Giants' pass defense has been relatively average (in a good way) this season, partly due to first-round rookie cornerback Deonte Banks. The University of Maryland product has done a very solid job throughout his first season, as he leads New York in pass breakups (11--second-most by any rookie in the NFL) and is in a four-way tie for the most interceptions (2).
The Giants were given a tough schedule this season regarding opposing receivers, as many of them last year and even this year are Pro Bowl-caliber talents. To have a "Welcome to the NFL" receiver matchup practically every week could be detrimental to a rookie cornerback's future, but Banks has held his own.
Brown will be another test for Banks and perhaps the toughest with how the receiver's season has unfolded. If Banks can shut Brown down, the Eagles offense will run very low on other options to move the ball downfield. But the Giants' chances of winning will plummet if Brown and Hurts regain their early-to-midseason momentum.
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