New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles | Gameday Blog & Discussion
If there was ever a definitive moment for the Giants to have their backs against a wall, it's this game.
If the Giants lose to the Eagles, against whom they haven't won a game in the last 1,470 days, then it will likely be New York's last relevant game of the season.
No one knows how the season will play out for either team, but this game certainly marks a definitive turning point in the first-year tenure of Giants head coach Joe Judge.
Will the Giants have a slim playoff chance to play for after this game, or will they be tasked with playing out a near-meaningless final stretch in December?
Based on how the Giants have played in recent weeks, they could very well be at their best for their most crucial game of the season.
The Giants have taken steps toward overcoming many of their glaring issues from the beginning of the season while building on their strengths.
They've managed to establish a running attack, quarterback Daniel Jones played a turnover-free game last week, and the defensive line is continuing to cause disruption for opposing offenses.
If the Giants can parlay that momentum against a first-place Eagles team coming off its bye week, they might be able to gain an early advantage and establish the cushion it needs to pull off a much-needed win against their bitter rival.
The Giants could certainly use it, as they're looking to snap an eight-game losing streak against the Eagles and pull to 3-2 in division play for this year.
Join in on the discussion below with your fellow Giants fans as led by Giants Country writer Jackson Thompson (@Jacksonbht), who will update you throughout the game.
What To Watch For:
- The Giants are looking for two straight divisional wins for the first time since 2016.
- QB Daniel Jones needs 95 more passing yards to reach 5,000 for his career.
- The Giants are aiming for their seventh consecutive game with a turnover. Through Week 9, the Giants are tied for 2nd in the NFL in takeaways.
- The Giants are aiming for their fifth consecutive game holding the opposing team under 100 yards rushing.
- The Giants are aiming for their fifth consecutive game rushing for at least 100 yards.
- The Giants are aiming for their tenth consecutive game with at least 2.0 sacks. The Giants 22.0 sacks through Week 9 are tied for 7th in the NFL.
Pregame
The Giants are getting some familiar faces back on offense today with the return of wide receiver Golden Tate and offensive guard Will Hernandez. Tate was benched last week for an in-game outburst during the previous week and Hernandez has been on the team's Reserve/COVID-19 over the last two weeks.
While they are active, how much they are used is a different question, as the Giants' offense has faired pretty well without them in the lineup.
Hernandez's role, in particular, is an interesting question, as rookie guard Shane Lemieux has filled in for him over the last two games pretty well. The Giants have opted to go for an unconventional rotation with their offensive tackles, as rookie tackle Matt Peat has occasionally filled in on the left and right side.
Whether the Giants opt to run the same rotation strategy with possibly rotating Hernandez and Lemieux will be a storyline to watch during the game.
Meanwhile on defense, cornerback Isaac Yiadom is activate after concerns of a calf issue this week and will likely be reprising his role as the starting boundary cornerback opposite James Bradberry.
Yiadom has been inconsistent to say the least, but still presents one of the Giants' only legitimate starting cornerback options with the recent release of Corey Ballentine.
First Quarter
The Giants' pass protection is off to a bad start as quarterback Daniel Jones is sacked on the first play of the game. Hernandez starts the game on the bench as Lemieux is making his third straight start.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton is escorted to the sideline after making his first catch of the game. Slayton has been the Giants best and most productive wide receiver dating back to last season and if his absence would be a huge blow to the Giants' offense.
Jones doesn't trip this time! The Giants' young quarterback takes the ball into the end zone on a quarterback keeper from 34 yards out for an opening-drive touchdown.
Giants lead 7-0.
Jones infamously missed out on his first rushing touchdown of the season against the Eagles in Week 7 when he tripped on an 80-yard quarterback run. Jones makes up for that mistake early today with an early touchdown and and overall well-run drive.
As it has all year, the Giants' defense bends but doesn't break as the Eagles' opening drive stalls outside of the red zone on a good third-down pass breakup by Bradberry.
The Eagles' settle for a 40-yard Jake Elliot field goal.
Giants lead 7-3.
The Giants let Jones run near the goal line and Jones takes a series of pretty aggressive hits from Eagles defenders. Jones shakes off an initial hit by Eagles safety Rodney McLeoud showing good toughness and good ball security, but is then brought down aggressively by a crowd of Eagles defenders.
The Giants should be wary of letting Jones take to many carries against a hard-hitting Eagles defense, especially at the goal line.
Second Quarter
The Giants go for it on fourth down from the goal line as running back Wayne Gallman leaps over the line of scrimmage to give the Giants another rushing touchdown.
Giants lead 14-3.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz trips on a 3rd-and-short and now the Giants have a chance to keep their foot on the gas after the Eagles are forced to punt.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Slayton is also back on the field which is great news for the Giants.
The Giants continue to shut down the Eagles' offense when it matters. Even after rookie cornerback Darnay Holmes gets called for pass interference at midfield, the defense forces a three-and-out and get the ball back for their offense courtesy of good coverage by Yiadom on a third-down pass and imposing pressure by defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson on the play before.
The Giants are playing true complementary defense so far in this game and its stifled Wentz.
The Giants' offense is on the move now as Jones continues his mistake-free performance. The Giants have the ball in Eagles' territory with less than two minutes left in the half and have a chance to go up big before halftime.
The Giants don't capitalize and get stalled at midfield, and rather than going for it on 4th-and-1, they play it safe, take a delay of game and punt the ball back to Philadelphia with about one minute left.
But the Giants have another chance after the Eagles go three-and-out as Jabrill Peppers returns a punt to the Eagles, side of the field.
The Giants have 40 seconds and two timeouts to try and get into field-goal range.
The Giants don't get it done again as it feels like they've missed another big opportunity against an opponent in which no lead can be too big. Still they'll go into the second half with a 14-3 lead.
Halftime
Yes, the Giants lead the Eagles 14-3 but it doesn't feel like as big of a lead as it really is.
The Eagles, who are coming off their bye week, have looked sloppy in every phase so far in this game. While the Giants have capitalized, they have certainly left some meat on the bone and face a much tougher task in the second half than they might have had to.
The Giants' conservative decision to punt on 4th-and-1 with less than two minutes in the half was the most prominent of missed opportunities. Even though the Eagles' seemingly inept offense gave the Giants another chance before the half, conservative playcalling kept them from getting in field goal range.
The Giants watched an 11-point lead disappear in much less time than is left in this game three weeks ago. A bigger lead definitely would have left them feeling much more comfortable but now they will relly have to prove they can close out a game against a team that is bound to play better in the second half than the first.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Third Quarter
Eagles running back and notorious Giants killer Boston Scott steps through a hole and scampers up the sideline to score a 56-yard touchdown to cap off the Eagles' opening drive of the half. Fellow running back Miles Sanders punches it in on the two-point conversion attempt.
Giants lead 14-11.
The play is the longest run against the Giants all season, Scott's first rushing touchdown of the season and his fifth career touchdown against the Giants. Scott scored the game-winner against the Giants back in Week 7 and he's gotten them on track to another comebacker here to start the second half.
The Giants offense answers immediately, marching down the field on 13-plays as Gallman once again punches it in from the goal line to push the Giants' lead back up to double digits.
Giants lead 21-11.
The Eagles answer back again, driving down the field on eight plays and punching it in at the goal line with running back Corey Clement. However, the Eagles unnecessarily try to go for two and suffer for it as Giants defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson converge to sack Wentz and bust up the conversion attempt.
Giants lead 21-17.
The Giants continue to show a lack of aggression and instead continue trying to play a futile game of "got em" with Eagles on fourth down. The Giants once again line up to go for it on 4th-and-1 and instead of pulling the trigger and trying to pick up some short statement yardage, Jones continues to try and draw the Eagles offsides with a hard count. The Giants take a delay of game penalty and punt the ball away to the Eagles, who are looking to take a lead now.
The Giants' defense holds up and forces a three-and-out. Jones will come back on the field with a chance to extend the Giants' lead.
Fourth Quarter
The Giants continue to be haunted by late drops against the Eagles, this time as wide receiver Darius Slayton drops a first-down catch on third down and the Eagles will get the ball back with a chance to take a fourth-quarter lead.
But once again the Giants defense comes up big, pushing the Eagles' offense back courtesy of a sack by Trent Harris and the Eagles are forced to punt the ball back and the Giants will have it in good field position,.
A hold by rookie offensive tackle Andrew Thomas wipes out another Jones rushing touchdown as the Giants' offense stalls inside the red zone. Kicker Graham Gano makes his first field goal of the game from 35 yards out to extend the Giants' lead to seven.
Giants lead 24-17.
The Giants defense holds its ground near midfield, denying a fourth-down conversion and forcing a turnover on downs to protect the Giants' seven-point lead. Cornerback James Bradberry playing in coverage against rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor.
The Giants have a chance to ice this game with a couple of first downs, but it will take poise, focus and toughness by the Giants' offense now. They get all three of those things on a 40-yard pass to Slayton to put the Giants in field-goal range.
The Giants do in fact extend the lead to two possessions as Gano connects from 44 yards out.
Giants lead 27-17.
Now with just 3:06 left in the game, the defense comes out on the field with a chance to do what they couldn't do back in Week 7. One stop can effectively end the game, which is what the unit will be looking to do.
The Giants get the stop they were looking for and Jones will get to come onto the field with a chance to close this game out.
Giants win 27-17.
