With only three wins through nine games, the Eagles seem to be in need of a miracle to get their season turned around with an eye on the postseason. Well then, what better place to start than the scene of their most recent miracle? The last time the Eagles traveled to what is now called MetLife Stadium play the Giants, the team shocked everyone by overcoming a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit and winning the game on a walk-off punt return by DeSean Jackson to seal the victory. This time around, the comeback will need to take place over a seven-game span, but it all begins with a true rivalry game between the Eagles and Giants.
The Eagles currently trail the Giants by three games and are two games behind the Dallas Cowboys. But with three division games remaining, and with the Giants staring down a difficult schedule, it's not impossible for the Eagles to make a run – though they will certainly have to raise their level of play on both sides of the ball. The big question for the Eagles this week is whether or not they'll have the services of quarterback Michael Vick, who, unbeknownst to anyone but Vick at the time, played through two lower broken ribs in the 21-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Vick's status for this week is still up in the air, and if he's unable to play, the reins are likely to be in the hands of Vince Young for the first team this season.
As for the Giants, they've found themselves atop the division thanks in large part to the sterling play of quarterback Eli Manning, who has thrown for 17 touchdowns to eight interceptions and sports a 97.0 quarterback rating. The Giants have showed their mettle with some big wins, notably at New England and in Philadelphia, but have also proved vulnerable with head-scratching losses like the one at to the Seattle Seahawks. The Giants' victory over the Eagles in Week 3 was the first time they had defeated their rivals in seven contests, so the Eagles will now be the ones looking for revenge and, at the very least, to play spoiler.
When The Eagles Have The Ball:
With Vick fighting through broken ribs, it's unclear as to who will be under center for the Eagles come Sunday. No matter who starts at quarterback, the Eagles offensive line will have to deal with a voracious Giants pass rush. The Eagles hope to have left guard Evan Mathis, who missed a game with a turf toe injury, back in the lineup. Mathis' replacement, King Dunlap, may not be able to play because of a concussion he suffered in the Cardinals game.
The Giants defense is statistically in the middle of the road in most categories. They are 17th in yards allowed and 21st in points allowed. However, they are first in the league in sacks with 30. Second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul leads the way with 9.5 while Osi Umenyiora, who missed the start of the season with a knee injury, is second on the team with 7.0 sacks. There are two injuries to watch regarding the Giants defense this week. Middle linebacker Michael Boley suffered a hamstring injury against the 49ers and was missed late in the game. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said that he's day-to-day. The status is the same for cornerback Aaron Ross, who has a left quad contusion. Michael Coe replaced Ross in the lineup on Sunday. Boley's potential loss would be a crucial one for the Giants defense as defensive end Justin Tuck said that Boley is the most important player on defense. Boley is second on the team in tackles and has three fumble recoveries (including a touchdown) this season. He is also the most experienced linebacker on the squad.
In the secondary, the Giants are sound with cornerback Corey Webster and safeties Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips. In the first meeting between these teams back in Week 3, the Eagles were very effective at running the football out of two tight-end sets. The Eagles noted that on film the Giants run their nickel package against that formation and with the extra defensive back it was easier to run the ball. LeSean McCoy was stellar with 24 carries for 128 yards in the game. He has scored a touchdown in each game this season setting the franchise record for most consecutive games with a touchdown. If Boley is unable to go, this is a matchup the Eagles will look to exploit. Meanwhile, DeSean Jackson will be looking to make a statement after being deactivated for the Cardinals game. Obviously, Jackson's walkoff punt return, the first in NFL history, came against the Giants, but when the Eagles played the Giants in New Jersey on Sunday Night Football in 2009 he had 178 receiving yards and a punt return for a touchdown.
To read our full game preview, click here.
