The New York Giants have not beaten the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly since 2013. That's 12 straight losses on the Eagles' home turf. Can the Giants end that streak this Sunday? Read on to see how the Big Blue View staff sees Giants-Eagles and the rest of the Week 9 slate unfolding.
I think I'll always be uneasy when the Giants go on the road to play the Eagles. Weird (and generally bad) things tend to happen to the Giants at the Linc. But dare I hope that some of the smoke from burning sage and the power of Danhausen lifting the curse on the Knicks leaked from Madison Square Garden over to the Giants' facilities this summer?
The Giants are favored over the Eagles on the road for the first time in recent memory, and John Harbaugh's record coming off of bye weeks is impressive. Cam Skattebo's hamstring is obviously a concern, and we have to respect the Eagles' playmakers and their ability to generate explosives. That said, I also have to believe Andrew Thomas, Jermaine Eluemunor, and Abdul Carter getting a much-needed break will have a positive impact on their play.
The Eagles were already struggling after the departures on their coaching staff, and fell into disarray with the retirement of Lane Johnson, the trade of Cam Jurgens, the loss of Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley's injuries. Those excuses, however, fall flat considering the Giants are also without their starting quarterback, their offensive tackles have been gutting their way through injuries, their best pass rusher and a starting defensive lineman are on the injured reserve, and they've been dealing with injuries in their backfield and secondary — but have held it together and persevered.
I think I'll always have a (at least) a kernel of concern when the Giants play in Philly. But this seems like a great week for a statement game.
Winner:Giants
This is a must-win game for the Giants. Not because they can't win the NFC East if they don't – this division is bad enough to revive memories of the 2020 "NFC Least." It's because we don't know yet whether the Giants are frauds who've made a couple of plays late in games against bad teams, or a rising team that just has what it takes to win. The opening win over Dallas was impressive…but the Cowboys are a 3-5 disaster. The most recent win in Houston was impressive…but that team is now 2-5. In fact, the Giants haven't yet even played, much less beaten, a team that is currently above .500.
The Philadelphia Eagles are a train wreck this season, having lost many key players to retirement or injury and having parted ways with the best offensive line coach around, Jeff Stoutland. Still, that Eagles defense has Jalen Carter on the IDL, Zach Baun at linebacker, and quality defensive backs in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Most importantly they have defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, whose two-high safety zone defenses with post-snap rotation have confused many quarterbacks and limited explosive pass plays.Will J.J. McCarthy be able to read that defense and exploit it, or is this the week he throws three picks and comes back to Earth?
The Eagles' offense hasn't really scared anyone this season. They traded A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jalen Hurts are out, Saquon Barkley is playing injured, and the formerly fearsome offensive line is a shell of its former self with future HOFers Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson retired and the rest of them injured or playing poorly. The wild card is that Joe Milton III will make his first start at QB for them. The Giants saw a little of him as a Cowboy in the final game last season, and Jalin Hyatt will have fond memories of a QB who actually completed a deep pass to him for a TD in college. Milton has a rocket arm and is more mobile than predecessor Tanner McKee, but the Giants should be able to limit him, if they can produce an effective pass rush. That said, Dallas Goedert always hurts the Giants, and Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, and rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon can make plays. At The Linc, you never know.
It's been 13 years since the Giants won in Philly. There's no excuse for them not to break that streak Sunday, and do so easily…unless they're frauds. I'll guess that they're not.
Winner:Giants
The New York Giants enter the matchup riding momentum after their bye week, while the Philadelphia Eagles are mired in a six-game losing streak and rapidly falling toward the top of the 2027 NFL Draft order. The Giants defense is playing well, and the offense received a spark in Week 7 against Houston.
Philadelphia's offensive line struggles to protect Tanner McKee, who isn't exactly fleet of foot. Philadelphia has averaged just over 14 points per game through this six-game losing streak. Philadelphia's defense surrendered 27 points to Washington, 38 to Dallas, and 25 to the Carolina Panthers over their last three contests. It's bleak in Philadelphia.
The Giants have not won in Philadelphia since 2013 — a 15-7 Giants' win where Josh Brown kicked five field goals, and Matt Barkley played for the Eagles. Eight of the Eagles' 12 victories were one-possession games, and New York had some brutal losses at Lincoln Financial Field. But new circumstances have arrived, and the Giants have an opportunity to end a disturbing chapter in this rivalry. Giants should comfortably win, 30-13.
Winner:Giants
The last time the Giants were favored at the Eagles was in 2009. The last time the Giants beat the Eagles in Philadelphia was in 2013.
That's a lot of history going against Big Blue as they travel to Philadelphia as 3-point favorites on Sunday.The Eagles are enduring a season from hell and after six straight losses, they sit at 2-6. They'll be starting their third QB of the season when Joe Milton gets the first start of his career on Sunday. Milton has appeared in five NFL games, and his last game action came against the Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 18 last season, in mop-up duty of a meaningless contest with the Cowboys. He's a big guy with a big arm, and is a bit of an unknown quantity. For his career, he's thrown two touchdown passes and two interceptions. Philadelphia is obviously hoping he can spark an anemic offense that's mostly been without its star running back (who is quite familiar to New York fans), its top two receivers, and multiple first-string offensive linemen.
J.J. McCarthy draws his second start for Big Blue, who should be well-rested off the bye. Philadelphia's defense is still a capable unit, although it hasn't played all that well, in part because the offense can't sustain drives. If Philly has any chance to save its season, winning this game against the division leader is a must. I can see their defense giving maximum effort and posing problems for McCarthy, who I still don't trust completely.
This game scares me. The Giants are riding high after their big win over the Texans in Week 7 and Philadelphia is desperate. I also don't have confidence in Dominic Zvada if the game comes down to him, which it might. I'll give the G-Men the nod because they're the better team at the moment, but it won't be easy.
Pick:Giants in a close one
I was asked during a podcast appearance this week whether I was picking the Giants to win. I said yes, with great trepidation. This is Philly we're talking about, and whenever the Giants visit something always seems to go wrong.
This, though, is the first time in a long while where these teams have met with the Giants having a clear upper hand. The New York Giants being favored to win in Philly? Who saw that coming when the season started?
Good teams win games like this against struggling teams. I am going to trust that John Harbaugh and the Giants see the opportunity in front of them in the NFC East, and that they will take advantage Sunday of a team they should beat.
Pick:Giants
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