Maggie Rivers is a college student who writes for Lineups.com. You may hear more about her in the future world of sports management, but right now she’s cranking out analyses of upcoming NFL games, This holiday weekend she turned her attention to the NFC East showdown between the uptrending Eagles and the downtrending New York Football Giants.
As Week 16 of the NFL regular season commences, the New York Giants take on the Philadelphia Eagles for the second time this season. The two NFC East teams met earlier this year at Metlife Stadium, resulting in a Giants win 13-7. The Giants are on a three-game losing streak taking their record to 4-10, while the Eagles are on a two-game winning streak bringing their record to 7-7. The Eagles need to pull off a win this week to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs. The Giants are ruled out for a playoff spot this season.
EYE never take any divisional games for granted, but right now it looks like Philly has the edge only because the Giants are mired in their own growing pains. Here’s how Maggie sees it:
“The New York Giants have continued an extensive losing streak over the past few weeks. They have significantly struggled in their away games, going 1-6 on the road through Week 16. Although they had success against the Eagles’ last matchup where Jalen Hurts found himself injured during the game. There is also great fear for the team’s COVID chances since New York is being infected more than before. All Giants players have been precautious, so there is hope that the team remains primarily healthy going into this week. Positive COVID tests continue to sweep NFL teams, including the Giants’ neighbors, the New York Jets. So far, the Giants seem clear, but it may be important to keep an eye on key players.”
This week, Giants QB Daniel Jones remains on the sideline following the neck injury he sustained during the Miami Dolphins matchup. He is probably shut down for the year. That means Mike Glennon will call the signals unless Jake Fromm gets the start. After taking over for Mike Glennon in Week 15, Fromm completed six of his 12 passes for 82 yards. And while that’s nothing to write home about, it was a noticeable improvement over Glennon, who completed 13 of his 24 passes for 99 yards and tossed three interceptions.
After the 21-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Giants head coach Joe Judge admitted that Fromm’s play may have changed the team’s plans moving forward.
“We got to a point in the game where I wanted to see what Jake could do, point blank. We weren’t doing enough moving the ball otherwise, so I wanted to make sure I had the chance to see Jake and that will obviously open up a conversation about what we’re going to do this week,” Judge told reporters. “We’ll talk about it as a staff and we’ll make the best decision for the team.”
The Eagles have struggled with their pass defense at times throughout the year, which may leave room for receivers Kenny Golladay and Darius Slayton to make big plays. Golladay has 477 receiving yards this season but has yet to catch a touchdown pass. Slayton has 303 receiving yards with only one touchdown reception. Their third receiver, Kadarius Toney, has been ill and just got released from the COVID list. If Toney is limited, the Giants may have to switch up play calls and may lose some of their unpredictability, making it easier for the struggling Eagles’ pass defense. None of that bodes well for the Giants offense.
After this matchup with the Giants, the Birds play at Washington’s stadium and then host the Cowboys at home. They need to pull off all three wins to secure a playoff wildcard position, and it all starts with taking on the Giants. Now here’s what Maggie has to say about the Eagles’ chances:
” QB Jalen Hurts had a stellar game against Washington last Tuesday. He threw just shy of 300 yards and had one touchdown pass. This takes his total yards up to 2,731, and 14 touchdown passes. He now averages 210 yards per game and lately is leading his team very effectively. Entering this week, he has been listed as questionable with an ankle injury. He had a limited practice on Wednesday and is hopeful for a return. His ankle has been bothering him after injuring it the first time against the Giants in their last matchup.
“The team’s leading rusher, Miles Sanders, is also questionable entering this matchup. Sanders did not participate in practice on Wednesday because of a quad injury. Sanders has given his team 709 rushing yards on 130 attempts this season. Last week, he put up a staggering 131 yards. In the previous meeting against the Giants, he was able to secure 64 rushing yards. If he is healthy, he will need to be a factor, although Jordan Howard is now also available to provide a power run.
“The Giants have a weak passing defense that leaves Jalen Hurts ample opportunity to utilize his receivers. The team’s leader, Devonta Smith, has 741 receiving yards with his 53 receptions in his rookie year. The Heisman winner has been a big weapon for Hurts and can use his precision and speed to dust cornerbacks with ease. Smith struggled immensely against the Giants earlier in the season, only being able to secure 22 yards, but a lot of that was due to Jalen Hurts missing him on progressions and open routes.ave
“The over/under is placed at 40.5 points. Earlier this season, the matchup between the two teams significantly fell below that line. Both teams have a record for having point values exceed the 40 point line throughout the year. However, the offensive and defensive strengths offset with both of these rivals. Maybe with an improved Jalen Hurts, the Eagles may be able to stump the Giants defense and pull out a victory to keep the sights on the playoffs alive.
“My prediction: Eagles win 28-14, Over 40.5”
Okay, thanks Maggie. If the Eagles O-line and D-Line show up healthy on Sunday, EYE would just add that as a definitive reason to agree with your score prediction.
Have a great Christmas Day, dear readers. And here’s a short bio on Maggie:
Maggie is a current political science major at the University of Oklahoma and wants to pursue a Masters Degree in Sports Management in her future. She has followed the NFL, MLB, and NCAA Men’s Basketball all of her life.
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