The short week isn’t a thing now. The soreness doesn’t matter. Whatever happened in the past happened in the past.
The entire focus for the Eagles right now is to find a way to beat the New York Giants tonight (8:15 PM, Prime Video). There is a road crowd to deal with, injuries to overcome, and a desperate football team on the other sideline. With that, some storylines for tonight’s NFC East clash …
1. The offense has next men up
Left guard Landon Dickerson (ankle) and No. 2 tight end Grant Calcaterra (oblique) are out with injuries, testing the depth of the offense in this one. Given that New York’s strength is its front on defense, it is fair to say the challenge is right there in front of the Eagles here. Gaining more consistency for this offense is the goal and it’s going to have to happen with a new starter – Brett Toth has been the one replacing Dickerson this season when he’s been out of games – at left guard and a new face when the Eagles use two and three tight ends – Kylen Granson is an experienced option and Cameron Latu has provided quality reps in his limited time on the field.
2. Hand in hand with that … the running game is in focus
The Eagles are averaging 100 rushing yards per game and they’re going against a New York run defense that ranks 26th in the NFL, allowing an average of 140 yards per game. So, this is a very interesting matchup. Running back Saquon Barkley’s return to MetLife Stadium in Year 2 isn’t nearly as big a story as it was in 2024 – the story now is just getting the running game and Barkley’s production to where the team wants it to be. It is going to be interesting to see how the Eagles approach the running game tonight and what kind of usage Barkley has. He’s been a weapon in the passing game, so there are other ways for him to get touches.
3. New York’s defensive line brings juice
Three players along the Giants’ defensive front have at least eight quarterback hits – Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux – and Burns has five quarterback sacks. The Giants get after the quarterback, so Jalen Hurts is going to be very aware of the multiple pass rushers and continue his excellent ball security. The Eagles have turned the football over only once this season and they’ve had great success in the red zone – 12 touchdowns in 13 trips. Those are keys for tonight.