3 Things To Watch In Giants Vs. Eagles

The Giants return from the bye week with a golden opportunity to build their lead in the NFC East. They will play two divisional games in the next two weeks. With the Giants already having at least a two-game lead in the NFC East, winning these next two games could bury the rest of the division. It starts this week when they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. A team that is currently in free fall, having lost six straight games and missing several key starters due to injury.

It is also a chance for the Giants to exorcise some demons. For the past decade, Lincoln Financial Field has been a house of horrors for the Giants. They have lost 13 straight matchups in Philadelphia. The last time they beat the Eagles in Philly was back in 2013, when Tom Coughlin was still the head coach. If John Harbaugh and the coaching staff want to show the Giants have truly changed, breaking that losing streak is a great first step. Here are three things to watch during this week’s matchup.

Isaiah Likely Legacy Game?

The Giants’ injury report is giving fans a lot of anxiety this week. Both Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo have missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, leaving their status for Sunday up in the air. Nabers has been the Giants’ most effective offensive weapon this season. He is averaging nearly 87 receiving yards per game and is averaging 12.6 yards per catch. While Skattebo has struggled this season, he had a breakout game two weeks ago against the Texans. He ran for 124 yards and scored a touchdown.

These would be two major blows to the Giants’ offense. They’ll need to rely on other players to pick up the slack. The most obvious option is Isaiah Likely. Despite a quiet game against the Texans, he’s been the second-most important player in this offense. This will not be easy, as the Eagles have done a good job covering tight ends this season. This is an opportunity for Likely to cement himself as one of the best tight ends in football. Being the main driver behind Big Blue’s losing streak in Philly will draw a lot of attention.

Can JJ McCarthy Continue His Hot Streak?

JJ McCarthy has exceeded every expectation that analysts and fans had since the Giants traded for him. Over his five quarters as the Giants’ starting quarterback, he has completed 31 passes on 49 attempts for 495 yards, a touchdown, and one interception. He has looked much more comfortable under center and has not been afraid to push the ball downfield. He looks nothing like the quarterback who was a third-stringer for the Vikings. There is hope McCarthy can keep the Giants offense effective for the rest of the season.

But he has a real test this week against the Eagles. Sure, Philly’s defense is not as good as it has been in years past, but it still has a ton of talented players. Vic Fangio’s scheme has also done a great job at keeping opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable and limiting explosive plays downfield. If McCarthy wants to prove he’s truly gotten better, he needs to put in a strong performance against the Eagles. If he can figure out Fangio’s defense and put a ton of yards on them, the league will start respecting him.

Can the Giants Disrupt Joe Milton Debut?

The Eagles offense has been a disaster this season. Sure, it does not help that starting quarterback Jalen Hurts will be out the rest of the season with blood clots in his lungs. But even when Hurts was under center, the offense just seemed off. It has only gotten worse with Tanner McKee at quarterback. In a last-ditch effort to find consistency on offense, the Eagles are turning to Joe Milton. He will make his Eagles debut against the Giants and play in only his sixth career game.

While Milton has not had much success in his NFL career, you have to respect his arm strength. He can push the ball downfield and hit receivers for huge gains. These are the types of plays that can flip momentum and turn the game on its head. The Giants’ secondary will need to keep up their strong play and lock down the Eagles’ receivers. Newly extended Greg Newsome and Deonte Banks will need to make sure they are locked on the Eagles’ receivers and leave no room for a ball to sneak in.