NFC East Showdown: Eagles Aim to Ground Giants in Crucial Week Seven Clash
The Eagles travel up to East Rutherford to take on the Giants in a pivotal divisional battle. Standing at 3-2 on the season, it is now or never for Philadelphia to go on an amplified run. The first matchup of the season against the Giants also serves as running back Saquon Barkley’s return to his former home, MetLife Stadium. When asked about his return to New York earlier this week Barkley replied, “I don’t expect to be booed. That chapter is closed.” Regardless, it is certain that Barkley has had this matchup circled on his calendar. With that being said, there are a few areas of execution that will be vital to Philadelphia securing their fourth win of the year.
Continuously harped on every week, at some point the Eagles need to show a greater sense of urgency early in games. They are the worst first-quarter offense in the NFL statistically, showing minimal production in the first half of several games. Head coach Nick Sirianni will continue to garner focus, specifically on his playcalling. With a fully healthy supporting cast heading into this game, there needs to be better preparation and creativity evident throughout all four quarters. Ideally, Jalen Hurts can continue to build off last week’s outing, where he recorded zero turnovers. Plus, star wide receiver A.J. Brown has gone over 100 receiving yards in each of the two games he’s played in, and it would be a surprise to no one if he eclipsed this mark this week.
It’s worth noting that tight-end Dallas Goedert is also sidelined for the next few games. On the offensive line, offensive tackle Jordan Mailata was placed on injured reserve. His absence will certainly be felt. Switching gears over to the defense, the pass rush will hopefully show more consistency, coming off their best outing against the Browns last weekend. It is also imperative that linebacker Nakobe Dean has a strong performance, considering the glaring amount of missed tackles he’s accounted for so far. It will also be interesting to watch how the secondary continues to develop, with rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell being a standout thus far.
