The New York Giants (2-5) head down the New Jersey Turnpike to face their long-time rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles (5-2), at Lincoln Financial Field this Sunday afternoon.
Here are six things to know before this key Week 8 NFC East showdown.
The series
This will be the 184th regular-season meeting between the two teams, with Philly leading the series, 93-88-2. This is the second meeting between the Giants and Eagles in the last three weeks. They met in Week 6 at MetLife Stadium with the Giants upsetting the Eagles, 34-17, on Thursday Night Football.
Before the Week 6 victory, the Eagles had won seven of their previous eight games against the Giants. Since 2014, Philadelphia has a 12-0 record vs. New York at Lincoln Financial Field (including playoffs).
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The Giants are coming off a devastating 33-32 loss to the Broncos in Denver in a game in which they led by 19 points entering the fourth quarter. They scored 30 or more points for the second consecutive game for the first time since Weeks 15-16 of the 2019 season.
The Giants are 2-2 over their last four games since rookie Jaxson Dart took over the reins as the starting quarterback. They are 11th in rushing yards per game (125.1) and are seventh in third-down defense.
They are in fourth place in the NFC East and ranked 15th out of 16 teams in the NFC. If the season ended today, the Giants would hold the eighth overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft.
State of the Eagles
Philadelphia, the defending Super Bowl champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings on the road last week, 28-22. They are currently in first place in the NFC East. The Eagles have started 5-2 or better through seven games in each of the last four seasons, which is tied for the longest streak in franchise history (1947-50).
The Eagles lead the NFL in red zone offense (82.4%), scoring touchdowns on 14 of 17 red zone opportunities. They have done that without a consistent running game. They are 30th in rushing this season, averaging just 88.1 yards per game.
The Eagles have played relatively clean football this year. They have just three giveaways this season, behind only Kansas City, who have two.
What’s at stake
The Eagles are in first place in the NFC East, one-and-a-half games in front of Dallas (3-3-1). A victory this week not only keeps them in the division lead but also advances them in the overall NFC playoff picture. The Eagles are currently the third seed in the conference behind Green Bay (4-1-1) and San Francisco (also 5-2). They are one of six teams in the NFC with a 5-2 record. San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Seattle, and the Los Angeles Rams are the others.
The Giants are 2-5, in last place in the NFC East, and have very little hope for reaching the postseason. Per BetMGM, they are 50-1 to win the NFC East, 150-1 to win the NFC Championship, and 500-1 to win the Super Bowl.
They are ranked 15th in the NFC ahead of the New Orleans Saints (1-6), whose only win this season came against the Giants. If the season ended today, the Giants would hold the eighth overall pick in the NFL draft. It would be the ninth time since 2014 that they would be selecting in the top ten in the draft.
Giants players to watch
Quarterback Jaxson Dart is the first Giants rookie quarterback to throw three or more touchdowns and rush for a touchdown in a game since Charlie Conerly in 1948. Dart is the third rookie quarterback since 2000 to have 10 total touchdowns in his first four career starts, joining Justin Herbert (10 touchdowns) and DeShaun Watson (13 touchdowns). He is just the second quarterback ever (Detroit’s Eric Hipple, 1981) with seven or more touchdown passes and three-plus rush touchdowns in their first four career starts.
Defensive end Brian Burns is tied for the NFL lead in sacks (9) with Byron Young of the Los Angeles Rams and leads the league with 12 tackles for a loss. This is the seventh consecutive season that Burns has recorded 7.5 or more sacks. He is the eighth player in NFL history to achieve that milestone.
Eagles players to watch
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith ranks ninth in the NFL in receiving yards (504). Among players with 35-plus catches, Smith ranks third in yards per reception (13.3). Since Week 5, Smith has produced the second-most receiving yards (346) in the NFL and is also third in receptions (21) by a wide receiver since Week 5. Smith ranks second in the NFL with 205 third-down receiving yards and is tied for the third-most receptions (15) on third and fourth downs this season.
Linebacker Zach Baun owns the highest pass-rushing grade (89.1) among NFL linebackers according to Pro Football Focus this season, combining for 12 pressures, seven hurries, three QB hits, and 2.0 sacks. Baun is the only NFL player to record 55-plus tackles, two or more sacks, one or more forced fumbles, and one takeaway through the first seven games of this season.
