Sometimes, opportunities at redemption come quickly. The Philadelphia Eagles are being taught a lesson about that in preparation for a grudge match in Week 8. We all know who their opponent is.
We’re also aware of the situation. They soon hit the Lincoln Financial Field surface to reacquaint themselves with the rival New York Giants. Nearly 17 full days will have elapsed since the most recent head-to-head meeting when that happens.
Philadelphia’s rivalry with the G-Men has been one-sided lately, but the Giants have earned some recent bragging rights. The guys in green took one on the chin during their Thursday Night Football affair.
Among the top takeaways from the 186th meeting was Prime Video’s seemingly ill-timed decision to release Saquon Barkley’s documentary detailing his divorce from New York.
They did so on the day of the contest. That was a bad move, but there were also memorable on-field moments. Two of the biggest stores of the night involve two rookies.
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Jaxson Dart used Philadelphia as extras in his breakout party. Who can forget Cam Skattebo doing backflips in the end zone?
New York was humbled ten days later. Like Philadelphia, they lost in a collapsing fashion, squandering a big fourth-quarter lead to the Denver Broncos, but there’s plenty of tape now. Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo are the real deal.
Still, they aren’t the only Giants that the Eagles must prepare for. New York has several X-factors who are looking to complete an unexpected sweep of defending Super Bowl champions. Here are a handful of names not listed as Skattebo or Dart.
Wan’Dale Robinson, wide receiver
The last time Wan’Dale Robinson saw the Eagles, he went off. Try six receptions for 84 yards and a TD on for size. For the season, he leads the Giants in targets (53), receptions (35), and receiving yards (446), and his pair of TDs ties for second place among their receivers.
Bobby Okereke, linebacker
Bobby Okereke leads New York with 60 total tackles. Six of those and a pass breakup were the results of his efforts vs. the Eagles in Week 6.
He isn’t one of those guys who will consistently receive national headlines, but he’s certainly someone the Birds must keep track of at all times.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE
Kayvon Thibodeaux has yet to reach the bar the Giants set for him when they selected him fifth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. As a result, he’s been the subject of trade talk.
New York has since drafted Abdul Carter, but he’s raw. They signed Brian Burns, but he’s dinged up. That means a huge spotlight will follow Thiboceaux on Sunday.
Dexter Lawrence, nose tackle
Here’s one of those cases where unstoppable forces often challenge an immovable object, and the immovable object frequently wins. The Giants have been bad in recent years, but Dexter Lawrence can’t be blamed for that. He’s as good as it gets at his position in this business.
Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott, cornerbacks
Paulson Adebo is also banged up. If he can’t go, Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott will start at cornerback on the outside. They will have their hands full with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who are on fire following phenomenal Week 7 performances.
Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, offensive tackles
The Eagles haven’t generated much of a consistent pass rush. Now, they again fix their gaze on a young up-and-coming rock star who’s made for New York, one who just recently embarrassed them.
Brandon Graham is back. We’ll see if he plays. Vic Fangio didn’t really give us an answer, but whoever the Eagles roll out in the pass-rushing rotation has a tough ask. They battle Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor at the tackle positions.
Philadelphia notched two sacks in Week 6. The hope is they can create even more pressure this time around.
Verdict: This is a game the Eagles should win. Then again, they were supposed to win the most recent meeting. This game is played at home, though, and with revenge fresh on their minds, the hope is that they can spearhead themselves to victory.