Big Blue Redo

 

The Big Blue Crew is confident!  Still, I wouldn't count the Eagles out.  They like to be "dogs:" 

- Eagles finished season 1-2 with a pedestrian week 18 win vs. NY, not exactly a roll

… Eagles finished season 14-3 with starter Jalen Hurts going 14-1.

- Giants have some terrific momentum off a huge playoff win at Minnesota

… Vikings did it with mirrors this year, actually scoring 3 points less than they yielded in 2022.  Their defense was 31st in the NFL.  They were ripe for the inevitable "upset."

- Giants are 6-0 vs. #1 seeds since the NFL playoff restructuring in 1990.

... The Eagles are 11-0 vs. the Giants in their last 11 home games.  

- Giants are coming off a win on their second straight road game, and have made it through the playoffs as a wildcard on the road in their past, most recently upsetting the Patriots in 2011.

… This is not the '11 Supe winners.  This NY team played back to back road games thrice this year, losing twice.  This is their THIRD straight road game this season, the first time they are facing that test.

- Was that Danny Jones or Joe Montana playing the Vikes?  Jones had an awesome playoff game.

… Jones passed for 200 or less yards in 12 of 17 regular season games this year.

- For non-QBs, Saquan Barkley is a ’22 MVP candidate after a great season.  His ability to break a big gain “to the house” against a below average Eagle tackling team is a key to the game.

… Giants are 1-6 vs. Eagles with Barkley. The Eagles have played 23 postseason games in Philadelphia and have never allowed a rushing touchdown longer than 10 yards. 

- NY O-Line was much improved in 2022, with Andrew Thomas making 2^nd team all-pro @ RT.

… Per PFF, only 3 NY offensive linemen graded above replacement (>60). Last year, 4 NY offensive linemen graded 60 or better!

- The Giants have 2 Pro-Bowlers, Saquan Barkley and DT Dexter Lawrence.

… Eagles have 8 pro bowlers, & if Goedert & CJG were not excluded for being on IR, its 10. 

- Giants held Vikings to 83 yards rushing last week.

… Eagles averaged 194 yards rushing in their 2 games vs. NY this year.  NY ’22 27^th vs. run.

- Nobody (except the 49ers) beats a team 3 times in the same season.

… In 24 3^rd meetings between the same teams, the team with 2 regular-season wins has been the home team 18 times. In those games, the home team is 13-6.

- 2.5 weeks ago, Big Blue backups played the Eagles to a near draw till Birds recovered an onside kick at the end.

… 2.5 weeks ago, the Eagles starters yawned to a 22-16 win, taking a 19-0 lead before relaxing in the 4^th quarter, sloppily allowing 2 late Giant TD’s.

- That first Eagles/Giants game at the Meadowlands (48-22 Birds) was an outlier.  Giants had some key players (cb Adore Jackson, Safety Xavier McKinney, DT Leonard Williams) hurt.

… Likewise, the Eagles will add CJ Gardner Johnson (NFL interception leader) & TE Dallas Goedert who did not play that game, both heavy impact players (likely pro-bowlers had they not been on IR). 

- Brian Daboll is a deserving coach of the year candidate, & built a fine staff too for Big Blue!

… Nick Sirianni is also a coach of the year candidate after leading the NFL in wins, & his staff is superb... Both coordinators & many position coaches are getting interviews with other teams.

- Giants fans believe!  64% think they’ll beat Philadelphia!

… Giants writers don’t believe!  5 of 6 NY writers pick Philly!

Lessons Learned : The Eagles are tough to beat.  One way the Commanders and Saints defeated their defense, was to keep the ball away from the Eagle offense for long stretches via methodical drives that consisted of lots of consecutive modest gains, many first downs, and clock consumption.  Gannon's defense must therefore NOT worry as much about the big play vs. the average Giant wr's.  He must give up some of his beloved zone defense in favor of more "man" coverage with his excellent corners.  He can then have the DB's and LB's be more aggressive near the Line of Scrimmage, NOT giving up shorter plays.  Finally, rushing 4 (rather than blitzing) is fine for the Philly D-line, but use the extra body on the back-end (the speedy Kyzir White) as a spy on Daniel Jones. 

For the Eagle offense, they have more options.  A balanced attack is more appropriate than too much passing, both running and airing it out to keep the G-men off balance.  Another plan will be to look at the Giant coverage scheme, which will likely bracket AJ Brown with 2 defenders just like the Giants did against Justin Jefferson.  If so, Devonta Smith and especially Dallas Goedert will more likely be open for big games.