The Eagles Giants game this Thursday is a big game given the state of the NFC East. The division title is pretty much wide open to all. The NFC East is the only division in which the leading team has a losing record. Dallas leads at 2-4. All other teams are just a game behind.
Here is a table of the two teams and their rank in all major team statistics. I have in bold the statistic either team has an edge in. One strong point of the Eagles team this season has been their run game. However their lead rusher , Mile Sanders, is likely not going to play due to injury. He did not participate in practice on Tuesday.
| Giant Plus | Giants Offense | Eagles Defense | Giants Defense | Eagles Offense | Eagles Plus | |
| Yards/ Play | 30 (4.7) | 7 (5.2) | 8 (5.2) | 26 (4.9) | Yards/Play | |
| First Downs | 27 (110) | 24 (139) | 20 (133) | 16 (128) | First Downs | |
| Passing yards | 27 (1125) | 19 (1378) | 21 (1413) | 23 (1242) | Passing yards | |
| Passing Tds | 31 (3) | 22 (11) | 18 (10) | 24 (8) | Passing Tds | |
| Turnovers (Lost) | 26 (10) | 24 (5) | 13 (8) | 30 (12) | Turnovers (Lost) | |
| Interceptions (offense) | 22 (6) | 28 (2) | 17 (4) | 31 (9) | Interceptions (offense) | |
| Net Yds/Att (Pass) | 29 (5.2) | 10 (6.0) | 16 (6.5) | 30 (4.8) | Net Yds/Att (Pass) | |
| 1D Passing | 23 (69) | 29 (90) | 25 (83) | 19 (70) | 1D Passing | |
| Rush Yards | 29 (527) | 23 (753) | 13 (639) | 10 (734) | Rush Yards | |
| Rush Tds | 28 (3) | 30 (10) | 17 (6) | 9 (7) | Rush Tds | |
| Rush Yds/Att | 24 (4.0) | 8 (4.1) | 5 (3.7) | 4 (5.2) | Rush Yds/Att | |
| Rush 1D | 31 (28) | 13 (36) | 19 (41) | 10 (42) | Rush 1D | |
| Penalty Yds | 4 (194) | 30 (412) | 3 (194) | 15 (272) | Penalty Yds | |
| Offensive Score % | 24 (36.8) | 14 (40.8) | 28 (50) | 30 (31.9) | Offensive Score % | |
| Offensive TO % | 29 (17.5) | 30 (5.3) | 13 (12.5) | 27 (16.7) | Offensive TO % | |
| Pass Completion % | 27 (61.2) | 25 (68.8) | 29 (70.9) | 30 (58.9) | Pass Completion % | |
| Pass TD % | 32 (1.5) | 17 (5.3) | 16 (4.9) | 26 (3.4) | Pass TD % | |
| Pass Interception % | 25 (3.0) | 29 (1.0) | 18 (2.0) | 29 (3.8) | Pass Interception % | |
| Pass Yds/Att | 29 (6.1) | 13 (7.3) | 20 (7.5) | 31 (6.0) | Pass Yds/Att | |
| QB Rating | 30 (71.0) | 24 (103.4) | 23 (100.8) | 29 (71.6) | QB Rating | |
| Times Sacked | 25 (17) | 4 (21) | 10 (15) | 32 (25) | Times Sacked | |
| Fumbles Offense | 20 (7) | 32 (12) | Fumbles Offense | |||
| 3d Down Conv % | 15 (44%) | 19 (43.5) | 31 (53.8) | 11 (45.3%) | 3d Down Conv % | |
| Red Zone % | 31 (25%) | 27 (72.7) | 11 (59.1) | 8 (73.3%) | Red Zone % | |
| Pressure % | 10 (23.7) | 9 (23.9) | Pressure % | |||
| TFL | 3 (36) | 4 (33) | TFL | |||
| QB Hits | 3 (51) | 6 (37) | QB Hits | |||
| Rushing Yds Margin | 22 (-112) | 17 (-19) | Rushing Yds Margin | |||
| Passing Yds margin | 27 (-288) | 24 (-136) | Passing Yds margin | |||
| Turnover Margin | 22 (-2) | 30 (-7) | Turnover Margin | |||
| Points Differential | 29 (-51) | 25 (-34) | Points Differential |
There is not much of a difference in statistics in the passing game but the slight edge would seem to go to the Eagles.
The Giants strength is the turnover battle. The Eagles rank 30th or below of four of six turnover statistics. The other two they are 27th and 29th. They are tie for the second most turnovers in the league and the second worst turnover margin with -7. While the Giants are tie for the fourth most turnovers with 10, the Giants turnover margin of -2 is ranked a much better 22nd.
This will be a key for a giant victory. Over the last 2019-2020 season the Eagles had eleven games with a minus turnover margin. They lost nine of those and tied another one. so far this season James Bradberry has two interceptions and Kyler Fackrell and Julian Love each have one. Bradberry and Fackrell both also have a forced fumble. In addition Logan Ryan has a forced fumble. The Giants rank 13th with eight takeaways this season. The Eagles rank 24th with five takeaways.The Giants and the Eagles are two of three teams that have had a turnover in every game this season.
Carson Wentz has nine interceptions and two fumbles lost this season. Daniel Jones has six interceptions and three fumbles lost. Wentz and Jones join Kirk Cousins as the top three quarterbacks in turnovers this season. Wentz and Cousins are tie at first and Jones coe=mes in at third. This game could come down to which quarterback minimizes turnovers. The rest of their teams accounted for only one turnover each.
It is worth noting another strength of the Giants is the lack of penalties. The Giants are 4th in offensive penalty yards and third in defensive penalty yards. The Texans are the only other team in the top five for both offensive and defensive penalty yards. Mistake free football!
The Giants need to play aggressive, swarming, ball-hawking defense. On offense it would be great if Daniel Jones had zero turnovers. The last time he did that was a 41-35 victory over Washington on December 22nd. The Giants offensive line will also be key. the Eagles are third in the league in quarterback hits with 51. We are tie for sixth but those three positions drops to 37 QB hits. Pressure wise the Giants and Eagles apply roughly the same percentage of pressure.
This should be a good hard-fought blue-collar game. The Eagles will allow up to 7,500 fans in the stands for the game. The first time they did so was Sunday and a video came out of a fight in the stands. It will be Daniel Jones’ first start at the Linc. Joe Judge said he’ll (Judge) probably buy a helmet for the game. He grew up in the area as an Eagles fan. Go Giants! Enjoy the game!
