It was like an after-school yard recreation everybody who loves soccer used to play, solely with helmets and pads in entrance of silent 1000’s in a serious stadium. That’s the texture Sunday’s recreation had between the New York Giants and Eagles at Lincoln Monetary Area.
That, and the truth that nobody actually needed to be there. It was not precisely a ringing endorsement for NFL Week 18 when the TV cameras caught Eagles’ resting extensive receiver A.J. Brown barely awake on the bench. Brown was solely expressing the sentiment everybody else suffered.
There was so little vitality and noise that the quarterback’s alerts echoed all through what felt like an empty Linc.
Neither workforce had something to achieve. The Giants have been enjoying to lose, projected to have the fourth total decide within the 2025 draft and wanting to maintain it that method. The Eagles have been enjoying to bang some rust off gamers like Dallas Goedert, and possibly get a greater take a look at Tanner McKee, and a few very important backup gamers who may play greater roles sooner or later.
About the one factor the Eagles have been enjoying for was stopping the hapless Giants to interrupt their 11-year, 11-game dropping streak in Philadelphia, together with the playoffs, relationship again to a dreadful 15-7 New York victory on the Linc on October 27, 2013.
Nicely, make {that a} 12-year, and 12-game stretch that the Giants have didn’t beat the Eagles in Philadelphia, after a 20-13 Eagles’ victory on Sunday.
The Eagles will host the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the Wild Card spherical of the playoffs subsequent weekend. The Eagles have already been put in as 3.5-point favorites, and Packers’ coach Matt LaFleur has mentioned Jordan Love will probably be wholesome to play in opposition to the Eagles, although Love was taken out with a hand harm within the Packers’ 24-22 walk-off loss to the Chicago Bears.
The Eagles’ 14-3 file ties a franchise file for victories in a season with the 2022 NFC Champion Eagles. The three earlier occasions the Eagles have received 13 or extra video games in a season they’ve reached the Tremendous Bowl (2004, 2017, 2022).
There was a ton of fine, little or no dangerous, and smidge of crucial ugly that went into the Eagles’ thoughts numbing 20-13 victory over the wretched New York Giants.
The Good
Landing Tanner. The longer term seems vivid with Tanner McKee, who has now served discover he’s a really viable No. 2. He noticed the sphere nicely, confirmed endurance, and accomplished 27 of 41 for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He seemed sharp finishing his first three passes for 48 yards and a landing—his third TD go in his first seven NFL passes. It helped having tight finish Dallas Goedert again, and it additionally helped having the Giants fail to transform a fourth-and-seven at midfield on their first drive. He was 17 for 26 at halftime for a landing, and his 190 yards passing was essentially the most by any Eagles’ quarterback within the first half this season. Then once more, Saquon Barkley was in avenue garments.
Sydney Brown clinching the victory with an interception within the final minute. Drew Lock thought he had Jalin Hyatt open down the left sideline, and Brown came to visit and made a leaping catch to mercifully finish the Giants’ terrible season, the place they misplaced a franchise file 14 video games.
Ainias Smith and E.J. Jenkins getting their first NFL touchdowns. Smith’s rating got here on a 15-yard go from McKee within the first quarter for a 7-0 Eagles’ lead. Jenkins’ TD reception got here on a brief seven-yard go early within the fourth quarter, which gave the Eagles a commanding, on this recreation, 17-3 lead.
Jahan Dotson’s season-best seven catches on 11 targets for 94 yards. On the Eagles’ third-quarter landing drive, Dotson had two catches for 31 yards that saved the drive going.
Particular groups’ demon Kelee Ringo taking out Giants’ punt returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette for no acquire after the Eagles’ second possession of the third quarter. Ringo has been an unsung participant all season, continuously getting down first on particular groups.
Isaiah Rodgers’ 51-yard kickoff return to begin the second half. It introduced the ball to the Giants’ 43, however the Eagles squandered the possibility so as to add to their 10-0 lead by shifting simply eight yards from there. Rodgers seems like a viable choice to return kickoffs and punts within the postseason.
Rodgers and Brown crashing down on Malik Nabers on a fourth-and-two on the Eagles’ two on the Giants’ third drive. The Eagles responded by driving down the sphere and going up 10-0, after Jake Elliott’s 24-yard subject aim with 1:44 left within the half.
The Eagles’ first half protection. Rookie linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. led the best way with seven tackles over the primary two quarters, and linebacker Oren Burks chipped in with six tackles, three solo, and one sort out for a loss. The Eagles shut out the horrid Giants’ offense, holding them to 84 complete yards on 28 performs, and 4 first downs—all speeding. Burks later took down Wan’Dale Robinson for a four-yard loss on the Giants’ second possession of the third quarter. Burks confirmed nice intuition, studying and anticipating what the Giants have been doing on the play. He’s executed nicely in a reserve position when he has had the possibility to play this season. Burks completed with a game-high 17 tackles, eight solos, and Trotter Jr. ended with 11 tackles, two solos. The Eagles appear to be they’ve future depth at linebacker.
Defensive sort out Jordan Davis studying display screen, then knocking down Devin Singletary for a five-yard loss on a first-and-10 on the Giants’ 29 on New York’s first play of its third drive. The Eagles received nice manufacturing within the first half from Davis, who had the most effective two quarters of his season, possibly in his younger profession, with 4 tackles, three solo, one for a loss. Davis ended the 5 tackles.
The Eagles’ second defensive sequence. Trotter Jr. knifing via for a sort out for brief acquire on the primary play of the drive, and defensive lineman Milton Williams and reserve linebacker Charles Harris stuffing the Giants’ Tyrone Tracy on third down.
The Eagles’ first defensive sequence. Cornerback Kelee Ringo got here up with the important thing play on the Giants’ fourth-and-seven on the Eagles’ 49, when he defended a Drew Lock go meant for Darius Slayton.
The Unhealthy
Goedert dropping a McKee go on a third-and-four on the Giants’ 15 on the Eagles’ second drive. It may have arrange one other Eagles’ rating, although sadly, the Eagles’ 39-yard subject aim try failed.
The Ugly
Security Tristin McCollum dropping Malik Nabors, solely essentially the most harmful Giants’ participant on the sphere, on the Giants’ 45-yard landing go from Drew Lock. The rating, with 10:32 to play, introduced the Giants to inside 17-10, giving a limp workforce some hope. It was Nabors’ 109th catch this season, which on the time was an NFL rookie file for receptions in a season.
Jake Elliott’s missed 39-yard subject within the opening of the second quarter. The Eagles don’t want this proper now. Elliott, an traditionally dependable kicker all through his profession, has been a query this season. The miss was Elliott’s career-high eighth miss in 2024 (26/34). He completed the season making 28 of 36. Previous to this 12 months, essentially the most subject objectives he ever missed in a season was 5, which he did 3 times, 2017, 2018 and the 2020 seasons. He entered the sport with a career-low 1-for-7 from 50 yards and past. He’s a Tremendous Bowl champion and he was arguably the workforce MVP in final 12 months’s dreck of a season, about the one dependable participant on the 2023 Eagles. With the playoffs looming, do the Eagles and Nick Sirianni behind closed doorways really feel that safe with Elliott? At this late stage, they don’t have any different selection—and in a method, the Eagles owe it to Elliott to stick with him, contemplating all he has executed for the franchise. He’s arguably the best kicker in franchise historical past. That’s the reason that is so onerous to fathom. You knew when Elliott lined up, whatever the spot and scenario, he was close to computerized. He has actually hit a very powerful kicks in franchise historical past. Elliott got here again to hit 24- and 32-yard subject objectives. Throwing away the previous, how a lot do you belief Elliott to win a recreation proper now?
