The game that could change it all- New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles preview

Having already played once this season at the Meadowlands, the Giants face their division rivals under a very different circumstance. One team is fighting for a win to make sure they have a chance at clenching the division. The other is fighting for a win to avoid total embarrassment after the worst start to a season since 1993.

History
Record since 2000
Eagles wins against the Giants- 18
Giants wins against the Eagles- 12

The Eagles vs Giants rivalry has been nothing short of extraordinary when you think of the amount of moments the teams have shared. The oldest rivalry in the NFC East will always be known as one of Footballs greatest rivalries. The Miracle in the Meadowlands has echoed through the ages and was repeated back in 2010 where DeSean Jackson made a memorable punt return, securing the Eagles a win as the clock hit 0. But this week, the game is played at Lincoln Financial Field, a venue in which the home team has not won since September 30th 2012. Ironically, that victory was
against the very team they face this Sunday, the New York Giants.

Eagles
With Michael Vick expected to start on Sunday after a two week hiatus suffering a hamstring injury, the Eagles offence is almost back to full force. Nick Foles took the reigns whilst Vick watched from the sideline in two and a half games, sending the Eagles to a further two wins and a loss. The loss came against the Cowboys where Nick looked like a shadow of the man that had played just a week previously.
  A wobbly 3-4 start to the season sees the Birds looking to turn their record into a .500 one once again. But as this is the first season under new head coach Chip Kelly, the record is respectable to say the least.

Key Players
LeSean McCoy-
There is no doubting that Shady is one of the best Running backs in the NFL this season and is the game changer in this years Eagles Offence. McCoy is well on par to break  2000 yards this season averaging close to 100 yards per game and almost 5 yards per carry. It's not his sheer speed or agility that makes him so threatening, but his ability to shed tackles. He cuts in and out of Defenders so easily it almost resembles something you would see in Madden!
   So what happens when you take the Defense who are ranked 31st in the NFL and add one of the most explosive running backs in the game. The answer, potentially his best game of the season so far. The Giants did well to hold LeSean to just 46 yards at the Meadowlands, but never underestimate how mu
ch of an impact McCoy can have.

DeSean Jackson-
Arguably the biggest weapon in this Philadelphia Offense, Jackson has had one of his best ever seasons so far and in my opinion, a season better than his two Pro Bowl seasons in 2009 and 2010. With Jeremy Maclin on the sidelines, Jackson had to step up this year and he has outperformed everyone's expectations. He has the capability to make huge plays out of nothing. When there is a gain of 3-5 yards on a quick pass, Jackson will turn it into a 13-25 yard gain. Not forgetting that it was Jackson who sealed that fateful win back in 2010. It would only be fitting that the first home victory in over a year would come from the last team the Eagles beat at home, scored by the man who made that final play in one of the greatest comebacks in history.


Michael Vick-
If Vick doesn't start this Saturday then the Eagles may be in trouble. The number 7 said that he doesn't want to start until he can run the 100 yard sprint despite taking all the reps for the team in practice. Nick Foles has been confirmed as out for this game and the team will count on rookie Matt Barkley as a backup. If Vick is back to his best then we could see another huge scoring game for the Birds. Whilst Foles can run an offense and has proven that he can stand tall in the pocket to make throws and even run through a hole, he lacks the mobility and unpredictability that Vick has. If no player is open, the pride of Virginia Tech can still outrun a lot of the players in the NFL despite his age. 1,185 yards, 5 touchdowns and
2 interceptions in the first 5 games of the season saw Vick make a statement. He is not ready to leave Philadelphia just yet, and he will be looking to further prove why Kelly should keep him this weekend.


Giants-
After finally picking up their first win last week against a struggling Minnesota Vikings side, the Giants look to make it two in a row at Lincoln Financial Field against an Eagles side coming fresh off of losing to division leaders Dallas. The Giants, now 1-6 need to win this week if they have any chance whatsoever of catching Washington and saving what has been an abysmal start to the season. The win over the Vikings was by no means a convincing one, and the Big Blue will need to pull off a Big performance to halt this fast paced offence.

Key Players-

Eli Manning- Seven games, fifteen interceptions. No that's not some sort of dodgy online movie but the statistic which haunts Superbowl MVP Eli Manning going into week 8. But the 10 year veteran is coming off of his first interception free game of the year which may slide momentum just slightly in his favor. It's very easy to see that Manning has not been performing to the standard he should be, not by a long shot. A two time Superbowl Champion who has taken the Giants through so many heroic moments should not have a 54% completion rate and a 66 passer rating. But on the flip side, it just takes one game, one play, one big pass which could re-ignite his form. If this happens, The Eagles may have a tough game on their hands.



Justin Tuck-  Jason Pierre-Paul has not been the same player since his surgery,and Kiwanuka has not made the impact he should be making on the opposing offense. But over the last few games the defensive line has been solid, mainly because of a reformed Justin Tuck. The veteran defensive end has 5.5 sacks in his last seven contests against the Eagles. In a rivalry where miracles happen on a regular basis, a player with this reputation against your opponent will be one to watch out for.

Rueben Randle - Randle has been anything but consistent this season,when he's good he's great and when he's bad he's really bad! But the 22 year old has four touchdown catches in his last three games which coincidentally is the same number of Touchdowns he has in his last two games against the Eagles. With so many targets who can make big plays, the attention tends to lean towards the big names such as Nicks and Victor Cruz, leaving the second year pro wide open to make a game changing catch.

Prediction-

Eagles 32-21 Giants

A similar game as to what we saw at the Meadowlands a few weeks ago will take place. The Giants will give the Eagles a torrid time there is no doubt about it, but in this rivalry with the Giants as inconsistent as they are I can only see this ending one way. One big play from the Eagles to break the will of the Defense and like before, the rest comes easy. The thing is with a rivalry like this, I could be totally wrong and the Giants could do to us what the Cowboys did to us. As a Philly fan, I have a feeling that Vick can guide the City of Brotherly love to a big win and re-ignite our charge for a Championship.

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A small win with "Giant" effect- The Eagles soar at the Meadowlands

The Eagles flew to a 36-21 victory against a now 0-5 Giants on their home turf this past Sunday, and whilst you can't judge a team on its ability to beat a team who concedes an average of 36 points per game, the win itself meant that the Eagles are now tied at the top of their division along with the Dallas Cowboys after they faced a heartbreaking loss against the Broncos. In comparison, both the Raiders and the Chargers are on 2-3 and they are tied for bottom in the AFC West. In that sense, this win was crucial.


But with every silver lining there is a cloud, and this could well be a thunder storm waiting to rip Philly apart or it could be the cloud needed to fire the team up and rebuild after the storm passes. An MRI Monday morning revealed that Vick suffered a pulled hamstring in the second quarter, Kelly said. It didn't look overly serious as he was seen walking up and down the sideline trying to see if he could return to the game but the decision to keep him off the field could well mean he starts against Tampa Bay in week 6 if he is fit.
     

It was Nick Foles who took over the Quarterback spot and did an impressive job, scoring two touchdowns and completing 16 passes out of 25 attempts. He may not have the scrambling ability or the read option threat that Vick possesses but a solid arm on Sunday from the 24 year old showed the world that if Vick does get injured seriously at some point in the future, then there is a man ready to lead this Eagles offense.

The game itself was again plagued with penalties and turnovers, but this time not from the Eagles. Manning completed 24 of 52 for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but three penalties for intentional grounding along with his three straight interceptions in the fourth quarter. One turnover came from Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, who managed to fumble in the second quarter without even being hit, the ball simply slipped from his grasp, very much so like the victory the team were chasing so desperately.


On the Eagles side of the ball, Foles led the Eagles to 17 second-half points with five field goals overall from kicker Alex Henery. As mentioned earlier, it is very difficult to judge how well a team is playing against the Giants because the majority of the attention is being based on how many issues there are surrounding the team. The Eagles came away with a win and have a right to feel happy about it. The defense picked up 3 interceptions but is that due to poor offence or has the Eagles Defensive unit found some good form? Nick Foles was able to score two touchdowns and for a second string QB that is a very respectable feat. Was this down to his accuracy or down to the poor defensive effort from New York?


With Vick still doubtful to start week 6, there are mixed emotions going into the Tampa Bay matchup. Can Foles carry on his current from and bring the Eagles to a 3-3 record? Has our defense improved or was it simply New York giving the unit too many easy opportunities making interceptions as easy as taking candy from a baby?

All will be answered in week 6 but for now, Philadelphia fans can hold their head high. If being Tied first for the division and facing an 0-4 Tampa Bay next week doesn't give fans a slight reason to smile after a slightly troubled start to the Chip Kelly era then they need to realize that at least they are playing better than the Jaguars!

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What happened to the NFC "B"East?- NFL's toughest division struggles in 2013

Just over a month ago the NFC East promised to be the closest the division has been in years. It has always been one of the toughest in the league but this year was looking to be something truly special. Going into the season you had the Giants who are always strong, the Cowboys, the new redesigned Chip Kelly Eagles Offence and the return of RGIII and the Redskins.
    Going into week four and the NFC Beast has turned into something a lot less intimidating. Only three of the four teams were in action on Sunday after the Eagles suffered a loss to the Chiefs and former coach Andy Reid. Two of those teams lost whilst just one team came away with a win from the entire week.
             Let's take a look at the NFC East standings after the opening three games of the season.

1st. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
2nd. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)
3rd. New York Giants (0-3)
4th. Washington Redskins (0-3)

In comparison to last season's table at this stage it almost looks like an entirely different division? But what is causing such a big dip in performance from three of the four teams and is there any hope of redemption as we head towards the end of the first quarter in the 2013 season?


Dallas Cowboys- 


Ways to prove critics and the internet wrong.
1. Decimate the St Louis Rams
2. Take advantage of a crumbling NFC East
3. Rush for 175 yards.


Sitting at the top of the division right now, the Cowboys have gotten off to a very good start. Especially after coming out with a 31-7 home win against the St Louis Rams. A lot of that however was down to a fantastic running game from DeMarco Murray as he rushed for a massive 175 yards with the longest being 41. Quarterback Tony Romo finished for a 17/24 completion rate, 210 yards and three touchdowns. A very respectable feat considering the game beforehand they too, like the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs with Romo averaging 6.8 yards per play. The Cowboys showed real signs of improvement this week in a simply must win situation. Easily the most impressive team in the division at the moment as Romo looks capitalize on the poor form of their three rivals by racking up as many wins as they can. Next up they face the Chargers who were halted by the Titans on Sunday in the final few moments of the game. It will be a very intense matchup, that's almost certain.




Philadelphia Eagles-

A season which started out so promising has slowly taken a turn for the worst as old habits return to the city of Brotherly love. After a week one victory against fellow NFC East team and bitter rivals the Redskins, Philadelphia took a big hit as they lost to the Chargers by a field goal. A few days later they played their most emotional game of the season as 14 year head coach at the team Andy Reid took his Chiefs to a 3-0 record leaving the team exhausted and scratching their heads. 

     Fatigue could be used as an excuse for the team after playing three games in just eleven days. With the tempo that Chip expects his offence to perform at it is obvious that the team will eventually get worn down. The signs have already become evident as star running back LeSean McCoy limped off the field at the end of the first half last Thursday with Vick also showing signs of light injury. If this hurry up style offence is going to work then the Eagles HAVE to stay in top condition. Fighting the unknown is a very hard thing to do, but fighting the unknown who simply give you the ball is a much easier feat to accomplish. The defense did show signs of improvement with a great job at getting the ball back for Michael and the offence but there is only so much the Defense can do if the Offence fail to score. They simply cannot turn the ball over five times and expect to win the match.
    The road from here on out does not get too much easier as they travel to the Denver Broncos next Sunday. Being captained by Peyton Manning and already stamping their authority over the much more tightly contested AFC West where all four teams have taken victories. The Broncos are now 3-0 after a huge victory over the Oakland Raiders where Manning yet again threw for 300 yards and left Oakland trailing 37-21. Still yet to record his first interception, the Eagles will travel to the Mile High stadium with an almighty task on their hands before they face divisional rivals, the struggling New York Giants.


New York Giants-

If you were to place a bet on the Giants going 0-3 in the 2013 season the returns would be huge. If you were to also put a bet on their game against the Panthers being a shutout and losing 38-0 you may very well have become a millionaire. If you also bet on Manning being sacked a whopping SEVEN yes SEVEN times then you could buy the entire franchise.
   New York have had their worst start to a season since 1996 and as if the odds of the Giants making the playoffs weren't low enough, only 3 of the 115 teams that have started 0-3 have reached the postseason. But why are such a prestigious team suffering so much? And why is it that Eli Manning is in a situation where he is being sacked three straight plays in a row?
 For starters the trademark New York "Pass rush" which was once something to be feared was non-existent, the running game ran for a hugely disappointing 17 yards in the first half with 14 coming from a desperate effort to escape being bought down a 23rd this season by Eli Manning. 
     As was the story in the Eagles loss, penalties played a big factor in overshadowing first downs and completely wrecking scoring field position. 
       With all of these factors, the Giants were nothing but a shadow of their 2012 form and it looks like it is going to continue unless something changes dramatically. Yes, the Carolina defense is very good and yes Cam Newton was on fire but the point is a loss is barely acceptable for a dynasty like the Giants, a big loss is angering but a shutout by 38 points must be sending big red warning lights straight to coach Coughlin. Is it time for a coach change or can the Giants break the trend of never making the playoffs after losing their opening three games? Only time will tell as they face the 3-0 Chiefs in week 4 and then Division rivals the Eagles in week 5. A game which both teams need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive and stop Dallas running into the sunset before the season hits the halfway mark. A lot will be on the line and it could very well come down to a few big plays from either team but one thing is for sure, the whole team needs to improve, and they need to do it now.


Washington Redskins- 

Griffin fumbles a promising run and gives Detroit a crucial touchdown.

Where do we start with the Redskins? Divisional champions last year and currently sit with 0 wins and 3 losses. RGIII came back from Knee Surgery after missing the pre season still searching for his earlier form in all 3 games. The defense with the exception of Riley in their first two games seemed to just not have the hunger they did last year. How can we prove this? They're on track for giving up the most yards in a single season and after 53 snaps of the ball in the first half alone against the Eagles, the Redskins are left searching for anything that is going to help them turn their season around.
      Their defense definitely showed signs of improvement against Detroit but it was the team on the other side of the football who let them down. The offense is still yet to produce that explosiveness that they dominated the 2012 season with.
     It doesn't help when Griffin rushes the football with a chance for a touchdown before tripping over and handing it to back to the Lions who as a result won the week 3 matchup 27-20. A reversed touchdown call came late in the fourth quarter which secured victory for Megatron and the Lions and as they head to a 2-1 record, the Redskins are still searching for that first win. Their next game is against Oakland before going into the bye, but Washington are confident that they can come out on top. We will see if that confident converts into success in under a weeks time.



The NFC East has shocked a lot of people this year with its lack of wins. The entire division is 1-7 against opponents who aren't in their divison with the only win coming from the Cowboys against the Rams. As we head towards the end of the first quarter of the season the division is looking to be the least impressive in the entire NFL. We will see how things change in the coming weeks. Can the Giants make history and bring their team to the playoffs? Can Dallas find their form and win their first divisional championship since 2009? Can the Redskins find their winning form from 2012 and just how long can the Eagles keep this high tempo offence running? All will be revealed in the next few weeks.

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