The New York Giants take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 8:30 PM. ET
The Eagles are coming off an impressive victory against New Orleans. The Saints kept it close throughout the first half. Philly looked like they were in for another long game. But, Chip Kelly’s offense finally broke through in the second half and the Eagles poured on the points.
The Giants are coming off a victory over the 49ers. The 49ers have struggled all year but managed to stay within three points of the NFC leading Giants. The Giants have one of the best run defenses in the league. On the other side of it defensively, they have one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Against the Eagles, the Giants are going to have to make Philly one dimensional. That will put the pressure on quarterback Sam Bradford.
Last week, the Eagles offense finally broke through and scored 39 points. The Saints defense is hit or miss but they did just shut down the Atlanta Falcons’ high-octane offense on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles will have to ride that momentum offensively and continue to move the ball effectively. Last week, Bradford had two more interceptions and now has six interceptions on the year to go along with eight touchdowns. Bradford needs to start limiting the turnovers if the Eagles have any chance of being a winner this year.
Last week, the Giants struggled with an offensively challenged 49ers squad. The offense relied heavily on Manning to move the ball. Eli completed 41 passes on 54 attempts. He had three touchdowns to one interception. He spread the ball around completing a pass to eight different receivers.
A player to watch on the Eagles is DeMarco Murray. The Giants have a great run defense. DeMarco is a great running back when he’s go superb blocking. The Eagles have not given Murray the kind of blocking he received last year in Dallas. Murray has not looked as sure of himself when given the ball. He has heisted in crucial situations this year. He has not even been the best back for Philly this year. That distinction goes to Ryan Mathews. Mathews has run with more determination and purpose. Murray has received more carries than Mathews but that’s something to monitor as the season progresses if Murray continues to struggle.
A player to watch for the Giants is Shane Vereen. Eli Manning has a plethora of quality receivers, including Odell Beckham Jr., but the Giants most dynamic weapon at the line of scrimmage is Shane Vereen. The pass catching tailback has given Eli a security blanket that’s helped him get the ball out quickly. Last week, Beckham Jr. received 11 targets and Vereen eight. Against a shaky Eagles pass defense, expect those numbers to remain consistent.
The NFC East showdown has a pretty big early season impact. If the Eagles win, then they’ll be tied for first place in the NFC East. If the Giants win they’ll further distance themselves within a floundering division. The biggest obstacle in the Giants way this weekend is discipline. Last week, the Giants had 6 penalties for 65 yards. Many of those penalties were crucial to keeping the 49ers in the game. Against the Eagles, the Saints had seven penalties for 78 yards that absolutely helped determine the outcome of that game. If the Giants are going to pull off the upset, then they’ll need to limit penalties and play disciplined.
Giants Vs Eagles Betting Odds
BetOnline.ag has the Eagles favored to win this game by 5.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 49.5. BetOnline is our top rated NFL sportsbook at the moment. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
This game will be physical. These two teams do not like each other and first place is on the line. Chip Kelly’s Eagles have a lot to lose if they don’t come out fast and the offense will certainly look to build on last week’s success. The Giants with Manning, however, are the better team right now and Eli is finally getting solid protection up front. The Giants have ways to go before being labeled a contender, but the 2015 Eagles certainly look like pretenders.
Play: Giants +5.5 @ BetOnline.ag
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