One week ago today, the Eagles were waking up at perhaps their lowest point of the season, coming off of a defeat in Miami against the Dolphins.
Now, they have a chance to perhaps reach their high point.
Despite all the struggles, injuries and bad losses, the Eagles can cement their place as favorites in the NFC East tonight in their prime-time matchup against the New York Giants.
With the Dallas Cowboys losers in four of their last five games, an impressive win against the Giants on Monday night would send a message the team hasn't been able to send all season — that with the playoffs around the corner, they are ready to make their final push.
Here are a few random thoughts as we all wait for kickoff:
** Eli Manning: Manning coming back after two months off is not a wild-card the Eagles needed at this point in their season. Yes, Manning has always struggled against the Eagles, but as veteran quarterback he presents a problem that Daniel Jones wouldn't have. The Achilles heel to the Eagles' defense has always been quarterback that get the ball out fast, and Manning is certainly cable of doing that. It is also concerning that the Eagles were just picked apart by a veteran quarterback last week in Miami and the defense is coming off arguably their worst game of the season. Getting Manning out of rhythm early on, and making sure he isn't able to gain some confidence in his return, will be absolutely crucial for the Eagles.
** Going Deep: For almost two full seasons the Eagles coaches and players have stood at the podium and told fans they believe the deep passes will eventually connect. For almost two full seasons they have been wrong, save for one game with DeSean Jackson in the offense. The time to finally make good on their prediction is Monday night. The Giants come into Lincoln Financial Field with one of the worst secondaries in the NFL, and as a result, have given up 14 catches this season over 40 yards. Only two teams have given up more. They have allowed 49 catches over 20-yards. The Eagles, meanwhile, have completed just five passes this season over 40 yards and 36 passes over 20 yards, both good for 23rd in the NFL. Even without Jackson, the trio of Carson Wentz, Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor have to find a way to make big plays down the field against the Giants.
** Darrius Slayton: The Giants don't have Odell Beckham Jr. anymore, but they do have a receiver the Eagles should be worried about — rookie Darrius Slayton. Slayton has seven catches over 20 yards this season, with four of them going for touchdowns and one going for 46 yards. Slayton had one of the fastest 40-times at the NFL Combine, clocking in at 4.39 seconds, and that speed has transferred onto the field. The Eagles' defense has not done great against the deep ball this season, and if they struggle again on Monday, Slayton will likely be the reason why.
** Saquon Barkley: Giants running back Saquon Barkley is not having the kind of sophomore season he wanted, but he likely feels he can turn things around on Monday night against the Eagles. Barkley has had great success against the Eagles in his career, averaging 115.5 yards-per-game on the ground, his highest average against any team he has faced. Barkley has also done damage through the air, totaling 140 yards in two games. Barkley was so good against the Eagles last season he nearly lead them to an upset win in Philadelphia. The Eagles can't let Barkley run all over them again.
** Giants' run defense: If there is one thing the Giants do well it is stop the run, which is potentially bad news for an Eagles' team that has proven to be best at moving the ball on the ground. The Giants are giving up an average of just 3.9 yards-per-carry, good for 6th in the NFL. That number is no fluke, as only seven teams have had the ball run on them more. The Eagles have started to go away from the running game with Jordan Howard injured, but they would still like to be able to establish the run. If they can't, the pressure will be on Wentz to lead his team to a victory through the air, something he has not doe often in his career.
** Just get a win: It has been 36 days since the Eagles won a game. Let that sink in. That is over a month. Even the most skeptical of analysts would have never predicted the Eagles would go an entire month without a win prior to the season, but yet here they are, losers of three straight and winless since their Bye Week four weeks ago. Head coach Doug Pederson said this past week that the Giants game was a must-win, and even though they can technically lose and not drop in the standings, he is right. Monday is a chance for the Eagles to get back in the win column, show they are ready to make a playoff push and beat a team they should be able to beat. Simply put, they have to get the job done. There is no excuse not to.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
