Behind Enemy Lines: Week 14 Q&A with Eagles Wire
The New York Giants (7-4-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 14 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Giants opened the week as 6.5-point home underdogs and that line has gotten slightly worse. As of this writing, New York is +7.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Eagles Wire managing editor Glenn Erby.
The Eagles have dominated this year but had a hiccup vs. Washington. Was that an anomaly or did it expose cracks in the foundation?
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Erby: The Eagles had a crack in the run defense after Jordan Davis suffered the ankle injury against the Steelers, with Houston and Washington taking advantage of Philadelphia not having a space eater inside. After the additions of Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh, that crack has been sealed. The Eagles don’t really have any weaknesses outside of special teams.
Boston Scott is an average NFL player until he faces the Giants. How and why does it turn it up a notch against them?
AP Photo/John Munson
The NFL is all about matchups and Scott has 71 carries for 327 yards and has scored 8 touchdowns in six games against the Giants in his career. He’s a shifty running back, can create havoc in space, and most importantly, he’s had that success behind the NFL’s best offensive line. Scott is built like Darren Sproles, so it’s often a situation where Giants defenders don’t see him until he’s four or five yards upfield.
What have you seen in the development of Jalen Hurts and how much better do you feel he can get?
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Jalen Hurts spent the offseason retooling his throwing motion, while also improving his accuracy, timing, and vision at all three levels of the field. He has gone from being a liability in the passing game as a rookie to one of the top deep ball throwers in the NFL. He’s a grinder, and benefiting from playing in the same offensive system for consecutive seasons for the first time since high school.
The game has slowed down for him, he’s in complete control at the line of scrimmage and most importantly, he almost always avoids a negative play. He’ll never be the conventional pocket passer, but he’s certainly improved enough to warrant being taken seriously as a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.
What has James Bradberry brought to the Eagles defense this season?
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James Bradberry has been a God send and a player who forces the opposing offense to now make a choice in the passing game. In 2021, it was Darius Slay and liability on the outside. Bradbery’s addition allows Jonathan Gannon to mix up his coverages while choosing his opportunities to be aggressive up front. Slay and Bradberry excel at different things as cornerbacks, so it gives the Eagles options when faced with bigger athletic wide receivers, or speedy guys on the outside.
Who are some under-the-radar players the Giants and their fans should be wary of?
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On offense, running back Kenneth Gainwell is a dual-threat running back who could give the Giants fits in the red zone. On defense, undrafted rookie safety Reed Blankenship is a heat-seeking missile in the secondary, and a guy capable of making plays in the box, or showing his range in the passing game.
Is there any path to victory for the Giants on Sunday or is this easily an Eagles win?
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
New York showed the path to victory in the first matchup last December, and they’ll need to repeat the formula of pressuring quarterback Jalen Hurts while taking away his options in the run game. If Giants’ defensive coordinator can confuse Hurts, there could be opportunities for turnovers or sacks.
On offense, establishing the run game is the most critical factor in keeping Philadelphia’s explosive offense on the sideline. New York needs to win the time of possession and turnover battle while reducing the Eagles’ big plays.
