NY Giants vs. Eagles: Big Blue ends disappointing season with stunning victory over Philly

EAST RUTHERFORD - Nobody wants to play these New York Giants in the playoffs.

Wait ... what?

Oh, that's right: Big Blue isn't going to the postseason. But the Eagles are - and any time one NFC East rival can pound another into submission, the result leaves its mark.

Saquon Barkley rushed for a pair of touchdowns and Xavier McKinney intercepted Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota in the first half as the Giants ended their disappointing season with their best performance in Sunday's 27-10 victory over the Eagles.

The Eagles had a chance to win the NFC East on Sunday.

Saquon Barkley and the Giants are playing as if they are the ones with something more than pride at stake.

If this is Barkley's last game as a Giant, he did damage against a bitter foe.

His second touchdown run of the game put the Giants ahead 17-0 in the second quarter, and in stunning fashion. The scoring scamper puts Barkley into a tie for sixth place in Giants history for rushing touchdowns with Super Bowl XXV MVP Ottis Anderson (35).

The Giants (6-11) smothered the Eagles' offense with a takeaway and a turnover on downs that set up points in the first half. Tyrod Taylor left for a series with a thumb injury, giving way to Tommy DeVito, but the latter was injured. With emergency quarterback Jacob Eason warming, Taylor returned to the sideline and then to the game.

He has connected with Wan'Dale Robinson five times for 85 yards in the first half.

Saquon Barkley ties Frank Gifford for rushing TDs

Barkley's two-yard touchdown run and a spirited defensive effort early on against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles has the Giants up 10-0 midway through the second quarter. The Giants stopped Philadelphia on a fourth-and-3 near midfield when Bobby Okereke tipped a Hurts pass at the line of scrimmage, forcing an incomplete.

Earlier in the first half, Nick McCloud forced a fumble when he punched the ball away from A.J. Brown.

Barkley moved into seventh place all-time by tying Hall of Famer Frank Gifford (34).

Sterling Shepard appreciation in pre-game festivities

Sterling Shepard did not want to leave the Giants' locker room - his home for the last eight years - and head out for the day. Practice was over. There were no more meetings scheduled. Media interviews were done, too.

Yet there was Shepard, still at his locker on Wednesday afternoon, reminiscing of seasons gone by with an awareness of what the next few days would more than likely represent for his playing career with the Giants.

“I’m hesitant to leave,” he said with a laugh, only he wasn't really kidding. “I’m just taking it all in, you know what I mean?”

There are many players with uncertain futures as the Giants head into today's season finale against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium. The one player whose future already feels predetermined is Shepard, the longest-tenured Giant and 2016 second-round pick who has lasted three coaching regimes and three different general managers.

The Giants (5-11) plan on having Shepard introduced last in pregame festivities, giving him that chance to run through the tunnel at MetLife Stadium with the starters. Brian Daboll had Shepard break down the team after Friday's practice, too.

Shepard, 30, began as the rookie in a wide receiver room headlined by Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz, grew incredibly close with Saquon Barkley in their time together and likely closes his Giants career as the veteran imparting his own wisdom to second-year pro Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Jalin Hyatt.

“It’s been great from top to bottom,” Shepard said. “I know not everybody has that [Michael] Strahan story, leaving with a ring on their finger and having some good seasons behind them, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and I’m very appreciative of this organization and all they have done for me, my family. I mean, it’s truly a blessing, man.”

Shepard needs three receptions against the Eagles to move past Jeremy Shockey and into fifth place all-time in Giants history, an incredible achievement given the "injury prone" label he has spent his entire tenure trying to shake. The one thing that's never been questioned is his toughness, so it'll be interesting to see the reception Shepard gets from the MetLife crowd.

I get the question: "What has Sterling Shepard done to get this kind of sentiment?"

The way I see it, the Giants have not had enough Sterling Shepards over the past decade. You can look at his numbers and his injuries, and what he didn't give you, what the teams he was on didn't do, and you wouldn't be wrong.

I think that if the Giants had more picks like Shep, they would've won a lot more and the roster foundation would be a lot stronger than it is. Fact is, that's exactly why Shep deserves his flowers. If only the Giants had more like him from 2016 to now, they would've won a lot more.

Keep checking back throughout the day for everything you need to know from all that is surrounding the Giants-Eagles clash.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Giants vs. Eagles: Live updates from Week 18 finale for Big Blue