Eagles-Giants Game Preview: 5 questions and answers with an NFC East enemy

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) are playing the New York Giants (3-7) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. In order to preview this Week 12 game, I reached out to our enemies over at Big Blue View. The earnest Ed Valentine kindly took the time to answer my questions about this upcoming tilt. Let’s take a look at the answers. (Check out BBV for my side of the exchange!)

1 - Do you expect the Jason Garrett firing to make any difference for the Giants’ offense this week? Seems like it would be hard to be any worse than he was.

I do expect some differences.

One thing that won’t change, though, is that the offense won’t be whole. Sterling Shepard will miss his sixth game. Tight end Kaden Smith won’t play. Tight end Kyle Rudolph probably won’t play. Kadarius Toney probably won’t play. It’s been that way all season.I would expect the Giants to try and push the bsall vertically. Daniel Jones averaged 7.6 or more Air Yards per Attempt in each of the first four games. He has not reached 7.0 AYPA since. I would expect a concerted effort to get the ball to Kenny Golladay (only 2 targets Monday) and Saquon Barkley (only 6 carries on Monday).

What I really want to see is a consistent plan. The Giants’ offense this season has too often felt like they were simply shooting darts.

2 - To what extent do you think the Giants should entirely wipe the slate clean and start over with a new GM, HC, and QB? Is there really anything salvageable from their top trio

It is difficult to justify Dave Gettleman keeping his job. The Giants are heading toward what will probably be the fourth straight double-digit loss season of his tenure.

Joe Judge? I think the Giants desperately want to avoid firing him. Ben McAdoo lasted less than two years. Pat Shurmur lasted two years. They need to get off this carousel. Problem is, Judge is directly responsible for a lot of what has gone wrong this season. He needs to show more aggression, better in-game management and win some games to give ownership reason to keep him.

Daniel Jones? I believe he’s the quarterback next season. Can you tell me with any certainty there is a guy at the top of the draft who will be better, who who really want to build a franchise around? Plus, the Giants don’t have the cap room to go get a big-name veteran. So, by default, I think Jones gets next season.

3 - What is the Giants’ biggest strength? How should they be attacking the Eagles?

Offensively, the Giants do have some good players. They just need to do a better job of involving Barkley, Golladay, Toney (if he plays), Evan Engram.

Defensively, I’d say the interior defensive line. I’d like to see the Giants load the box against the run, then trust corners James Bradberry and Adoree’ Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney.

4 - What is the Giants’ biggest weakness? What should the Eagles be looking to exploit?

I’d probe the edges in the run game. The Giants haven’t set the edge well or tackled well on the perimeter.

Defensively, attack the offensive line. The Giants have been protecting that group by not throwing the ball down the field. If they are going to do that, there should be opportunities to get to Daniel Jones.

5 - Who wins this game and why? Score prediction? And what are your expectations for the rest of this Giants season?

I’ll be honest. I picked the Giants in our weekly staff picks BUT the only reason I did that is because no one else on our staff did. Someone had to, it would have been embarrassing if our entire staff picked the Eagles. I expect the Eagles to win. They have been playing well, and the Giants just continue to give you reasons not to believe.

Before Monday’s Tampa Bay debacle I would have told you I thought the Giants had a good chance to go 4-4 or 5-3 over the final eight games. The way they played Monday, I’m not so sure. If they can go 4-3 over their final seven games, they will finish 7-7 over their last 14. It’s embarrassing, but that would be their best sustained stretch of football since 2016 and would likely be enough for Judge to say progress is being made.

BONUS CONTENT

I joined Ed on Big Blue View’s podcast feed to further preview this matchup: