PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles received’t be gracious hosts Saturday evening at Lincoln Financial Field. The Giants don’t anticipate their followers shall be, both.
“I told my mom she can’t come to the game,” defensive sort out Dexter Lawrence stated this week, “because she’ll go back at them. I’m excited.”
If the Giants are eradicated within the NFC’s Divisional playoff spherical, nevertheless, it received’t be the followers responsible.
It shall be as a result of Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia’s dynamic quarterback, used the Eagles’ bye week to get his sprained proper shoulder wholesome.
That is the important thing to this fifth all-time assembly of those NFC East rivals, with the sequence tied 2-2: whether or not Hurts remains to be restricted or nearer to full power.
“He’s off the injury report, so I’m expecting Jalen Hurts the MVP candidate,” Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale stated. “I think if you expect anything less, you’re kidding yourself. The guy’s a competitor.”
This Giants workforce is totally different from the one which misplaced, 48-22, to the Eagles at MetLife Stadium in early December, in fact.
The major distinction is that Daniel Jones has stormed onto the nationwide scene with again to again explosive offensive performances:
He went for 177 passing yards, 91 speeding yards and 4 complete touchdowns in a 38-10 shellacking of the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17.
Then, after sitting out the common season finale in opposition to the Eagles, he turned the primary NFL QB in postseason historical past to throw for 300+ yards, rush for 70+ yards and throw two TD passes in a 31-24 highway Wild Card playoff win at Minnesota.
In the method, Jones has transformed doubters to believers, and he’s conscious.
“I don’t think I’ve spent a whole lot of time thinking about that,” Jones stated this week. “I think if there’s anything I’ve learned it’s about what you do the next week, so I’m focused on that … You hear some of [the outside noise] for sure and notice some of it. [But] I can’t control how people respond positively or negatively. I just control how I play, and that’s my focus.”
While Jones has carried the Giants’ offense currently, although, he’s going to wish Saquon Barkley’s assistance on Saturday.
Barkley goes to should be the Giants’ finest offensive participant in the event that they wish to win this sport.
The Eagles went 14-1 this season within the 15 video games Hurts began and performed. The solely sport he misplaced, 32-21 at residence to Washington on Nov. 14, was because of the Commanders’ 40:24 time of possession benefit.
That was created by Washington’s 49 carries for 152 yards and two TDs and 4 Philly turnovers (one Hurts interception and three talent participant fumbles).
Barkley has been used extra as a pink zone and fourth-quarter nearer currently. He has had 15 or extra carries solely as soon as in his final 5 video games.
He’ll need to do extra on Saturday, and he stated he’s prepared.
“I’m just locked in,” Barkley stated.
The sport actually solely comes all the way down to Hurts, although, and if he’s wholesome.
He racked up 3,701 passing yards with 66.5% completion, rushed for 760, and scored 35 complete TDs to solely eight turnovers. And that included a 294-yard, three-TD demolition of the Giants in Week 14 when coach Nick Sirianni left Hurts and the starters within the sport deep into the blowout.
Could which have had something to do with Giants coach Brian Daboll benching Hurts at halftime of Alabama’s nationwide championship win over Georgia on Jan. 8, 2018, when he was Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator, in favor of Tua Tagovailoa?
It actually had the texture of a participant placing a particular hurting on a foe.
Daboll has gone out of his option to reward Hurts’ stellar season and character. When requested this week how Jones’ dual-threat capability can put together the Giants’ protection for Hurts, Daboll wouldn’t even entertain the concept.
“Well, I think it’s hard,” he stated. “There’s only one Jalen … I’m expecting his best. And that’s what he’s given every time I’ve been around him.”
Word out of Philadelphia is that Hurts appeared like himself at apply. The Eagles’ quarterback stated he expects the Giants to focus on his shoulder, and he’s not involved.
“It’s football,” Hurts said this week. “I’ve got a bounty on me every week I go out there on the field, so I’m going to go out there and just play my game. Whatever happens, happens.”
Giants inside linebacker Jaylon Smith stated dealing with the Eagles’ offense, with Hurts’ working capability, is tough as a result of the protection has to account for an additional blocker.
“A lot of it comes down to shedding a blocker and then making a play,” Smith stated. “But it’s all about mentality and having great eyes.”
He additionally stated Hurts’ shoulder, injured or not, doesn’t make him any much less harmful within the Giants’ minds.
“He’s a dynamic player,” he stated. “So the game plan is the same. You gotta give it your all when you’re playing against top talent.”
The Giants will give it their all and hope that it’s sufficient for his or her run to proceed. They’ll want Barkley to star and Jones to play effectively.
Unless Hurts is wholesome and at his MVP degree. Then, nicely, the Giants’ encouraging season would come to an finish.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com