PHILADELPHIA — If only the Giants could make it so that this was not a separate entity but more so the fifth quarter of a game they started 17 days ago, only in a different venue.
If that were the case, the Giants would be leading 34-17, infused with confidence, with the Eagles still trying to figure out what the heck happened to their running game and their usual physical supremacy over the Giants along the line of scrimmage.
That is not the case.
These teams met Oct. 9 at MetLife Stadium, the Giants exorcized a great many demons with a rousing victory, then the season moved on to reality for both sides.
The Giants and Eagles experienced diametrically different results the week after facing each other and now come together again, this time at Lincoln Financial Field, for a rare rematch so quickly after the first encounter.
“Outside looking in it’s, ‘Oh we just played them and all this,’ and it feels like that as a player,” tight end Daniel Bellinger told The Post. “But ultimately you really just got to wash it and think that this is a new week. Whether it’s the same team we played or not, we got to treat this like a new week, new game plan and refocus that we’re getting ready to play a new team, not the one we just played.”
The Giants hoped beating the rival Eagles — and doing it so convincingly — would be the springboard to all sorts of good things to follow. Then they went out and dominated the rugged Broncos, on the road in Denver, surging into the fourth quarter ahead 19-0 and leading 26-8 with 10:14 remaining. It all came crashing down after that in a 33-32 loss that included a late-game foible and exploits from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, and a complete fourth quarter meltdown from a Shane Bowen defense that was supposed to be above such folly.
The Eagles after that “Thursday Night Football” setback heard how they are not close to the team that in 2024 surged to a Super Bowl triumph. Their offense awakened in Minneapolis, and Jalen Hurts tossed a perfect game (passer rating of 158.3) in a 28-22 victory over the Vikings that for now soothed the psyches of those predicting downfall in Philly.
Can the Giants do it again?
They have not swept the Eagles in a two-game season series since 2007, back when Dart was a 4-year-old tyke running around in Utah. The Giants have not won on the road in this one-sided rivalry since Oct. 29, 2013. Since then, it has been 12 trips and 12 losses.
The Giants, though, are proud owners of a one-game winning streak over the Eagles.
“That is one I would not buy into, just because it went well the first game that it’s going to be the exact same the next game,” right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor told The Post.
Since he was installed as the starter three games into the season, Dart has done his best to separate the vibe and expectations of this Giants squad from the losing outfits of the past.
He played a tremendous game against the Eagles the first time around, running 20 yards for a touchdown, passing 35 yards to Wan’Dale Robinson for a touchdown and directing an attack that featured three rushing touchdowns from rookie Cam Skattebo.
“One lesson is learned and the teams that need quarterbacks that bypass them, they’re going to regret that,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of Dart. “Obviously very athletic, an elite scrambler. I think their coaches have done a great job with him. They’ve developed the offense around him. Throws the ball very well, intermediate and deep, and he’s a good player.”
This is a first for Dart — facing an NFL team a second time.
“I mean, especially this quick of a turnaround, I don’t think I’ve ever done that before,” Dart said. “Each team is going to make a lot of adjustments on what we saw two weeks ago and it’s just going to be a game of chess, and we’re going to have to figure out what they’re doing early, they’re going to have to figure out what we’re doing early.”
The Eagles know much more about Dart now than they did then.
“Well, I hope throughout my career that’s never the case where teams have a book on me,” said Dart, who will have Darius Slayton to throw to in this game. “I try to find tendencies in my game and make adjustments that need to be made but at the same time playmakers just find ways to make plays, and I think that’s kind of been my mindset.”
Credit: Source link
