Last Updated on December 10, 2009 2:09 am by Anthony Rome
Eagles-Giants Preview
East Rutherford, NJ – The last time the Philadelphia Eagles visited Giants Stadium, they ended the New York Giants’ bid to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
The Eagles can damage the Giants’ bid to reach their fifth straight postseason Sunday night when the NFC East rivals conclude their season series.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Giants -1 point spread favorites (View NFL odds) for Sunday’s game (Game Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 66% of bets for this game have been placed on the Eagles +1 (View NFL bet percentages).
Including postseason, Philadelphia (8-4) has won three straight over New York (7-5). The Eagles won 40-17 at home Nov. 1, and prevailed at Giants Stadium twice last season including a 23-11 victory in a divisional playoff game.
"I’m not going to talk about the three games," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I think we are well aware of the first game here this year. We gave up a lot of big plays; didn’t stop the run. And, again, I think that is where it starts for us."
If the Eagles’ streak reaches four, Philadelphia will be two games up on New York with three games left and own the tiebreaker over the Giants for any playoff spot. The Eagles are tied for first in the East with Dallas.
Donovan McNabb had three first-half touchdown passes and did not finish with an interception in last month’s win over New York. Counterpart Eli Manning was picked off twice as the Giants fell behind 30-7 by halftime.
The Eagles, however, do not believe they have the secret to dominating the Giants.
"I think we have had the opportunity of having less turnovers than them and have put ourselves in position to score when the time was needed," McNabb said. "I think that not only for this particular game, but that is how you win games in this league."
McNabb threw for 238 yards and one score last Sunday in Philadelphia’s third straight win overall, 34-7 at Atlanta. He’ll have one of his favorite targets back this week in DeSean Jackson.
The second-year wideout sat out against the Falcons after suffering a concussion the previous week against Washington. He leads the Eagles with 769 receiving yards and has scored seven touchdowns – six receiving.
"DeSean will be back in there going," said Eagles coach Andy Reid, who received a three-year extension through 2013 on Wednesday. "Back in the swing."
The Eagles expect to be without running back Brian Westbrook (concussion) for the sixth time in seven games. Fullback Leonard Weaver has a total of 81 yards on 11 carries in his last two starts.
The Giants are familiar with Weaver, who ran eight times for a career-high 75 yards – including a 41-yard TD run – in the Nov. 1 matchup.
That game in Philadelphia is the last time New York running back Brandon Jacobs had at least 20 carries. The struggling Jacobs has averaged 35.0 rushing yards in his last three games.
That didn’t stop Jacobs from having a major impact last Sunday in a 31-24 win over Dallas. He scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season before finding the end zone again on a 74-yard reception that put the Giants ahead for good in the third quarter.
"I think we are back to our old selves and we got a tough Philadelphia team that is coming in here on Sunday," Jacobs said. "We are going to come out and try to do the same thing and try to have the same emotion."
Jacobs is averaging 85.2 rushing yards in his last five games against Philadelphia.
New York will also need an improved effort from Manning, who has two touchdowns and four interceptions in the three-game slide against Philadelphia. He’ll try to avoid getting picked off by Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel for the third straight meeting.
"It’s Philly, that is big enough motivation," Manning said. " We just have to know that we are going to have to go in there and play well. They are playing great football and we have to be at our best."
Giants receiver Steve Smith is second in the NFC with 979 receiving yards and needs five receptions to break Amani Toomer’s single-season club record of 82, set in 2002. That mark is the lowest such franchise record in the NFL.
New York’s sixth-ranked defense may see a lot of Michael Vick on Sunday. The quarterback in his first season back from a prison term and league suspension scored his first touchdown of the year and threw his first touchdown pass last week in his return to Atlanta.
"Every week is different with him," said Reid about how many snaps to expect from Vick. "It wasn’t because he was in Atlanta, but it worked out that way. We don’t have a set number."
The Eagles’ last season sweep of the Giants was in 2004 – also the season of their lone Super Bowl appearance under Reid.
Posted: 12/9/09 3:09PM ET