The rematch that almost everyone anticipated – and many Giants fans view with a mixture of fear and trepidation – will take place Sunday, when the rival Eagles arrive at Giants Stadium for an NFC Divisional playoff game.
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Get ready for a full week of “this year’s Eagles are last year’s Giants” coming out of Philadelphia. The similarities, thus far, are compelling. The Eagles completed a turbulent regular season by squeezing into the playoffs, surviving uncomfortable and, at times, harsh critiques of their head coach, Andy Reid, and quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Sound familiar?
There’s more. The Eagles went on the road for their first playoff game and did the expected (as the Giants accomplished a year ago in Tampa) by disposing of the Vikings yesterday, 26-14, at the Metrodome.
Up next is the real test of the Eagles’ mettle to see if they can keep the comparisons going. Last year in the divisional round, the Giants went into Dallas and shocked the No. 1 seed, eliminating the Cowboys to truly breathe life into their postseason run. Can the Eagles do the same to the Giants, who at 12-4 are the No. 1 seed and favored to make it to their second consecutive Super Bowl?
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“I think the Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL right now,” Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said. “They may be the sixth seed, but they sure aren’t playing like it. We know them well, which is a good thing, but they know us well, too. I’m glad this game is going to be at home because I know our fans will be into it. It’s going to be the tough NFC East battle you’d expect, and we are really looking forward to it.”
Here comes another chapter in a heated NFC East series filled with grudge matches and wild-eyed ferocity. These teams split the two games this season and nothing came easy on either day. The Giants escaped Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Nov. 9 with a thrilling 36-31 victory. Four weeks later on Dec. 7, flying high at 11-1, but playing their first game after the season-ending suspension of Plaxico Burress, the Giants were beaten 20-14 for their first home-field loss in a game that wasn’t really that close.
These teams know each pretty well, making preparation on both sides this week less strenuous, but more intense. One similarity in the two games was some inefficiency from Eli Manning, who completed a combined 52 percent of his passes, although he did have three touchdown passes and only one interception.
In the first meeting, the Giants ran the ball a season-high 45 times and amassed 219 rushing yards. It was a different story in the rematch, when the Giants gained only 88 yards on the ground. They also failed to score an offensive touchdown until only 15 seconds remained.
“The Eagles are a very good football team that has done a tremendous job of battling back during the latter part of the season,” Manning said. “Obviously, we had two very tough regular season games against them. We need a good week of practice and preparation because it’s about execution at this time of year, especially against a team we face twice a year in games that always seem to come down to the fourth quarter.”
A rejuvenated McNabb, the always-dangerous Brian Westbrook and rookie receiver DeSean Jackson give the Eagles weapons that can put a serious dent in a Giants defense that has given up too many big plays in the last four regular-season games.
Manning will have to contend with the pressure-happy Eagles defense and hope that the battering-ram approach of running backs Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward can carry the attack.