The Eagles and Giants both got much needed wins last week and they clash on Sunday Night in an important game in New Jersey.  The Eagles exploded for 56 points last week while the Giants won with a goal line stand to achieve victory. 

Donovan McNabb turned back the critics last week as he exploded with a perfect game (158.3 QB Rating) and he must be licking his chops watching game film of the Giants defense which is allowing 266.3 yards passing per game and opposing QBs have a 108.9 QB Rating!  The most important thing for the Eagles is the health of running back Brian Westbrook who has 514 yards combined rushing and receiving this season with 3 TDs!  Westbrook is a total mis-match for the outside linebackers of the Giants’ defense.  WR Kevin Curtis caught 11 passes for 221 yards last week with 3 TD receptions and McNabb will likely throw to him a lot again this week against the weak cornerbacks of the Giants.  WR Reggie Brown has been really quiet this season (5 rec, 64 yards) but he could be the secret weapon in this football game for the Eagles offense.

The Giants have been pretty good on offense this season and they will pose a big test for the defense of the Eagles.  Eli Manning has been playing with a sore right shoulder this season but he has thrown for 755 yards with 6 TD passes so far.  The Eagles are allowing 256.3 yards passing per game so the Giants will likely be throwing quite a bit in this ball game.  The Eagles do blitz from all angles and they have 14 sacks already this season and Manning tends to hurry the ball out of his hand when he gets hit a few times.  The Eagles have been outstanding against the run as they are only allowing 71.7 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry.  With that in mind the Giants will likely not run the ball too much this week.  With Derrick Ward (273 yards rushing, 5.1 ypc) hurting the Giants might have to turn to Reuben Droughns as the main runner against the Eagles.

PREDICTION:  This will be a very high scoring football game but in the end I think the Eagles will be able to stop the Giants a few times and win this football game.

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The New York Giants played outstanding defense and they made big plays when they needed to on offense to win this football game.  Eli Manning was a little bit off as he completed 21 of 36 passes for 232 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 interceptions.  RB Derrick Ward was outstanding as he carried the ball 26 times for 94 yards (3.6 ypc) and he also caught 6 passes for 26 yards (4.3 avg).  Reuben Droughns only carried the ball 3 times for 3 yards (1.0 ypc) but he scored 2 TDs.  Plaxico Burress made some great moves in this football game and the result was 5 catches for 86 yards (17.2 avg) with a TD.  TE Jeremy Shockey also had a solid game with 5 catches for 79 yards (15.8 avg).  The Giants finished up with 96 yards rushing on 30 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 36 passes for 219 yards.

The defense was outstanding for the Giants as OLB Matthias Kiwanuka led the way with 8 tackles and 2 sacks.  The Giants held the Redskins to 82 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.0 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 34 passes for 178 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270923028

These are two teams going in different directions.  The Giants are 0-2 this season and they have already allowed 80 points this season because of their awful defense.  The Redskins are 2-0 and they have only allowed 25 points this season.  The Giants would like to throw the football to take the Redskins out of their running game.  Eli Manning will spread the ball around to Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey who are all off to good starts.  The Redskins have allowed 216.5 yards passing per game so the Giants strategy might just work.  The Giants won’t forget the running game as Derrick Ward (179 yards rushing) has been an able replacement for Brandon Jacobs.

The Redskins will likely try to push the Giants defense around by running the football right at them.  Clinton Portis (167 yards), LaDell Betts (73 yards) and Jason Campbell (68 yards) should all have some success against a Giants defense that is allowing 112.5 yards rushing per game.  But, the Redskins will also take some shots down the field with WRs Santana Moss (9 rec, 117 yards) and Antwaan Randle El (9 rec, 206 yards) against a secondary that is allowing 310.5 yards passing per game.

PREDICITION:  The Redskins will move the ball at will against the Giants defense but the Redskins defense will stop the Giants offense often.  Look for the Redskins to win this game by 3-7 points.

Eli Manning injured his shoulder in the first week of the season and many were projected him to miss up to a month but there he was last Sunday starting against the Packers.  It’s hard to question his toughness now, plus he threw the ball well with his bad shoulder last week!   Manning has completed 44 of 70 passes (62.9%) for 523 yards with 5 TD passes and 2 interceptions (97.5 QB Rating).  With the defense playing as poorly as they are right now they need Manning to stay healthy or they are doomed this season.

When it rains, it pours as the Giants have suffered another injury to a key player.  Rookie WR Steve Smith has fractured his shoulder blade and he will miss at least two weeks.  Smith has caught 4 passes for 26 yards (6.5 avg) as the Giants #3 WR so far this season.  Pre-season standout Anthony Mix will replace Smith as the #3 WR at least until Smith can return.  But look for Mix to try to snatch Smith’s job by playing well.  He has caught 3 passes for 39 yards so far this season.

The New York Giants just couldn’t stop the Packers offense on Sunday.  The Packers played keep away as they held onto the football for 34:26 of the game.  QB Eli Manning showed his toughness as he played with his hurt shoulder.  He completed 16 of 29 passes for 211 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception before he left the game after things got out of hand.  Jared Lorenzen relieved Manning and he completed 3 of 5 passes for 21 yards.  Anthony Wright finished up the game at QB completing 1 of 6 passes for 12 yards.  RB Derrick Ward did another good job for the Giants as he carried the ball 15 times for 90 yards (6.0 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 35 yards (8.8 avg).  Jeremy Shockey led all Giants receivers with 5 catches for 60 yards.  Amani Toomer (2 rec, 48 yards) and Plaxico Burress (2 rec, 32 yards,TD) each pitched in for the Giants.  The Giants finished up with 94 yards rushing on 16 carries (5.9 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 40 passes for 231 yards.

The Giants defense was led by the linebackers.  Antonio Pierce (12 tackles) and Kawika Mitchell (10 tackles) both had good games for the Giants.  The Packers finished up rushing for 83 yards on 29 carries (2.9 ypc) and they completed 29 of 38 passes for 285 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270916019

The Green Bay Packers got themselves a gift-wrapped 16-13 win in the season opener against the Eagles while the Giants had a very costly 45-35 loss to start the season.  The Packers will likely come right after the Giants poor defense with Brett Favre aiming for WRs Donald Driver and rookie James Jones.  Why not, seeing how the Giants allowed 345 yards passing and QB Tony Romo left the game with a 128.5 QB Rating and 4 TD passes.  The Giants also had issues stopping the run as the Cowboys rolled up 142 yards on 30 carries (4.7 ypc).  But the Packers running game didn’t provide much in the opener so don’t expect miracles out of their running backs.  Still, Coach McCarthy will get the ball to rookie RB Brandon Jackson and Vernand Morency (if healthy) to balance the offense a little bit.  Look for the Packers to score in bundles on Sunday.

The Giants are so banged up right now that they really could use their bye week right now.  Eli Manning was awesome against the Cowboys completing 28 of 41 passes for 312 yards with 4 TD passes and 1 interception but he is not likely to play because of a right shoulder injury.  It looks like the “Pillsbury Throwboy” Jared Lorenzen will get the start.  Lorenzen has a strong arm when he has the time to throw the ball but the Packers have an outstanding pair of rushing defensive ends in Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins who will likely be all over Lorenzen.  With that in mind the Giants will likely institute a much shorter passing game which means Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey must hold onto the football and take some hits.  The Giants would prefer to keep the game on the ground but that will be hard to do without Brandon Jacobs (out with injury) against a Packers defense that only allowed 3.6 yards per carry against the Eagles.  Derrick Ward (89 yards rushing) and Reuben Droughns will likely find the going tough against linebackers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk.

PREDICTION:  The Packers offense will look like it did a few years ago against a soft defense.  The Giants offense will make some crucial mistakes this week as they will lose at home to the Packers.

 

The Giants have claimed fullback Madison Hedgecock off waivers from the St. Louis Rams and they have cut fullback Robert Douglas.  Hedgecock caught 1 pass for 7 yards in the Rams opener against the Panthers.  He has now played in 33 NFL games and he has carried the ball 2 times for 2 yards (1.0 ypc) and he also has caught 17 passes for 105 yards (6.2 avg).  Hedgecock will likely move right into the starting lineup so the Giants can convert Reuben Droughns back into a tailback.  Droughns will likely share playing time with Derrick Ward starting this week.

The Giants have placed DT William Joseph on the Injured Reserve List due to a back injury which will end his season before it even starts.  Joseph played in all 16 games last season for the Giants and he made 21 tackles, defensed 2 passes, had 2 sacks and forced a fumble.  Over his NFL career, Joseph has played in 55 games and he has made 72 tackles, has 7 sacks, has defensed 7 passes and he has forced two fumbles.  Recently signed DT Russell Davis will take over Joseph’s job in the defensive line rotation.

Both Fox Sports and ESPN are reporting that Eli Manning will miss at least a month with a separated throwing shoulder.  This would be a huge blow to the Giants as he is the one player they can’t replace.  Manning completed 28 of 41 passes (68.3%) for 312 yards with 4 TD passes and 1 interception (113.1 QB Rating) in the season opener against the Cowboys.  Jared Lorenzen would appear to be the favorite to start if Manning indeed misses a substantial amount of playing time.  The “Pillsbury Throwboy” completed 1 of 3 passes for 7 yards in relief of Manning against the Cowboys.  It’s also possible that veteran Anthony Wright could move past Lorenzen and start at some point for the Giants.