5 Things to Watch as the Eagles Seek Revenge vs. Giants in NFC East Rematch

The Philadelphia Eagles look to continue their winning ways on Sunday against NFC East rival New York Giants. The Birds were embarrassed by the G-Men a few weeks ago — a game that might’ve served as a wake-up call for the defending World Champs. Here are five things to watch for when the Eagles take on the Giants in Week 8.

Contain Jaxson Dart and Apply Pressure Early

Jaxson Dart has been a breath of fresh air for the Giants this season, but his gunslinger mentality is reminiscent of Carson Wentz: aggressive, improvisational, and willing to extend plays with his legs. In Week 6, Dart exploited this against the Eagles, rushing 13 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. Philadelphia’s defense will need to disrupt his rhythm on Sunday, applying consistent pressure and keeping him contained in the pocket. While the Eagles aren’t looking to injure the rookie QB, forcing him off his comfort zone, limiting his scrambling opportunities, and hitting him early and often will be key to winning this matchup.

Stop Cam Skatteboo and the Giants Run Game

Rookie running back Cam Skatteboo EMBARRASSED the Eagles a few weeks ago, racking up 19 carries for 98 yards and three touchdowns — a huge leap from his season average of around 64.5 yards per game. Part of Philadelphia’s struggles stemmed from Jalen Carter’s absence in that matchup, but the Eagles can’t afford another dominant performance from the Giants’ ground attack. To split the season series, Philadelphia will need to tighten up their run defense and prevent Skatteboo from turning small opportunities into explosive plays.

Let Jalen Hurts Cook!

The Giants’ secondary has struggled this season, as evidenced by last week’s game against the Broncos. Bo Nix torched New York through the air, throwing for 279 yards and two touchdowns in Denver’s come-from-behind win. Philadelphia’s offense should look to exploit similar weaknesses. Jalen Hurts, with his dual-threat ability, can attack both vertically and on the ground, keeping the Giants’ defense off balance. If the Eagles want to pull off a win on Sunday, Hurts needs the green light to push the pace and make plays downfield.

Making Up for the Absence of AJ Brown

News broke earlier this week that A.J. Brown will miss Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury — a major blow to the Eagles’ offense. His absence puts even more pressure on Jalen Hurts to elevate the passing attack. Fortunately, Philadelphia still has capable weapons in DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, who will likely serve as options 1A and 1B against New York. Expect offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to get creative in spreading the ball around and using motion or mismatches to keep the Giants from keying in on any single target.

Keep the Swagger Going

A major point of emphasis before last week’s win over Minnesota was the Eagles rediscovering their swagger — and it showed. Philadelphia played with emotion, energy, and a sense of purpose that had been missing in earlier weeks. The return of veteran leader Brandon Graham to the locker room, even if he’s not active on game day, adds another spark of leadership and confidence. The Giants are improved, no doubt, but they’re still not a better football team than the Eagles. If Philadelphia plays with the same edge and confidence they showed against the Vikings, they should leave Sunday’s matchup with a key NFC East victory.