Eagles vs. Giants Sunday Night Football: Live Reaction, News and Analysis
By on November 20, 2011
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The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants meet Sunday night in Week 11, both with very different objectives. The Eagles will try and salvage their season, without quarterback Michael Vick playing, while Eli Manning and the Giants look to win and keep pace ahead of the NFC East (NBC, 8:20 EST).
After the Eagles' Week 8 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, tonight's matchup was looking like a potential battle for first place. The Eagles now look like a team desperately trying to hang onto their season, following a training camp that was filled with tremendous hope and hype.
The Eagles will have to face their rivals without two of their most potent offensive weapons, quarterback Michael Vick, and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Vick was ruled out for tonight's game while he nurses broken ribs. Maclin is suffering from a hamstring injury.
Eagles quarterback Vince Young will make his first start since joining the Eagles this offseason. The former Heisman Trophy winner was run out of Tennessee last year, and is trying to find success in Philadelphia. If the Eagles lose to the Giants tonight, it will be their worst record at this point in the season since 1999.
The Giants are coming off of a tough Week 10 loss to the 8-1 San Francisco 49ers. Despite the loss, the Giants remain on top of the NFC East with a 6-3 record.
While leading the NFL with 30 sacks, the Giants defense will look to pressure Vince Young into making mistakes, while cornerback Corey Webster will try and shut down Eagles All-Pro wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Despite having the league's fourth-worst rushing attack, the Giants offense has been key to their winning three out of the last four games, including an upset win in Foxboro over the New England Patriots in Week 9.
Quarterback Eli Manning has had a Pro-Bowl caliber season in 2011. He ranks fifth in the NFL with a 97 quarterback rating, while throwing for 17 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
Manning has excelled when the game is on the line this season. In 2011, Manning has a QB rating of 116.5 in the fourth quarter. Following Manning's last-second heroics against the Patriots in Week 9, Manning almost brought the Giants back against the 49ers last week.
Brandon Jacobs will get his third straight start at running back for the Giants while Ahmad Bradshaw remains out with a foot injury.
Keep it here for live analysis during the Eagles-Giants game on Sunday Night Football.
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The New York Giants, after dropping to 6-4 with a loss Sunday night to the Philadelphia Eagles, find themselves with a tough road to the playoffs in the next three weeks.
The Giants have to travel to New Orleans in Week 12 to take on the Saints, who are in first place in the NFC South division. The Giants will try to slow down the high-powered passing attack of Drew Brees on Monday Night Football. The Saints, who will be coming off of their bye week, are currently the NFL's top-ranked offense.
Things won't get any easier for the Giants in Week 13. The Green Bay Packers will visit MetLife Stadium, having not played in ten days after their Thanksgiving game with the Detroit Lions.
The Packers may be 11-0 when they face the Giants. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having a career year behind center for the Packers. Rodgers has thrown for 31 touchdowns in 2011, with only four interceptions.
Eli Manning may be able to take advantage of the Packers' struggling pass defense. The Packers are currently the second-worst pass defense in the NFL. The Packers defense does, however, lead the league in interceptions.
Week 14 pits the Giants against the Dallas Cowboys, at Cowboys Stadium. Tied for first place with the Giants after Week 11, the Cowboys are playing well on both sides of the ball in 2011. The Cowboys rank in the top ten in overall offense and defense this season.
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With injured Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick nursing broken ribs, the Eagles' backup quarterback, Vince Young, will get an opportunity to showcase his talents over the next few weeks.
Through almost three quarters against the Giants Sunday night, Young put in a sub-par performance with three interceptions, and a passer rating below 50.
Before coming to the Eagles this offseason, Young had a mediocre five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, throwing for 42 touchdowns and 43 interceptions. He showed flashes of brilliance with his mobility and strong arm, but constantly displayed his immaturity and lack of leadership qualities. He also frequently drew the ire of former Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
Young had a storied college career at Texas, finishing runner-up to USC running back Reggie Bush for the 2005 Heisman Trophy. Young was a hot commodity at the NFL draft in 2006, and was picked third overall by the Titans.
With his size and running ability, Young was going to be a new prototype of NFL quarterback. Unfortunately for the Titans, his inconsistent play and his attitude hastened his exit from Tennessee.
While Young tries to shake the rust off in Week 11, perhaps a few more weeks under his belt this season will show that he is still a viable option at quarterback in the NFL.
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The Philadelphia Eagles, who lead the New York Giants 10-3 at halftime on Sunday Night Football, desperately need a victory in order to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth.
The Eagles came into the game with a record of 3-6. A win over the Giants would put the Eagles two games behind the Giants and Cowboys in the NFC East.
Quarterback Vince Young, who started Sunday night's game in place of the injured Michael Vick, labeled the Eagles a dream team during training camp when asked about the Eagles' many offseason additions.
Along with Young, the Eagles added loads of talent in the offseason. They signed free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, and Cullen Jenkins. Through a trade with the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles also acquired cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
The Eagles defense has struggled this season with all of the new additions. Losing to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10 may have been the last nail in the coffin of the Eagles' 2011 season.
With so many teams to surpass in the NFC, including their own division, the Eagles may be in the midst of a lost season. Between the erratic Vince Young, and an ineffective Michal Vick, the Eagles also have issues at the quarterback position.
In order to make the playoffs this season, the Eagles most likely have to win out, and they need to do it with their high-priced defense, and their talented running back LeSean McCoy.
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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is one of the league most electrifying players. He possesses immense talent, but his immaturity is still evident even in his fourth NFL season.
The Philadelphia Eagles boast one of the most talented wide receiving corps in the NFL. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin should keep the Eagles passing game viable for years to come.
During the Eagles Sunday night game with the Giants, DeSean Jackson caught a 50-yard reception in the second quarter. Immediately after, he flipped the ball to a Giants coach, and made a gesture right in front of an official. He was flagged for taunting, costing the Eagles a huge gain.
After the Giants' next offensive series resulted in a punt, Jackson returned it for 51 yards, leading to an Eagles touchdown which put them up 10-0.
Jackson could could fill an entire DVD with highlights at this point in his career, and he would have a healthy amount of extras when it comes to taunting penalties, poor decisions, and off-the-field issues.
Jackson was not active for the Eagles' Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He apparently missed a team meeting because his alarm clock malfunctioned.
The All-Pro wide receiver continues to be an enigma for the Eagles, helping the team with his spectacular play, and also hurting them with his selfish and sometimes foolish on-field antics.
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The New York Giants waited eleven weeks for their first round draft pick, Prince Amukamara, to step foot on an NFL field during the regular season.
Amukamara, who was drafted by the Giants with the 19th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, broke his left foot one day after signing with the Giants in August.
Amukamara had an immediate impact while seeing his first NFL action of his career, picking off a pass from Eagles quarterback Vince Young during the first quarter of Sunday night's game. Young intended his pass for DeSean Jackson, but left it short with Amukamara intercepting the pass.
The Giants were unable to capitalize, however, as Eli Manning was intercepted on the next series by Eagles linebacker Jamar Chaney.
Amukamara, who played cornerback at Nebraska, was counted on to be an effective player on the Giants defense in 2011. The Giants are currently the 17th-ranked pass defense in the NFL.
Amukamara did not have an interception during his senior year at Nebraska. During his junior year, he had five interceptions, along with 64 tackles and two sacks.
The Giants will face some potent passing attacks in the coming weeks. They'll take on New Orleans, Green Bay, and Dallas in consecutive weeks, so the emergence of Amukamara is coming at the right time for New York.
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The New York Giants go into their Week 11 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles while sitting on top of the NFC East division. The Giants have won six of nine games this season, mostly on the strength of their passing game.
The Giants, who beat the Eagles in Week 3, are trying to stay in front of the Dallas Cowboys, who won in overtime today against the Washington Redskins.
Playing without starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw for the third consecutive week, the Giants will try and run on the Eagles with Brandon Jacobs and D.J. Ware.
Going into tonight's game, the Giants are the 30th-ranked rushing offense in the NFL. They are last in the NFL with 3.3 yards per carry.
Brandon Jacobs, who has gradually descended the depth chart the last few seasons, is only averaging 3.2 yards per carry.
Despite the Giants' lack of balance, their offense has continued to be effective the last few weeks, including during their loss to the San Francisco 49ers last week. Eli Manning managed to throw for 311 yards with two touchdowns against the 49ers, one of the better defenses in the league.
With Bradshaw nursing a broken bone in his foot, it may be a while before he is an effective part of the Giants offense again. Can the Giants continue to stay in first place with a one-dimensional offense?
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When fans discuss elite quarterbacks in the NFL, the names that usually come up in conversation are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning. They put up huge passing numbers every year, and they've all won Super Bowls.
Another Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Eli Manning, looks to continue his great play Sunday night as the Giants take on the Eagles. Manning has thrown 17 touchdowns in nine games, and has only been intercepted eight times this season.
Playing under constant scrutiny in the world's largest media market, Manning has put together a solid career. In his eighth season out of Mississippi, Manning is trying to get another shot at the Lombardi Trophy, four years after beating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Manning has a chance to lead the Giants to their fifth winning season in the eight seasons since he was was drafted.
With a defense that leads the league in sacks, the Giants have an opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs this season. They will be even closer to a playoff berth with a win over the Eagles tonight.
Manning has a 97 passer rating in 2011, but his career rating is just under 82. Is Manning starting to peak at this point in his career, or is this just a blip on his career timeline?
Eli Manning still most likely has some good years ahead of him, and he could be a mainstay in discussions regarding the game's elite quarterbacks, especially if he wins another Super Bowl.
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