3 Weaknesses Giants Must Expose to Upset the Eagles in 2023 NFL Playoffs
The New York Giants have the benefit of playing a familiar foe in the NFL postseason for the second week in a row.
Brian Daboll's team faces the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night in an NFC East clash in the divisional round.
The Giants saw the Eagles twice in the regular season, but a handful of their starters did not play in Week 18.
Even though the Giants were not at full strength, the Eagles were in Week 18 because they needed to lock up the top seed.
That game allowed the Giants to get a refresher course on the Eagles' strengths and weaknesses.
There are some weaknesses that the Eagles have that can be exploited in order for the Giants to keep the game close, or even pull off the upset.
Exploit Jalen Hurts' Aggressiveness
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The Giants can make Jalen Hurts' aggressiveness on offense play in their favor.
Hurts is still dealing with the shoulder injury that kept him out of two games in December.
The Eagles quarterback is healed, but he is not at 100 percent. The Giants can test that shoulder in multiple ways.
New York can take away the middle of the field in the passing game and force Hurts to work his shoulder with throws to the sideline or on deep routes. That could allow the Giants pass rush a few extra seconds to get to the quarterback and affect his throws.
Taking away the middle may also result in Hurts taking off with the ball, which would then allow the Giants to tee off on his shoulder when they go in to tackle Hurts.
The Giants can play a physical game that at least makes Hurts feel uncomfortable for stretches of the game.
Placing Hurts out of his comfort zone in any capacity will help the Giants remain close.
Force Eagles To Pass at High Rate
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The Eagles have a tendency to get away from the ground game at points of contests.
Miles Sanders only had 11 carries in Week 15, and he had 12 rushes in Week 17.
Sanders has nine games with 15 or more carries. The Eagles are 8-1 in those contests. The only loss in that trend was the Week 16 game against Dallas in which Gardner Minshew started for Hurts.
The Giants should try to limit Sanders to under 15 rushes. That would force Hurts to do more in the passing game, where he could press and make some mistakes.
New York has a better chance of winning a game in which the Eagles have a few short possessions. Prolonged drives led by Hurts and Sanders will not do the Giants any good.
Containing Sanders has to be a preferred tactic anyway since he ran for 144 yards and two scores against the Giants in the blowout loss suffered in Week 14.
Use Saquon Barkley To Open Up Eagles Front Seven
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The Eagles conceded over 150 rushing yards on four occasions in the regular season.
Philadelphia absorbed those concessions and won three of those contests. The one loss while conceding over 150 ground yards came at home against an NFC East team.
The Washington Commanders rode Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson to a victory inside Lincoln Financial Field in Week 10. Washington had 49 total rushing attempts in that contest, and they wore down the Eagles' front seven.
New York is capable of wearing down the Eagles through Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley.
Barkley could be relatively fresh since he only ran the ball nine times against the Minnesota Vikings. He had 53 yards and two touchdowns on those runs.
Jones can also be effective with his legs. That may help the Giants extend drives to keep Hurts off the field.
The Giants are not winning with a quick-strike offense. Their path to an upset lies with an effective rushing attack that can tire and open up the Eagles' front seven.
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