Philadelphia Eagles: Stat Projections for Starters, Key Reserves vs. NY Giants

Coming off a 21-point blow out at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, the Philadelphia Eagles are looking to rebound Sunday night against their division rival, the New York Giants. 

In order to do that, they'll need to address the same issues that plagued them last season — turnovers and the protection of Michael Vick. 

Thus far, the Eagles are leading the league in turnovers with 12 (four more than anyone else) and nine of those are from Michael Vick alone. They've been forced to rely on a depleted offensive line that is without its Pro Bowl Tackle Jason Peters, replacement King Dunlap, and starting Center Jason Kelce. 

Despite the early season woes, the Eagles still find themselves at 2-1 with an opportunity not only to go atop the NFC East, but to showcase their true potential on national TV against the Super Bowl champs. 

Here are the key player performance projections: 

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Michael Vick

Luckily for Michael Vick, the New York pass defense is 23rd in the league, giving up 262 yards per game and league-high 9.3 yards per attempt. The Giant's mediocre secondary presents an opportunity for the Eagles' big-play offense to open up and do what it does best — take shots down the field.  

On the other hand, the Giants boast one of the best pass rushes in the league. Even though they only have six sacks through week three (18th best), their front line should never be underestimated.

Philadelphia's offensive line is severely diminished at the moment. Against a veteran Giants defensive line, Michael Vick could be in for a long night. Heavy pressure on Vick may force him into bad decisions that result in turnovers, but if Andy Reid balances the play-calling by leaning on LeSean McCoy, he could free up the pressure on their battered QB and open up the passing game. 

Projection: 21-30, 291YDS. 2TD, 1INT, 7 CAR, 50YDS. 

Lesean McCoy

Maybe it's in Osi Umenyiora's best interest to stop tweeting LeSean McCoy before games because every time they play, Shady torches the Giants. 

In the past four meetings between these two teams, McCoy is averaging 104 yards per game. No matter what the Giants throw at him, they never really seem to have an answer.

The Giants' run defense is clearly their strong suit, ranking 10th in the league, allowing only 94 yards a game. However these numbers can be somewhat misleading, as the Giants have not faced a back of McCoy's caliber this season. 

Only in his fourth season out of Pitt, McCoy is already considered to be a premier running back in the league. If Reid and the Eagles want to win this game, they must rely on McCoy to be focal point of the offense until the Giants prove they can slow him down. 

Projection: 25 CAR, 130YDS, 1TD

Receivers and Tight Ends

Last week, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and the rest of the receiving corps weren't much help to Michael Vick. They deserve some of the blame for the 18 hits that he took. They failed to get out of jams and create separation, making it difficult for Vick to get the ball out his hands on time. 

Jeremy Maclin's (presumed) return will make all the difference in the world for the offense. Damaris Johnson had a fantastic game last week, minus the fumble, but he doesn't command the same type of coverage that Maclin does.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Giants "are heading to Philly with a banged-up secondary."

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Cornerbacks Prince Amukamara, Michael Coe and rookie Jayron Hosley have battled hamstring injuries over the past month. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has a couple of new worries this week with cornerback Corey Webster playing with a broken right hand and veteran safety Antrel Rolle battling a bruised knee.

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Knowing this, the receivers and tight ends should be poised to redeem themselves and prepared to exploit the Giants' limping secondary. 

Projections:

DeSean Jackson, 5 REC, 110YDS

Jeremy Maclin, 6 REC 90YDS

Brent Celek, 5 REC, 50YDS

Others, 5 REC, 41YDS

Secondary and Linebackers

Last year, the defense was the glaring hole of the "Dream Team," but now the roles are reversed. The defense is actually keeping this team afloat. 

On Sunday, they'll face their toughest test yet. Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and the Giants' offense are averaging 426 yards per game, the third best in the NFL. 

The secondary will have their hands full with the talented receiving corps of Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and now Ramses Barden. In the past, the Eagles' corners have had trouble covering the Giants' receivers, specifically Nnamdi Asomugha, who was embarrassed by Cruz in their 2011 week 3 matchup.

It will be interesting to see if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will play zone again or show some confidence in his guys and let them play man coverage. Man coverage would make sense as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha have the most success when they can focus on the man in front of them. 

As for the linebackers, their eyes will be set on Ahmad Bradshaw, who is returning from a neck injury, and Andre Brown, who burst onto the scene with his 113 yard performance last week. The mixture of Bradshaw's style and Brown's between-the-tackles downhill style will be challenging for Philadelphia. Linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks will have to get used to the Giants alternating running backs. By rotating Bradshaw and Brown, undoubtedly, they'll stay more fresh.

If the linebackers can plug the holes and make the game one-sided, they will make things easier for the secondary. 

Projections:

1INT, 1 Fumble

Defensive Line

The defensive line might be the biggest key to the game. Everybody knows that Eli Manning is the engine that drives the offensive train. Frustrating him early and getting him off of his spot is essential. However, the same intensity must be applied for the entire game, especially in the 4th quarter. Otherwise Manning will orchestrate another fourth quarter comeback, something he does quite well (see Super Bowl).

Defensive ends Jason Babin and Trent Cole must get around the edge to force Eli into "3rd and improbable" situations. Fletcher Cox, Cullen Jenkins, and Brandon Graham need to stuff the holes, collapse the pocket and get to Manning as well. 

If Eli is allowed to sit in the pocket comfortably, the Eagles D won't survive. 

Projections: 3-4 Sacks, 7-8 knockdowns, several hurries

Key Reserves

Brandon Boykin, CB

So far, the rookie has been impressive. He will probably be covering the Giants' slot/third receiver this weekend, which could be Cruz or Barden. Both receivers are very capable, but so is Boykin. The young rookie is poised and talented, so he should have a good game on Sunday.

Damaris Johnson, WR

In his first career start last weekend, Johnson had an exceptional game. With the return of Jeremy Maclin to the lineup this week, he won't see nearly as many passes thrown his way. The best way for him to make an impact is on special teams, in the punt return game. As always, field position will be important, so it's crucial that he makes the field as short as possible and holds onto the ball.