Giants vs. Eagles: What's the Game Plan for Philadelphia?

The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants will face off Monday night in a divisional battle that could have major implications for the NFC East.

New York currently sits atop the NFC East with a 3-2 record following three straight wins. The Giants choked late in games in the first two weeks but turned things around despite the early disappointment. Eli Manning and company come into the game after a thrilling 30-27 victory over the San Francisco 49ers last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Eagles come into the game following a 39-17 beatdown of the New Orleans Saints. The victory was their second of the season, and now Philadelphia has the same record as the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.

The race to win the NFC East is still wide open, but the Eagles need to beat the Giants on Monday. Philadelphia already suffered defeats to the Cowboys and Redskins this season, and they can not afford to fall to 0-3 in the division.

Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field will feel like a playoff game, as these two teams can change the script of the season. In order to come away with a victory, the Eagles need their offense to build on the progress shown in last week's game.

Offensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's offense finally put together a complete performance last week as it scored 39 points against the Saints. The Eagles looked dangerous throughout the entire game with a balanced attack.

Head coach Chip Kelly stayed committed to the run throughout the entire game, and the play calls kept New Orleans guessing through all four quarters. Last week, the Eagles used run plays to wear down the defense and to open up the passing attack.

However, this week the Eagles will need to rely on Sam Bradford's efficiency to open up the ground game. The Giants currently give up the second-fewest rushing yards per game, as opponents average only 80.6 yards on the ground. At the same time, New York gives up more than 300 yards a game through the air, which is the most in the NFL.

Philadelphia needs to take advantage of its matchups by attacking New York down the middle of the field. The Eagles feature an array of weapons that create matchup problems across the board.

Jordan Matthews is the team's best receiver and is larger than most slot receivers. Zach Ertz and Darren Sproles are also prime targets in the passing attack, as they create personnel matchups for defenses. Ertz is bigger than safeties, and both he and Sproles are faster than most linebackers. Brent Celek may not be a dynamic receiver, but the tight end has come up big in the past few weeks.

These four players combined for 158 yards on 14 catches last week against the Saints. Celek also reeled in a touchdown catch for the second straight week as he showed off his reliable hands. Their effectiveness attacking through the middle is perfectly illustrated by this catch from Ertz.

Ertz created space between the linebackers and the safeties, and then the tight end showed his ability to make a spectacular catch. Philadelphia should go back to this plan against the New York Giants, as they have a rookie starting at safety.

Landon Collins slotted right into a safety spot this season for the Giants and looks the part of an NFL safety. However, the University of Alabama product is more comfortable near the line of scrimmage than he is in coverage.

If Philadelphia can work the middle of the field consistently, Kelly can use the passing attack to keep the defense honest and create the hesitation the running backs need to be effective.

Defensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's defense is the anchor of the entire team this season, and that showed last week as it made Drew Brees look uncomfortable all afternoon. Defensive coordinator Billy Davis needs to utilize a similar strategy this week to upset Manning.

Through five games, New York has only given up four sacks. Additionally, Manning was not hit once when he dropped back to pass last week. This allowed the quarterback to be comfortable in the pocket and throw for 441 yards against San Francisco.

Philadelphia needs its edge pass-rushers to come up big this weekend to protect the secondary. The Eagles boast a talented group that can get after the quarterback in Fletcher Cox, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham.

Cox in particular is playing at a high level right now and is coming off of a dominant performance. The defensive end recorded three sacks against the Saints and also forced two fumbles. The Mississippi State product also recovered his own forced fumble as he individually changed last week's game.

The edge pass-rushers also have a favorable matchup this weekend as they go up against Ereck Flowers and Marshall Newhouse. New York's offensive line is performing well, but its offensive tackles can be exploited.

The Giants drafted Flowers in the first round of this year's NFL draft, and now he has to go up against Cox and company in only his sixth game. Cox has the ability to manipulate offensive linemen into a favorable position and then explode toward the quarterback. Flowers may be in for a long day on Monday.

The challenge for Davis and his defense will be getting to Manning before he gets the pass off. So far this season, the quarterback has helped his offensive line by making quick decisions and getting rid of the ball.

Key Player and Matchup

Philadelphia saw a lot of changes to its roster this offseason, and the offense looked like a unit trying to feel each other out for the first few weeks of the season. Last week, Bradford put everything together and utilized an unexpected weapon.

The Eagles failed to re-sign Jeremy Maclin this offseason, leaving the wide receiver responsibilities to second-year wide receivers Matthews and Josh Huff. Matthews leads the team in receiving yards this season, but Huff has failed to make any impact through the first four games.

The Oregon product saw only five snaps on offense against Washington, but then he featured heavily last week against the Saints. After an injury to Nelson Agholor, Huff played 49 percent of the snaps last Sunday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane.

The wide receiver took advantage of his opportunity and contributed four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown against the Saints. Huff showcased his ability to utilize his physical attributes by turning upfield quickly on his way to a 41-yard touchdown.

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Josh Huff touchdown! pic.twitter.com/N6Om5I3FvP

— Philly Sports (@MadeForPhilly) October 11, 2015"

"Josh...is an extremely dynamic player," Kelly said, per McLane. "I think he's got the ability to change directions, stop and start. He's really good with the football in his hands, that's why he's doing a great job of returning for us. ... But the other thing with Josh is he's extremely tough. He's one of the better blockers in this league."

Huff is dangerous with the ball in his hands, but he is still a work in progress as a true wide receiver. Kelly recruited Huff to Oregon as a standout high school running back, and it was not until he was in college that he transitioned to wide receiver.

Huff's history as a running back shows in his physical running style. He usually fights for every yard and works to stay in bounds rather than escaping over the sideline. He will continue to improve as he works on his route running, but Huff should be able to take care of a favorable matchup against the Giants.

New York's already poor secondary will be without starting cornerback Prince Amukamara due to a pectoral injury, according to the team's website. The injury means another defensive back will slide into action, and Huff, as well as the other receivers, should take advantage of the injury at cornerback and New York's rookie safety.

Prediction: Eagles 31, Giants 27

It seems like every week is a must-win for Philadelphia since it opened the regular season with two consecutive losses. However, this week is truly important as the Eagles cannot drop a third game to a divisional opponent.

Following a successful Week 5 victory, the Eagles must duplicate the blueprint that helped them win against New Orleans. Kelly stayed committed to the run the entire game, and Philadelphia moved the ball effectively through the air and on the ground last week. This week, the pass attack will open up space for the running backs to operate against New York's stingy rush defense.

On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia will look to create turnovers, like it did so well last week. The Eagles took the ball away from the Saints three times to give their offense favorable field position.

Walter Thurmond played a big role last week as he intercepted Brees to set up an easy four-yard touchdown run for DeMarco Murray. The starting safety transitioned from his original cornerback position this offseason and fully looks the part so far this year.

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Walter Thurmond III with his third pick of the year #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/sTH0ya0aew

— Philly Sports (@MadeForPhilly) October 14, 2015"

Thurmond's background as a cover corner allows him to operate as a center fielder and jump routes before the ball gets to the receiver. The former Oregon Duck is tied for second in the league with three interceptions on the season.

This Monday, Thurmond will run into a familiar face, as he played for the New York Giants last season. Look for the safety to continue his impressive start, as he will record an interception from his former practice foe.

Philadelphia will treat this weekend like a playoff game and come away with a victory over New York. After the wheels looked like they might come off, Philadelphia will earn its first divisional win and sit tied for the lead in the NFC East. Familiarity and momentum will continue to grow as Philadelphia aims to hit full stride before it is too late this year.