Giants vs. Eagles: 5 Predictions for the NFC East Matchup

The New York Giants lost both matchups to the Philadelphia Eagles last season, and have the indelible image of a streaking DeSean Jackson returning a punt for a game-winning touchdown etched into their minds.

The Giants haven't played particularly well so far this season. They have been average in both the passing and rushing game on offense and their secondary has struggled with injuries all year.

However, the Eagles have not played up to their expected potential and Michael Vick's injury in Week 2 didn't help. Vick will be ready for this weekend's matchup, but it's becoming more and more clear that the Eagles have simply outclassed their opponents to get ahead in games.

The team struggled early against the St. Louis Rams and made a profuse amount of mistakes against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.

With that said, there are a lot of things up for debate when these two teams face off this weekend. Here are the five I think are sure to happen. 

The Giants Passing Game Will Be Shut Down

The Giants rank 22nd in the passing game, while the Eagles rank fifth in pass defense with their revamped secondary. 

Hakeem Nicks isn't on the Giants Week 3 injury report after struggling with a hyper-extended knee injury that limited him in Week 2. Even with Nicks healthy, he will be facing a combination of Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel that has been giving teams fits.

Let's not forget about the Eagles' sack-happy defense that has managed to pick up nine sacks this season. Eli Manning isn't far from being mobile, so expect to see him hand the ball off a lot.

Eagles Offense Won't Have the Ball Much

There's another reason why the Giants will be serving up heavy doses of ground-and-pound offense. The Eagles are terrible at run defense; they are ranked 30th in the league.

Through two games this season, the Eagles have given up an average of 146 yards per game on the ground and are allowing an average of 5.3 yards per carry.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs have done a solid job of complimenting one another when given the opportunity. They struggled a bit in Week 1 after falling behind for much of the game, but they were the impetus of the offense in their second game.

Big Plays Will Rule the Day

The Eagles offense may not need to control the ball much this week, because of their quick scoring ability.  

The Giants have given up 300-plus yards in both of their first two games and allowed 10 pass plays of 17 or more yards in last week's win over the Rams.

Michael Vick's ability to break free from the pocket will give him all the additional time he needs to beat the Giants weakened pass defense.

If DeSean Jackson is back to 100 percent after being forced from action in Week 2, the Eagles offense will be full-go for the high flying offense that makes this team nearly impossible to stop.

Even if he can't go, Jeremy Maclin proved capable of stepping up by making 13 grabs for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Jason Avant and the ever-improving Steve Smith have also complimented the passing game as well.  

Eagles Fans Will Worry for Vick's Safety

The Giants have done an upstanding job of putting pressure on the quarterback, picking up six sacks to this point.

The Eagles offensive line has given up three sacks and 17 quarterback hits this season, which amounts to 24 sacks and 136 quarterback hits for a full season. In addition to the Giants' six sacks, they have 16 quarterback hits through two games.

This game could end up being a recipe for disaster for Michael Vick. Philadelphia's offensive line has got to give more space and time in this game, before Vick ends up suffering another injury.

When Vick left the field in Week 2, with a concussion, so did the Eagles' momentum. He needs to be kept upright to make sure Philadelphia gets back on track.

The Eagles Will Win Big

The Giants have too many problems to fix to pull off this upset. The Philadelphia Eagles are capable of making an embarrassment of mistakes and still walking away with a victory—barring key injury.

With the New York Giants' injuries galore and their poor offensive play so far, the Eagles' strengths will be highlighted throughout the game. 

I expect Philadelphia to jump out to a lead early, forcing the Giants to move away from their ground game and throw into the jaws of the Eagles' upgraded secondary.

This will likely be a 30 to 40-plus point game for the Eagles and there's just now way the Giants can keep up.