Eagles vs. Giants: 10 Keys To Battle for NFC East Supremacy

The New York Giants' game in Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles may very well be the most important game of the season.

Although the G-Men have played above many people's expectations through the first 10 weeks of the season, their season can crash and burn very quickly if they let it.

With their tough schedule for the rest of the season, that can be a possibility.

For that reason it is absolutely necessary to get this win at home against the Eagles, who at (3-6) are basically down and out in the playoff hunt.

As five-point favorites in this game, the Giants cannot have another letdown because the Dallas Cowboys are getting hot and are in New York's rear-view mirror.

These are the areas of focus if the G-Men want to keep their lead in the NFC East.

Big Game for the Offensive Line

As it is for every team, the offensive success is determined by the play of the offensive line.

The Giants will need the O-line to play well and prevent the Eagles from getting pressure on Eli Manning. That will not be an easy job with DE Jason Babin, DT Cullen Jenkins and LB Trent Cole all rushing the quarterback.

The more time Eli Manning has, the more opportunities he will have to burn the Eagles secondary.

Establish Running Game

It seems as if this is a broken record for Giants fans.

Every week they are told that they will try to establish a running game, but almost every game has provided inconsistency and a poor running game. With starting RB Ahmad Bradshaw still injured, this will be tough once again against the Eagles.

The lack of a running game will make it difficult for Eli Manning and the passing game to get in a rhythm against the Eagles secondary.

Many Giants fans are looking for a change at RB because of Brandon Jacobs' struggles. There has been mention of trying to put rookie Da'Rel Scott in place of Jacobs, but that has yet to happen at this point in the season.

Whoever is in the backfield on Sunday, the bottom line is that they need to produce. Period.

Stop the Eagles Running Game

While the Giants running game has been virtually nonexistent the Eagles' top-ranked running game has been dominant all year.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy has been one of the bright spots in an otherwise-disappointing season for Philly.

Stopping McCoy is one of the top priorities for the Giants on defense. Solidifying their run defense will make it a lot tougher for whoever ends up starting at quarterback for the Eagles in Week 11.

Although the Giants won their first meeting earlier in the year against Philly, McCoy ran for 124 yards and a TD on 24 carries.

If the G-Men hold McCoy under 100 yards rushing they will have a greater chance to win.

Get Pressure on the Quarterback

This is one of the Giants' game plans going into every game, but this is especially true going into such an important matchup.

With the G-Men uncertain on who will be starting for Philly, the game plan for the front four of the Giants remains the same—get to the quarterback.

Although it is uncertain whether Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will play, the Giants will need to prepare themselves for Philly's backups. Vince Young, who is a scrambler, and Mike Kafka, who is more of a pocket-passer, are the other possibilities at quarterback.

Whatever the Eagles throw at the Giants, New York will have to put pressure on him and get him to the ground.

Solid Play from the Wide Receiving Corps

Considering the losses that the Giants had in the offseason with the departures of Kevin Boss and Steve Smith, the wide receiving corps has played pretty well this year.

This will need to continue once again against the Eagles. This is especially true if the running game struggles once again.

With Philly CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ruled out, the Giants will need to take advantage.

Solid Play from the Secondary

Injuries to the Philly's star quarterback and their leading receiver might keep them out of the game. This does not mean that the Giants will have an easy time stopping the Eagles passing game.

After being suspended for a game for being late to a team meeting, DeSean Jackson will be back on the field. We all know what happened last time Jackson was at MetLife Stadium. Presumed backup quarterback Vince Young should not be taken lightly either.

With the expected career debut of CB Prince Amukamara, the Giants should be substantially stronger in the secondary.

No Turnovers!

Giants fans are hoping that they don't see any of Eli's patented disappointed pose in Week 11.

Although G-Men fans love the improvements Manning has made this year, everyone hates the face and pose he makes after throwing an interception.

If Manning can continue his year of efficient play then the Giants have a great chance of winning and fans won't be cursing at their TV.

Get on the Board First

The Giants have had a problem with getting on the board first in some of the games.

If New York wants to send a message early in the game, they need to avoid a sluggish start.

Scoring first helps build momentum, and a struggling team like the Eagles need all the momentum they can get.

Play Hard Throughout the Game

When the Giants have gotten on the board first this season there has been many times where they have let up in the second and third quarter and found themselves down heading into the fourth.

If the Giants do score first, they need to maintain that momentum throughout the game. If they don't keep their foot on the gas for the duration of the game, they might find themselves in a tight game late in the fourth quarter.

Avoid the Need for a Game-Winning Drive

As entertaining as those fourth-quarter comebacks are for Giants fans, their Week 10 defeat against the 49ers demonstrated the dangers that exist at that stage in the game.

Depending on Eli Manning to orchestrate a game-winning or game-tying drive in the final minutes of their game against the Eagles may end disastrously for the team.

For the sake of Giants fans and their blood pressure, they wouldn't mind a comfortable and safe 10-point win against a division foe.