Eagles-Giants: Rookie Matchup, Players To Watch, Final Score Prediction

Here's a preview of the Eagles vs. Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 7.

Philadelphia Eagles practice / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – This feels like a must-win for both the Eagles and Giants.

Philly found a way to beat the Browns, but Nick Sirianni’s odd behavior will be something to watch, as will how his team plays after watching their coach's meltdown last week.

As for the Giants, they are slip-sliding their way to downhill at 2-4 and certainly do not want to fall to 2-5 this early in the season.

Here are some players to watch, bold predictions, and a final score prediction:

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Quinyon Mitchell. Add Giants receiver Malik Nabers to the Mitchell watch-list because these two rookies have been two of the best in a class that has several doing well.

“Good receiver, strong, fast, he gets out of his breaks well, “said Mitchell. “He’s a good 50-50 guy, so you gotta be on your technique. You gotta be technique sound and finish plays.”

Nabers has missed two games but still has 35 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Isaiah Rodgers. Darius Slay is questionable to play with a knee injury. If he doesn’t, Rodgers is probably the next man up to make his first start since the 2022 season. Even if Slay plays, he may require some in-game relief.

Jalen Hurts. The quarterback snapped his streak of nine straight games with a turnover in last week’s win over the Browns. Can he build on that in a venue where he has thrown seven interceptions in four starts? Can he find a way to lead the Eagles to some points in the first quarter? He started 0-for-5 last week, and that didn’t help end the first-quarter scoring drought.

Saquon Barkley. Duh. The week has been filled with stories about the running back’s return to New York. Will he be booed? More importantly, will he be able to have more of an impact than he did in last week’s win when he ran 18 times but for just 2.6 yards per carry average?

Grant Calcaterra. The right end may have sneaked up on the Browns last week after Dallas Goedert went out with a hamstring injury that will sideline him on Sunday. The Giants should know better this week that the third-year player can inflict harm in the passing game if ignored.

Cam Jurgens. The center will need to be aware of where Dexter Lawrence and make the right line calls to keep him from wrecking the game. The center will have his share of responsibility trying to block the defensive tackle who enters with seven sacks.

Fred Johnson. The presumptive left tackle with Jordan Mailata out, he will probably get a steady diet of Brian Burns pass rushes.

BOLD PREDICTIONS

-Nolan Smith played perhaps the best game of his career last week. He will build on that and record a sack for the second straight week.

-The Giants will be without left tackle Andrew Thomas, so whoever lines up on that side – Josh Sweat or Bryce Huff – will have a sack.

-The Eagles defense has just two forced turnovers all season, so it stands to reason they will get at least one, especially against a quarterback in New York’s Daniel Jones who makes a bad habit of giving them up. Right? Compare the Eagles’ paltry total of forced to the Green Bay Packers 17, and, well, that’s quite embarrassing.

PREDICTION

MetLife Stadium is a house of horrors for Jalen Hurts who has a 1-3 record (counting one game against the Jets) with seven interceptions. This is a trend I do not like.

GIANTS 21, EAGLES 20

Season record: 2-3

More NFL: Eagles IR Jordan Mailata, Will Be Without Another Key Player Vs. Giants