Eagles Offense Again Can't Do Anything Against Giants in a Lackluster First Half

The game was tied at 3-3, though the Eagles had more total yards

PHILADELPHIA – Only a 46-yard completion to DeVonta Smith and a 22-yard field goal stood between the Eagles not scoring a single point in the first half in two straight games against the New York Giants.

As it was, the Eagles and Giants went to halftime at 3-3 during their rematch game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

In their first matchup last month in New York, the Eagles trailed 3-0 at the half.

Maybe it was the short week, or maybe the New York Giants simply have the Eagles’ number this year with their Philadelphia-raised coach, Joe Judge.

Whatever it is, the Eagles have one half of football to figure out how to score against a defense that ranks 21st in the NFL at giving up points at 23.6 points per game.

The Eagles were playing with just five days between games, after hosting the Washington Football Team on Thursday night and winning 27-17.

This week, they had to deal with their head coach, Nick Sirianni, entering the league’s COVID protocols. Sirianni, though, was cleared to return to the sidelines on Saturday.

Mistakes characterized the Eagles’ opening half.

The Eagles dropped three passes, one each from Dallas Goedert, Miles Sanders, and Jalen Reagor. It led to a shaky first quarter from Jalen Hurts, who finished the first 15 minutes just 3-for-10 for 11 yards.

There were six penalties called against the Eagle for 39 yards. 

Two were crucial, with an offensive pass interference by Smith that prevented a first down in the red zone and the other a defensive hold on Javon Hargrave that would have forced a New York punt with 1:40 to go in the second quarter and a chance to perhaps take the lead with a scoring drive at the end of the half.

The PI on Smith inside the red zone led to no points after Elliott missed a 41-yard field goal. It was his first miss since Oct 14, a 46-yard that went wide right. He had made 17 in a row since but fell one make short of tying Caleb Sturgis for third-most consecutive makes in team history.

On defense, Darius Slay had an interception knocked out of his arms when he bumped into Anthony Harris. The drop allowed Graham Gano to kick a 54-yard field goal that staked NY to a 3-0 lead with 11:46 to play in the second quarter.

The game began ominously for Philadelphia when Kenny Gainwell fumbled the opening kickoff return. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside prevented further damage by recovering it. Then, Hurts threw what was ruled an interception, but overturn on replay.

Hurts had a couple passes batted at the line of scrimmage and ended the half 7-for-17 and 94 yards.

In the first meeting against New York on Nov. 28, he threw three picks and didn’t lead the offense to a point until the final quarter. He had a 17.5 passer rating that day.

Smith had three catches for 75 yards in the first half. Goedert, who had one catch for no yards in the first meeting, did not have catch.

The Eagles’ run game, which has posted more than 175 yards in seven straight games, had just 60 at halftime on 12 runs.

New York’s Jake Fromm, making his first NFL start, was 5-for-15 for 18 yards.

The Eagles outgained the Giants in the first half, 149 yards to 76, but they were just 1-for-7 on third down.