Eagles Preparing for Starters, Trying to Figure a Way to Win an NFC East Rematch

Three losses this season have come in the second meetings against Washington and Dallas, but can't afford to let that happen against a Giants team that can rest key players

The Eagles handled the Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants in their first game against them.

The second time around was a different story.

Both the Cowboys and Commanders got revenge and are responsible for two of the Eagles’ three losses this season.

Now, come the Giants looking for their revenge game.

"It’s always hard to beat a team twice because you shy away from the game plan that got you where you are based on what they’ve been doing after they played you," said defensive end Brandon Graham. 

"It’s all about your effort and what you do in these second games. We have to bring the noise. We have to make sure we keep our morale up because we know we can get the job done."

The Eagles throttled New York just last month, 48-22 in a game that wasn’t that close with Philly holding a 48-14 lead late into the fourth quarter.

The Giants aren’t playing for anything on Sunday when they visit Lincoln Financial Field (4:25 p.m./CBS). They are locked into the No. 6 seed in the playoffs.

The Eagles are trying to end a two-game losing streak and earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and the bye and home games that come with it.

Losing two games in a row is not uncommon, but for this Eagles team that began 13-1 it is.

Fletcher Cox said leadership is important when adversity hits.

"As long as you got good leaders in your locker room, I don’t think any of that can get in our way," said the defensive tackle. "Right now, we have a great bunch of leaders in the locker room to not let this thing snowball, to keep everybody together, and keep pushing through it knowing that we gotta be better as a team. And individually, everybody doing their job and staying as one."

By contrast, the Giants don't need to play their starters for all four quarters or any quarters at all.

Head coach Brian Daboll won’t reveal exactly what he is planning.

“We’ll go through the whole week,” he told New York reporters on Wednesday. “We’ll talk about that Friday evening probably.”

Daboll was a 32-year-old quarterbacks coach in 2007 when the Giants, locked into the fifth seed, played its starters in a meaningless regular-season game. The momentum gained in that game, which was a 38-35 loss to the Patriots, may have been the impetus that got them through the NFC playoffs to earn a rematch with New England, which was unbeaten.

The Giants beat them to win the Super Bowl.

Daboll was asked if that sort of history is something he would factor into his decision.

“We’re going to do what we think is best for our team,” he said. “What happened in ’07 or five years (ago) – we’re going to do what we think is right for our team.”

No matter who played, the Eagles must find a way to win round two and earn the No. 1 seed in the postseason.

The Eagles are preparing to play New York’s starters.

“We're all preparing for the starters, no question about it, and then adjust off that,” said Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen on Thursday. “It's an NFL football game, and no matter who they put out there, we have to go operate. 

"I've been a part of games where you go in and some teams don't play their guys, and some teams will walk in and are like, oh, we're going to beat them because they're not playing their starters. Then next thing you know you lose. I’ve seen it happen before.

“Our mindset has got to be the same no matter who is on that field playing for them. We're preparing for their starters, and we have to be locked in ready to go. Everything we do, we have to do we a sense of urgency and a sense of purpose this week.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.