Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Testing, 1-2-3
Rusty Birds have to be smooth to keep streak intact against Giants
It’s been a week of hell for the Eagles, who have been forced to get ready for the New York Giants under the league’s intensive COVID-19 protocol, which isn’t as easy as checking the boxes on a questionnaire and getting a temperature check.
Since an assistant coach tested positive for the virus, the Eagles (3-4-1) have been trying to get on the same page for the most important game of their season, spending most of their days meeting
virtually.
The Giants (2-7), who have lost eight straight games in the series that resumes Sunday at MetLife Stadium (1 p.m., Fox-TV, WIP 94.1FM), don’t have those restrictions.
“We had to space out,” Eagles defensive back Jalen Mills said of the team’s practices. “We couldn’t huddle up like we usually do. We had a monitor on the side. We had to wear the Oakley faceguard, which is really hard to breathe out of playing football. But that’s also another protocol. So, it was definitely a little different.”
Instead of arriving at 7 a.m. as Mills and his teammates usually
do, they’ve been home awaiting the start of virtual meetings at 8 a.m.
“We’re literally in meetings until about 10:30,” Mills said. “We have about an hour, an hour and 15 or 20 minutes to get up to the facility, test, and now we can’t just sit in the locker room. Fifteen minutes we have to be in and out. There’s a lot of different protocols.
“I think the most difficult thing is the time management now because us football players, we want to sit in the locker room, chill, talk before meetings or practice or whatever it may be.”
Mills wasn’t making excuses,
just answering questions. The season has been a challenge for the Eagles and the rest of the NFL.
“Coach Pederson said that at some point of the season we have to be able to adapt to change,” defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “And it’s happening right now. I know this team right here. We all do a good job in it, of protecting ourselves, and we’ll be ready to go.”
Speaking of adaptation, that’s one of the qualities that helped the Eagles defeat the Giants, 2221, a few weeks ago.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was running the read option efficiently enough, then he escaped for an 80-yard run. The Giants were disciplined. It all collapsed in the fourth quarter.
“Quite frankly, they had us beat,” Pederson said. “It was 21-10 with under five minutes to go. This a good football team and we’ve got to learn from that game. We’ve got to go back and study it and not just from Xs and Os but just our execution as an offense and defense. There were trick plays on special teams and there were all kind of things in the game that came up that we can learn from and study and be prepared. They have had a couple of games since but listen, this is a much-improved football team from the first time.”
The Giants’ offensive line is playing better thanks to a rotation at offensive tackle. They could do the same sort of operation at guard Sunday.
The defensive line pressured Alex Smith into three interceptions in a win over Washington last week.
Jones is coming off just the second game of his career without committing a turnover.
“Just like with any quarterback you don’t want to give him too many opportunities,” defensive end Brandon Graham said. “He took advantage of some opportunities that we gave him.”
Though the Eagles are rested from the bye week and are welcoming back offensive tackle Lane Johnson and running back Miles Sanders, they weren’t functioning efficiently before their vacation. There’s no reason to believe they’ll be able to f lip the switch without the lights f lickering Sunday.
The Giants haven’t been playing nearly as bad as their record would indicate. They had Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the ropes yet couldn’t finish in a 25-23 defeat.
The Eagles – at least in the NFC East – have been finishers. They’ve had to be as Carson Wentz leads the league with 16 giveaways, including a dozen interceptions. The Eagles have allowed a league-high 32 sacks. Wentz says he can work on those deficiencies, starting with the turnovers.
“Some of them are just happening but other times it’s just throw it away,” Wentz said. “Just live to fight another down. Some of the interceptions are just being really aggressive and trying to force a play that maybe isn’t there.”
Intensive COVID-19 protocols during the work week haven’t helped the Eagles operate more efficiently. Getting together as a team Sunday will feel like heaven.
“I was in the locker room and I was getting ready to lift weights,” Mills said. “And (Darius) Slay walked in and he was like ‘Hey man, we’ve only got five more minutes before we have to leave.’ It’s tedious. But we’ve got to follow it.
“I think the biggest thing with this game is going to be who wants it more. That’s the biggest thing in my mind.”
Said Graham, who ranks among the league leaders with seven sacks, “It’s all about throwing that first punch.
“Just being consistent and executing,” Graham said.
••• The Eagles activated cornerback Michael Jacquet and tight end Caleb Wilson from the practice squad for the Giants.
The Birds used their COVID-19 replacement activation (Marcus Epps) on defensive tackle T.Y. McGill.