Birds awed by Big Blue ‘D’
PHILADELPHIA — The last time the Eagles went up against the Giants’ defense, they rang up 443 total yards, 21 first downs, held the ball for nearly 33 minutes and their rookie quarterback, Carson Wentz, threw for 364 yards, but also two interceptions.
Seven weeks later, the Giants are on a roll on defense. They have allowed one touchdown in the past 26 possessions for the opposing offense. Doug Pederson, the Eagles’ first-year head coach, has noticed.
“They’re definitely playing a lot more aggressive, playing a lot more on the opponent’s side of the ball defensively,’’ Pederson said. “They’re creating turnovers, and that’s the thing that this team kind of prides themselves on. Again, they’re jelling at the right time and Steve Spagnuolo’s got those guys playing fast and again, you want to be playing your best football late in the season, and obviously the Giants are doing that.’’
CB Janoris Jenkins (back) and LB Jonathan Casillas (knee) are questionable for the Giants. Safety Nat Berhe (concussion) is out.
Last Sunday, Jenkins took an inadvertent knee to the back from teammate Trevin Wade. This week, he was able to practice on a limited basis, despite extreme soreness. Jenkins will be a game- time decision.
Giants players wore the “Benny With the Good Hair” T-shirts on Wednesday’s bus ride to Philly, the same shirt Ben McAdoo wore last week in team meetings in response to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie mocking his haircut on WFAN.
The Giants will wear their Color Rush uniforms. The uniforms feature white jerseys, white pants and a blue helmet with “GIANTS’’ emblazoned across the front, mirroring the helmets the team wore from 1976 to 1999.
For the first time since Week 5, the Eagles will play with their full starting offensive line, with RT Lane Johnson back from a 10game suspension and LG Allen Barbre returning from a hamstring injury.
Punter Brad Wing became the first player in Giants history to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in back-toback weeks. The award was instituted in 1984. He won it for his performance against the Cowboys and he won it this week against the Lions. In the second half, three punts by Wing forced the Lions to begin possessions on the 3-, 4and 19-yard lines.