Big Blue could feast on Birds’ bang-up secondary

PHILADELPHIA — If the Giants passing attack ever is going to break out, this should be the week. It better be. There will be no excuse for Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard not to get open Sunday.

Their opponent has a secondary in worse shape than Big Blue’s maligned offensive line. The Eagles’ group of defensive backs is a M*A*S*H unit, a fractured bunch that had almost as many players on the sideline (four) as on the field (six) for practice Wednesday. The only healthy safeties were starter Malcolm Jenkins and special teams specialist Chris Maragos.

No .1 corner back, by default, Jalen Mills was a seventh-round pick a year ago. Rookie Rasul Douglas, expected to start opposite Mills, was inactive in Week 1. Trae Elston was picked up off the street on Wednesday, after getting cut by the Bills.

Starting safety Rodney McLeod, cornerback Jaylen Watkins and backup safety Corey Graham were held out of practice with hamstring injuries. Top corner Ronald Darby, who missed Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, will be out for at least anoth- er few weeks with a dislocated ankle, and the others are listed as day-to-day.

“They didn’t pick me to ease the concern of the masses, but I can assure you of one thing, that we’ll go out and compete,” Jenkins said. “That’s the biggest thing. Whoever we put there will play hard, prepare hard throughout the week, and we’ll be ready to play.”

If the game was played Wednesday, Graham said he wasn’t sure if he would be able to play.

“I don’t know, it would be tough,” he said. “Luckily, the game isn’t today.”

Their best defense against the pass might be a potent pass rush that already has produced eight sacks. And the Giants obviously are susceptible, after quarterback Eli Manning went down five times in Monday’s 24-10 loss to the Lions.

The battered Eagles sec- ondary struggled on Sunday, allowing Alex Smith to complete 21-of-28 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown. He also compiled a 113.8 quarterback rating. The Eagles got so thin on the back line, Schwartz admitted Tuesday he was preparing linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill to go into the game.

“We have faith in the g uys who wi l l be out there,” Jenkins said.