Giants (10-7-1) at Eagles (14-3)
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday, Fox, Fox Sports and Fox Deportes Tipico Sportsbook line: Eagles by 71⁄2
How healthy are the Eagles?
Two of the Philadelphia’s most important players, quarterback Jalen Hurts and right tackle Lane Johnson, are working their way back from injuries. Both will play. How their health impacts their play will be a deciding factor. Hurts suffered a sprained right shoulder, his throwing arm, on Dec. 18 against the Chicago Bears. He missed two games but returned for the second Giants game; the Eagles called a conservative game for Hurts to not risk further injury. “I’m feeling good,” he told reporters this week. Johnson pushed surgery required to correct a groin injury issue until the offseason. The Giants entered the playoffs at full health.
Can Giants survive in the trenches?
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has constructed one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. The primary reason for their 8-0 start and overall dominance this season is their offensive and defensive lines. Philadelphia finished the season first in sack rate and the pass rush helped them become the best overall defense against the pass. Haason Reddick finished tied for second in the league with 16 sacks and Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave and Josh Sweat all had 11. The team had seven sacks against the Giants in the first meeting of the season (Graham had three) and held Giants running back Saquon Barkley to 28 rushing yards on nine attempts. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles have one of the NFL’s most cohesive offensive lines. Anchored by veteran center Jason Kelce, Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata, the line paved the way for the league’s fifth-best rushing offense at 147.6 yards per game. New York defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence will have to stand up against the unit for the Giants to contain the run and give their own offense a chance.
Which team will benefit more from familiarity?
The Giants gave the Eagles a decent game in Week 18, a 22-16 loss with third-string quarterback Davis Webb and other backups going head-tohead against the Eagles starters. This will be the third meeting in five weeks for the teams. That’s a lot of time spent game planning for one opponent, and a challenge Eagles coach Nick Sirianni must prepare his team for following the bye week. New York knows that it will have to be close to perfect for this one.