Eagles soar over Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — All the Philadelphia Eagles needed to get over their Super Bowl hangover was a little more urgency, some big plays — and a timely game against the New York Giants.
Carson Wentz threw a season-high three touchdown passes and the Eagles got an early lift from their defence and special teams in beating the struggling Giants 34-13 on Thursday night, avoiding their first three-game losing streak since the 2016 season.
Wentz sandwiched touchdowns passes of 13 and one yards to Alshon Jeffery around a 10-yarder to tight end Zach Ertz to help the Eagles (3-3) build a 31-6 lead. They beat the Giants (1-5) for the fourth straight time and seventh in eight games.
Corey Clement scored on a one-yard run and Jake Elliott added field goals of 33 and 30 yards for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Rookie halfback Saquon Barkley scored on a 50-yard run and rushed for 130 yards in one of the few bright spots for the Giants’ offence, which was booed repeatedly in losing at home for the third time. Aldrick Rosas had field goals of 33 and 21 yards.
This was seen as a must-win game for both teams in the weak and wide-open NFC East, and the Eagles went out and grabbed it.
They came into the game having scored seven points in the first quarter and they doubled that against New York.
Eli Manning was under pressure all game and finished 24-of-43 for 281 yards.
On Philadelphia’s opening series, Wentz (26-of-36 for 278 yards and no interceptions) was forced out of the pocket and found Jeffery for his first TD after getting all day to throw, and the Eagles never trailed.