Photo Courtesy: Zimbio.com
At the halfway point of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles will already be taking on the New York Giants for the second time. This time, though, things are a bit different. Tom Coughlin's squad will be headed into the game having finally won a game, albeit against the Minnesota Vikings. The location of the matchup has changed as well. Home-field "advantage" will go to the Eagles, advantage being the key word here. As you probably have heard, Philly has not won a game at Lincoln Financial Field in their last nine chances.
The final difference in today's game can be found in the quarterback depth charts. Michael Vick will return to the starting line, but backup Nick Foles will not be available. A concussion will keep him on the sidelines for at least one game. Matt Barkley is the next option should Vick be taken out. He, along with five other topics, are the subject of this week's Sunday Six Pack.
Michael Vick – Since leaving the Week 5 game against the New York Giants with a hamstring injury, Vick has not seen a play for the Eagles. Later today, he will make his first start. In his time away, the team is 1-1, having seen two very different Nick Foles under center. Thus far in the season, it would appear that the team performs best when Vick is the starter. The added pressure of having to defend Vick's run ability is a big plus for Philadelphia. However, Chip Kelly's squad can only excel when Vick keeps his turnovers to a minimum. For that reason, if Vick can keep out of extreme trouble, the Eagles have all the ability in the world to defeat their division rival.
Eagles Defense – In last week's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles' defense looked much better than it had in the previous six contests. After a 29.83 points-per-game average allowed through Week 6, Philadelphia surrendered just 17 point, despite it being a losing effort. They also collected two interceptions and two sacks, keeping consistent pressure on Tony Romo. The secondary also stopped Dallas from recording several high-yardage plays. Another key to an Eagle victory today comes from how well the defense is able to contain guys like Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Another performance like last week's will be crucial. A depleted New York back field will also play to their advantage.
LeSean McCoy - Yes, the Eagles star running back makes a return to the Six Pack. The league's top rusher is primed for a big game against a less-than-stellar Giant's run defense. McCoy admitted that his performance against the Cowboys' was one of the worst of his career. This could be incentive for him to put up some insane numbers this afternoon. McCoy recorded just 46 yards on 20 carries vs. New York in Week 5, but did bring home a touchdown. He will almost certainly run another in this week, and is almost guaranteed to bring up his total yardage. A versatile Michael Vick paired with a quick-footed McCoy will give the Eagles a very good chance.
Giants Defensive Line – In their first win of the season against the Josh Freeman-led Minnesota Vikings, the Giants Defensive Line had their best performance of the season. Despite the numbers not showing much, Justin Tuck and former Eagle Cullen Jenkins had tons of pressure on Freeman. Out of the 53 passes he attempted, a mere twenty of them were completed. 33 were, in some way or another, distracted by the D-Line. Improved play today could lead to a contained Michael Vick, a huge step toward a successful afternoon. However, if they revert to their early season form, the score will reflect it heavily.
Victor Cruz/Hakeem Nicks – The two biggest scoring threats for the Giants, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, could be headed for some big results against this Eagles secondary. As I mentioned earlier, the Philadelphia defense was much improved in their loss to the Cowboys. But, in their earlier matchup this season, Nicks and Cruz combined for 190 yards of offense. The two passing touchdowns went to Ruben Randle instead, but that does not mean they should be discounted later today. Another high-octane performance by either (or both) player puts the Eagles in a tight bind.
Prince Amukamara – He made it into my Six Pack in Week 5, and makes it again today. While his job was to contain DeSean Jackson in that game, he did not perform very well. 132 yards and a touchdown to Jackson gave Prince a failing grade. He will get a second chance in this game, and needs to make the most of it. Restricting Jackson to under 100 yards with no scores will increase the Giants' win probability. Seeing as the team will have to put a ton of focus on holding back LeSean McCoy, Amukamara becomes even more valuable to Coughlin.
