10 things to watch in Giants vs. Eagles

The Giants’ defense is coming off perhaps its most impressive performance of the season. The Bengals entered Sunday Night Football with at least 33 points and 23 first downs in each of their previous three games, along with an average of 417 total yards of offense during that stretch. Cincinnati also ranked as a top 5 unit in both third down and red zone offense. Well, the Giants held the Bengals to just 17 points, 304 total yards of offense, and 13 first downs, all of which were their lowest totals since their Week 1 loss to the Patriots. The defense also held them to four conversions on 11 third down attempts, and kept them out of the end zone in their lone trip inside the 20-yard line.

While last week’s game was a strong showing by the defense, the unit has performed at a high level all season. Heading into Week 7, the Giants rank ninth in points and 10^th in yards allowed on the season. The defense has not surrendered more than 21 points in any game this year, despite matchups against some of the league’s most potent offenses. The unit also ranks 11^th in both third and fourth down defense, while their 41.7 percent red zone defense ranks as the seventh-best in the NFL.

A big reason for the defense’s success has been the pass rush. The Giants have registered 26 sacks through the first six games, four more than any other team. Leading the way is defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who is off to the best start of his NFL career. Lawrence has already picked up seven sacks this year, which has him tied for the second-most and just a half-sack shy of the league-lead. With 11 games to go, the 26-year-old needs one full sack to top his previous career-high of 7.5 sacks set in 2022. Lawrence did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday before returning on Friday.

The Thomas news marks the second consecutive week in which the Giants lost a key starter after outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux was placed on injured reserve last week after undergoing wrist surgery. The Giants can only hope that the replacement along the O-line sees similar results as we saw on the edge last week. Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari stepped in opposite Brian Burns, and the fourth-year edge rusher put together one of the best games of his young NFL career. Ojulari had two sacks and six total pressures on 26 pass rushes against the Bengals, which resulted in his highest pressure rate generated in a game since the 2021 season finale.

“He did a good job,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Thursday about Ojulari. “That’s the expectation. These guys, they get their opportunities and make the most of them. Be ready to go day in, day out. Never know when that opportunity is going to arise. I thought he showed up. He made plays for us. He was active. He was winning. He was getting off the ball. I felt his speed out there attacking the line of scrimmage. Really pleased with him and being ready to go and showing up when we needed him.”

Sunday’s matchup against the Bengals was the first game in which Ojulari played more than 44 percent of the team’s defensive snaps this year. Despite his limited action, Ojulari is tied for the second-most sacks on the team with three, while his four quarterback hits are tied for fourth. His 13 pressures on 92 pass rushes has led to a 14.1 percent pressure rate, the highest by any Giants pass rusher this season with at least 50 pass rushes.

The Eagles’ 14 sacks allowed are tied with the Giants for the 14^th-fewest in the league, although the Giants have played one more game. But Philadelphia’s O-line has taken a big hit, as coach Nick Sirianni told reporters earlier this week that starting left tackle Jordan Mailata will miss some time due to a hamstring injury. Fred Johnson filled in at left tackle once Mailata left last week’s game and allowed two pressures on just five pass blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. In two and a half games this season, Johnson has allowed two sacks and a total of 18 pressures.

When it comes to the Giants’ defense, the pass rush has garnered most of the attention, and rightfully so. The unit’s 26 sacks are four more than any other team and represents the franchise’s second-highest total ever through six games. But an underrated part of the defense’s success has been the performance of their two inside linebackers – Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden.

McFadden ranks second on the team in total tackles with 36, while Okereke is right behind him with 35. Both players have forced a fumble and also recovered a fumble, while also being factors in the pass rush. They each have 1.5 sacks on the season, while McFadden has four quarterback hits and Okereke has two. Additionally, the linebackers have helped improve a Giants’ run defense that struggled mightily over the last few seasons. The Giants enter Week 7 ranking 15^th in the league with 116.3 rushing yards allowed per game, while their three rushing touchdowns are tied for the fifth-fewest. The numbers would look even better had it not been for the Commanders’ 215-yard rushing performance back in Week 2, as no other opponent has run for more than 121 yards against the Giants this season.

The Giants are going to need the two linebackers to bring their A game this Sunday going up against the Eagles’ talented rushing attack. Former Giant Saquon Barkley has led the way for the Eagles with 91 rush attempts for 482 yards and four touchdowns, but quarterback Jalen Hurts is also a threat with his legs. Hurts has 196 yards and two touchdowns on the ground this season, while his 56 rush attempts are the third-most among quarterbacks, trailing only Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels. The combination of Hurts and Barkley has helped the Eagles rushing attack rank sixth in the league with 146.2 yards per game. Barkley’s 96.4 rushing yards per game is currently the third-highest in the NFL, while his 482 rushing yards rank fourth. He is averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns on the ground, while adding 14 receptions for 92 yards and one additional score.

PFF ranks McFadden as one of the top linebackers against the run so far this season, and both he and Okereke will have to step up this Sunday to try to contain the Eagles’ run game.

“Explosive,” Bowen said about Barkley. “You give him space, he finds it. He’s made teams pay already this season on that. Got the ability to make the home run, hit the home run every time he has the ball in his hands. So, we’ve got to be disciplined. We’ve got to do a good job. We’ve got to get hats to the party. It’s going to be tough bringing him down with one guy. Big challenge for us.”

It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Eagles, who have alternated between wins and losses since their season-opening victory over the Packers in Brazil. After scoring 34 points in that Week 1 win, Philadelphia has failed to top 21 points in each of their last four games (they also had a Week 5 bye). The Eagles’ offense enters this matchup ranking 18^th in points scored but 10^th in yards gained.

Jalen Hurts has completed 67.5 percent of his passes on the season for 1,194 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions for a 92.2 passer rating, and has also fumbled the ball five times through five games. Since the start of the 2023 campaign, Hurts leads the NFL with 27 total turnovers (19 interceptions, eight fumbles).

After both players missed time earlier in the year, wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both returned for the team’s Week 6 victory over Cleveland. Brown led the team with six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Smith caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Dallas Goedert left the game early due to a hamstring injury and has been ruled out for Week 7. In last week’s game, Grant Calcaterra filled in for Goedert and caught four passes for 67 yards. Elsewhere on the offense, the Eagles will be without starting left tackle Jordan Mailata after he also injured his hamstring in last week’s win. Coach Nick Sirianni told reporters Monday that they expect the left tackle “to be out a couple of weeks.”

Moving over to the defense, the Eagles currently rank 14^th in points and 20^th in yards allowed. Similar to the Giants, the unit has performed well in the red zone, allowing a touchdown on just seven of 17 trips inside their 20-yard line. This 41.2 percent red zone defense ranks sixth in the NFL. Philadelphia’s 11 sacks are currently tied for the 24^th-most, while their two turnovers forced match the Las Vegas Raiders for the fewest in the league.

Both of the Eagles’ turnovers have come in the form of Reed Blankenship interceptions. Meanwhile, linebacker Zack Baun and outside linebacker Josh Sweat are tied for the team-lead with two sacks apiece. Baun also has registered a team-high 51 total tackles, while rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell leads the team with six passes defensed. Fellow rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean started his first game for the Eagles this past Sunday and notched six total tackles (three solo) and a quarterback hit. Philadelphia also boasts a talented group of defensive tackles in Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Milton Williams, who have combined for eight tackles for loss on the year.