NFL Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants Free Pick

Somewhat of a quirk in the schedule had the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants meeting twice in the final three weeks of the season, So, after the now 11-5 Eagles won, 33-25, at home Christmas Day, Philly is going north on the Jersey Turnpike to wrap the regular season against the 5–11 Giants.

All’s not well in Birdland, Philadelphia losing four of its last five (only the aforementioned win over New York preventing the 0-fer). Philly suffered a beyond-brutal 35-31 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, and the rank and file wasn’t happy.

It’s been another long season in East Rutherford, with the Giants unable to build on their surprising playoff berth of a season ago. Quarterback-challenged New York has lost its last three, the latest a 26-25 home defeat to the Los Angeles Rams New Year’s Eve.

Philadelphia is a five-point favorite (total at 42), according to NFL odds.

Moneyline is Eagles -240, Giants at +200.

Philly is leading the all-time series (including postseason), 93-87-2 

Iggles Not Defending

While stopping the other guys was once a given with the Eagles, Philadelphia is entering the final game of the regular season ranked 29th in points (25.1) and 23rd in yardage (352.4) surrendered/game.  

Philly is catching a break in that the Giants (14.9 points/game) are third-worst in scoring. 

Quarterback Jalen Hurts (3,803 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 14 interceptions) adds 15 rushing touchdowns to the equation, but has been sacked 34 times.

There’s a 1,000-yard rusher in D’Andre Swift (1,049 yards, five touchdowns) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (A.J.. Brown-1,447 yards, DeVonta Smith-1,066 yards), each with seven touchdowns. Looks have been deceiving, Brown has just one 100-yard game in his last eight.

Defensively, surrendering 449 yards to the Arizona Cardinals last week is quite the indictment.

Thus, the NFC no longer runs through Philadelphia, which needs a win and some help in the form of a Dallas Cowboy loss (at lowly Washington) to claim the East.

Barkley’s Last Hurrah?

It’s been a quarterback carousel (Daniel Jones-Tommy DeVito-Tyrod Taylor) with the New York Giants, but what may be the main storyline here is the possible final Big Blue appearance o\f running back Saquon Barkley.

With a shot at a fourth 1,000-yard season (84 yards shy) of a six-season career, Barkley and the team had some acrimony last off-season, even after New York made the playoffs. Now, ending a truly awful season, it’s not known if one of the franchise’s premier rushers is to return.

Barkley’s season has been made more impressive when considering the ineptitude of the Giants’ passing game (161.3 yards/game, last in league). 

Defensively, the Giants need to find a way to limit the Birds, that after Philly’s 465-yard outburst in the team’s first meeting this season.

Giant fans are advised to give this team one last look, as it figures to change quite a bit in 2024. 

Bet the Birds

Philadelphia, once a darling choice to win the title, has ballooned to 11-1 (+1100), as per Super Bowl LVIII odds.

As is the case with any final-week game, check the information regarding the inactives.

The Giants might just be what the doctor ordered if you’re the Eagles. Philly limped through the last month of the season, and now gets another crack at a New York team it has defeated five times in a row (including last season’s playoffs) and 13-of-15.

Take the Philadelphia Eagles -5 to win by at least a touchdown at the Meadowlands.