What to Watch For
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The Giants and Eagles will look to renew their rivalry
tonight for the first time this season in primetime on Sunday Night
Football. This is a huge game for both
teams, as the next time they meet will be the last week of the regular
season. Which ever team gets the win
tonight will at worst keep pace with the Cowboys for first place in the
division.
-Will the Giants Run Game Continue?
Ahmad Bradshaw will be making his return to the starting
lineup tonight after missing last weeks game with what has been described as a
“bulge” and “inflamed disk” in his neck.
While being out, Andre Brown has more than filled the void, rushing for 184
yards and two touchdowns in the last two games.
He has also given help in the passing game, adding five receptions and
36 yards.
Head coach Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin
Gilbride both said the Giants would ride the hot hand in the game, so it will
be interesting to see how the carries are divvied up. Brown has earned an
expanded role in the offense and the more successful the Giants are running the
ball, the less time Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and the Eagles offense is on the
field.
-LeSean McCoy vs. Osi Umenyiora
McCoy and Umenyiora will be continuing their rivalry tonight
the first time the Eagles take the field.
They have developed a beef with each other that has been very public
with a lot of the action taking place on twitter and through interviews.
The back and forth resembles something you would see on
Monday Night Raw and seems playful, but McCoy and Umenyiora genuinely dislike
each other. Hopefully they meet each
other tonight on the field and Umenyiora and the Giants can keep McCoy in
check.
-Return to Where it All Began
Victor Cruz will be making his second appearance in Philadelphia ,
this time though as a starter. Week
three in Philadelphia is when Cruz
burst onto the scene and the salsa touchdown dance was born thanks to a two
touchdown performance against All-Pro Nnamdi Asomugha.
Hakeem Nicks is again out with injury, so Cruz will be asked
to step up once again and build off his success against the Eagles after
catching nine balls for 238 yards against them last year. Look for Ramses Barden to also build off of
his career and breakout performance against the Panthers in week 3, earning his
second start in a row.
-Keep Up the Pressure
Michael Vick has been getting beaten up this season and the
Giants need to continue that trend. The
Giants had success last season because they hit Vick every chance presented to
them, hitting him hard so that he remembers them and becomes more skittish.
Vick has more turnovers alone this season than every team in
the NFL outside of the two. He has
thrown six interceptions and fumbled five times while losing three. The Giants were able to lay a licking on Cam
Newton last week and will have to try and do the same this week with the more
fragile Vick.
If the front led by Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and
Umenyiora can put pressure on Vick it will make the job of the rest of the
defense that much easier.
The Giants-Eagles rivalry has been one-sided for the most
part recently, with the Eagles taking seven of the last eight meetings
including the 2008 playoff game. It will
not be easy for the Giants to turn around their fortunes, but if they want to
win the NFC East they will have to beat the Eagles at least once if not
twice.
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