Lost amid all of the Josh Huff hoopla and the gut-wrenching loss to the Cowboys last week, the Eagles have to get back in the saddle of head to the Meadowlands to play the Giants on Sunday. And while you would think we would be very familiar with all of these NFC East rivals by now, no divisional foe underwent the kind of sweeping changes this past offseason that New York did.
Yes, it's the still the Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. show. The rest of the squad looks quite a bit different though, beginning with a first-year head coach and a ton of new faces on defense. It all seems to be coming together relatively well too, as at 4-3, the Giants are right in thick of the playoff race.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Eli Manning
Manning hasn't really evolved too much after 13 seasons in the NFL. He's slightly more accurate, with a 64.8 completion percentage in 2016 that would be good for a career high, but partially because the offense relies on shorter throws and a quicker release. A four-time Pro Bowler, Manning is productive, tough and can make all the throws, but still has the same fatal flaw he always has — turnovers. He'll still succumb to pressure and make bad decisions with the football, as demonstrated by his six interceptions and tow fumbles lost through seven games this season. Those aren't incredible numbers, but they tend to take their toll on the Giants, as the team can't always overcome those mistakes.
Strength: Wide receivers
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Say what you want about his attitude and demeanor, but there's no questioning Odell Beckham's talent. The third-year receiver has been inconsistent in terms of game-to-game production this season, but his 222-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Ravens two weeks ago proves he's still one of the most dangerous playmakers in the league. This season, the Giants actually have complements to alleviate some of the attention defenses pay Beckham. Victor Cruz returned after misssing 10 games in 2014 and all of last season, and while he's not post gaudy numbers, 24 catches for 331 yards and a score isn't bad out of the slot. New York further beefed up its receiving corps with second-round draft pick Sterling Shepard out of Oklahoma. Shephard has been quiet the last four games after getting out to a fast start, but he too has over 300 yards on the year. Any time an offense can boast three 300-yard receivers through seven games, that's a damn good passing attack.
Weakness: Ground attack
The faces may change, but the Giants' inability to run the ball with any kind of success remains the same. It seems as though for as long as Manning has been under center, the offense has never fielded much of a ground attack in all those years. 2016 is no different, and in fact it's as bad as ever. New York ranks dead last in the NFL in rushing and 29th in yards per attempt. It hasn't much mattered who is carrying the ball either. Change-of-pace Shane Vereen has been the most efficient of the bunch, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt, but he's out with a triceps injury. All of the rest of the backs are under a 4.0 average, and starter Rahsad Jennings is at an horrendous 2.7. Obviously, a patchwork offensive line is responsible for a lot of the offensive woes, but this is about as ineffective as it gets on the ground.
DEFENSE
Strength: Cornerbacks
It helps when Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul are up front rushing the passer, but the Giants are as deep at cornerback as any defense in recent memory. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is now in his third season with the club and playing at a Pro Bowl level — somewhat surprising considering how the 30-year-old looked during his stint with the Eagles. Then New York went out and signed Janoris Jenkins from the Rams during free agency, and he's been a worthy addition to the secondary. DRC and Jenkins have two interceptions each with a combined nine pass breakups. As if that wasn't enough, the Giants also added ninth-year veteran Leon Hall from the Bengals and used a first-round pick on Eli Apple out of Ohio State. Not surprisingly, opponents have had major issues throwing the ball, averaging only 6.3 yards per attempt.
Weakness: Up the middle
The Giants' numbers against the run are surprisingly good. In fact, they seemed a little too good based on the talent at defensive tackle and linebacker, so we looked into it a little deeper. The fact that New York is ranked 11th in rushing yards allowed largely stems from the competition they've faced. Some of the examples include the Cowboys, before Ezekiel Elliott got on a roll; the Saints; the Vikins, sans Adrian Peterson; the Ravens; and the Rams, with Todd Gurley, but a one-dimensional offense. With no names really to speak of on the interior, offenses should be able to run on the Giants. While the numbers suggest it might not be as easy as it looks, that's something that could correct itself as the season goes along, provided teams stick to it. New York is also 20th in terms of rushing attempts faced, so there's that.
X-factor: Landon Collins
In one year's time, Collins has gone from a safety whose lacking coverage abilities were easily exploited by offenses to the biggest all-around playmaker on the Giants defense. The difference is in how the 2015 second-round pick is being utilized. He's being moved all over the place, which allows him to make plays inside the box, as evidenced by his team-leading 57 tackles and 2.0 sacks, as well as when the ball is in the air, with five pass breakups, two interceptions and a touchdown. Collins has become the type of player opponents have to account for on every play, because he can impact the game at every level and in both phases. Oh, and the 6-foot, 225-pound safety can hit too, bringing ballcarrier's to a quick stop or lighting up receivers over the middle. Go near this kid at your own risk.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Now that the Josh Brown saga is over, long-time Chicago Bear and Penn State product Robbie Gould handles the kicking duties. He's only played in one game so far this season, so it remains to be seen what he has left in the tank. You may remember the Giants' punter, Brad Wing, who broke into the league in Eagles training camp a few years back. Wing has improved a great deal, downing 33 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line in 2015. The return game, led by Dwayne Harris, hasn't been a threat this season, but the sixth-year veteran does have four touchdowns for his career.
COACHING
Ben McAdoo (first season)
McAdoo became the Giants' offensive coordinator in 2014, and given the improvements in Manning's accuracy as well as the rapport he built with Beckham, he made sense as Tom Coughlin's successor. If it seems like it's just more of the same in New York, they probably don't think that's a bad thing after winning a couple of Super Bowls out of nowhere during the previous head coach's reign. It remains to be seen whether McAdoo can be the kind of firey leader that Coughling was though, as while his methods turned some people off, they also helped rally a couple of wild card teams to championships. That's the kind of job it looks like McAdoo will have to do to get this team over the hump before Manning's career comes to an end, because while certainly not a bad team, there are too many holes on this roster to join the class of the NFC anytime soon, or so it appears. Stability isn't a bad thing though, especially with the veteran quarterback, which is what the Giants essentially opted for with this hire.
