BOX SCORE

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Eagles are 1-0 in the second Nick Foles Era. 

It just wasn't easy. 

The lowly Giants put up a pretty good fight on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. But Foles played pretty well, special teams came up big and the Eagles eventually made a late fourth-down stop on defense in a 34-29 win. 

Phew. 

With the win, the Eagles improved to 12-2 on the season and clinched a first-round bye in this year's playoffs. Another goal accomplished. They didn't clinch home-field advantage this weekend because the Vikings beat the Bengals. That could come next week. 

With the loss, the Giants fell to 2-12 in their miserable season. They're just waiting out the rest of the year. 

It turns out Foles might not be the problem down the stretch. While Foles turned in a pretty efficient performance while working through rust, the Eagles' defense struggled again. 

That's been a theme over the last few weeks. Jim Schwartz's unit that started the season so strong has become a liability recently. The Birds might not have to worry about Schwartz leaving for a head-coaching gig anytime soon. 

On 4th-and-goal with under a minute left, the Eagles got a huge stop to wrap up the game. Corey Graham covered Evan Engram and the pass went incomplete. The Giants wanted a flag but didn't get one. 

The Eagles came out really slow and let the Giants get up on them 20-7 before a couple big defensive and special teams plays gave the Eagles' offense short fields. The Eagles took a 21-20 lead before the G-men kicked a field goal to go up 23-21 at halftime. 

Turning point
The Eagles just desperately needed a play and Ronald Darby provided it in the second quarter. The cornerback stepped in front of a pass from Eli Manning to pick it off, then returned it 37-yards. That set up the Eagles at the Giants' 20-yard line. The scored a touchdown to cut into their early lead and it seemed to flip momentum. Sure, the Eagles trailed at halftime, but things had turned around from a disastrous start.  

Key stat
The Eagles have gotten back-to-back four-touchdown performances from two different quarterbacks. 

According to the NFL, this is the first time teammates have thrown four touchdowns in back-to-back games since 2011, when the Packers had Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn do it.

Offensive stud
Foles missed a few passes, but played a pretty solid game. He had three touchdown passes in the first half, making it his eighth-career three-touchdown game. He then added another TD pass in the third. 

Offensive dud
LeGarrette Blount really took a backseat to Jay Ajayi on Sunday. He got a huge carry on 4th-and-1 in the first half and couldn't convert. 

Defensive stud
The entire defense didn't play great, but Brandon Graham seemed to have a good afternoon again. 

Defensive dud
Jalen Mills didn't have his best game. He was beaten badly for a touchdown and had some costly defensive holding calls go against him. Aside from his interception (which was big), Darby really struggled too. 

Key plays 
•The Eagles stopped the Giants on 4th-and-goal inside a minute to save the victory. 

•After the Malcolm Jenkins' field goal block, the Eagles put together a FG drive of their own to take a 34-29 lead with just under four minutes left in the game. 

•Jenkins got in to block a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. The field goal would have given the Giants a lead. This came after the Eagles had already blocked a punt and extra point in the game. 

•The Eagles' defense forced a three-and-out in the third quarter, but a neutral zone infraction from Najee Goode on the punt gave the Giants new life and Manning hit Tavarres King on a 57-yard touchdown pass. After the two-point conversion failed, the Eagles led 31-29. 

•Nelson Agholor made a tremendous touchdown catch over Darryl Morris in the end zone to put the Eagles up 31-23. After the score, Alshon Jeffery tossed up an alley-oop to Agholor, who threw it down. Ajayi had a big impact on that drive, rushing for a 22-yarder and catching a 32-yarder. 

•Jake Elliott kicked a 28-yarder to give the Eagles a 24-23 lead in the third quarter. Foles had a strong drive. 

•After the Eagles took a lead, the Giants converted two big 3rd downs and drove down the field to kick a 28-yard field goal to take it back. They went up 23-21. 

•Kamu Grugier-Hill broke through the line to block a punt in the second quarter. That set the Eagles up inside the Giants' 20-yard line. A few plays later, Foles hit a wide-open Trey Burton for a 13-yard touchdown pass on third down to give the Eagles a 21-20 lead. 

•On 3rd down, the Eagles desperately needed someone to make a play and Darby obliged. The corner stepped in front of an Manning to pick it off and then returned it 37 yards to set up an Eagles scoring drive. 

Foles hit Zach Ertz for a 10-yard touchdown pass to cut into the lead, 20-14. 

•On 4th-and-1 from the Giants' 44-yard line in the second quarter, Blount was stuffed for no gain to turn the ball back over the Giants. 

•Early in the second quarter, Sterling Shepard got open with a rub play on 3rd-and-2 and went for a 67-yard touchdown to put the Giants up 20-7. Rodney McLeod made a poor attempt at a tackle near the sideline. Shepard has caught two of the three longest passes against the Eagles this season. 

•Jalen Mills was crushed on a double move in the red zone. He bit hard on a 13-yard touchdown catch by King to give the Giants a 13-6 lead. 

•The Eagles responded with a 75-yard drive of their own. The big play came when Foles avoided pressure to throw the ball deep to Torrey Smith. Smith couldn't catch it, but drew a pass interference call and the Eagles scored a few plays later to go up 7-6.

•The Giants marched down the field on the first drive of the game. The big play came when Darby was beaten on a double move by Roger Lewis Jr. for a gain of 18. The drive went 75 yards. Derek Barnett blocked the extra point to make it 6-0 Giants. 

Injuries
Stefen Wisniewksi (ankle) missed the game. Chance Warmack started in his place. Robinson left in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion. 

Up next
The Eagles return home for the last two weeks of the season. They play the Raiders on Christmas Day and then the Cowboys to finish the regular season.