The Eagles come into this crucial matchup battered, bruised, and without their franchise quarterback. Boasting an 11-2 record however, this game is a must-win if the Birds are to wrap up a home field advantage and lock down the number one seed. Here are five players to watch in Sunday’s game.
Nick Foles:
Making his first start since a November Chiefs win over the Jaguars, Nick Foles is set to pick up where Carson Wentz left off. He looked relatively sharp after being dropped into the game down by 4, against one of the toughest defenses in the league. There were some timing discrepancies, but considering Foles did not play in preseason and missed most of OTA’s and Training Camp, he did a brilliant job.
The pressure now comes with questions looming over the left side of the offensive front. The Giants have an intimidating front seven and if Wisniewski is unable to play, a patched up line could be problematic for Foles. Pederson and Reich have backed up their points throughout the week that the offense won’t change with Foles at the helm, but this game will go a long way in showing how high the ceiling still is for this Eagles team.
Jay Ajayi:
It took a while, but Doug Pederson finally handed the reins of the backfield over to Jay Ajayi in the second half of Sunday’s win. The Eagles running back has been a force breaking out of the trenches, completely juxtaposing a dip in form from LeGarrette Blount. Ajayi’s average of 5.2 yards per carry and 78 yards against the Rams defense bodes well coming into this game…but will he be leading the charge?
This will be the most important thing to watch. How early is Ajayi inserted into the game and will Blount be relegated to third-downs and goal-line situations? Only time will tell, but there is a shift in momentum worth watching.
Mychal Kendricks:
The resurgence of Mychal Kendricks has been a joy to watch. A crucial cog in the Eagles relentless run-stuffing ability and just as effective picking up receptions out of the backfield, Kendricks has been impressive all year long and has 64 tackles to his name to show for it.
The Giants have a lethal red zone offense. Eli Manning has a 12-0 TD/INT ratio when inside the 20 and with Evan Engram at his disposal, Kendricks will need a big game in order to marginalize the Giants offense.
Torrey Smith:
Breaking off his first 100-yard game as an Eagle, it was amazing to see Torrey Smith shining under the West Coast lights. Back at Lincoln Financial Field, he may need to do it again. It’s all about timing for Nick Roles and company, and the deep threat that Smith possesses will be invaluable in catching a Giants defense who will be suspecting a conservative approach, off guard. Riding the hot hand, Foles would be wise to strike up a bond with Torrey Smith on Sunday, especially if Janoris Jenkins shadows Alshon Jeffery once again and the world’s most inconspicuous sideline tweeter is hovering over Nelson Agholor. Mismatches will naturally occur, it’s down to Foles to take advantage.
Rodney McLeod:
He made up for it at the end of the game, but Rodney McLeod has had a wobbly few weeks. His tackling has been inconsistent and various big plays have been completed as a result. The Giants will undoubtedly be looking to disrupt the tempo of the game and look for mismatches. The Eagles will look to utilize Malcolm Jenkins inside the box, but they’ll need a big game from McLeod, who has both Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram to worry about, if they are to be successful and comfortable with Jenkins moving around the defense.
Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
