Home Wrecker!
Barkley Bulldozes Giants In MetLife Return
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Amid near-perfect conditions for late October, the lots bordering MetLife Stadium filled steadily four hours prior to kickoff between the Eagles and Giants.
The budding intrigue surrounding the first meeting between the two NFC East rivals was palpable, the near-split ratio of team colors adorning the neighboring tailgates indicative of the perceived narrowed gap between them.
But the game wouldn’t nearly as close, as the Eagles scored a decisive 28-3 win.
The major storyline entering Week 7 centered around the return to MetLife Stadium for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who spent his first six seasons with the Giants.
There’s no love lost between the two, but Barkley ultimately got the last laugh, spearheading an offense that registered a double-digit lead for the first time in nearly a year.
Barkley rolled up 176 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries before giving way to backup Kenny Gainwell early into the final frame.
While the offense gradually gained traction throughout the first half, the unit built momentum and established a lead that the Giants weren’t equipped to match.
Barkley led the way for the Eagles’ offense, but the unit also received a boost from wide receiver A.J. Brown — who recorded 89 yards and a touchdown on five catches — and running back Kenny Gainwell, who managed 56 yards on 13 carries.
The defense picked up where it left off against the Browns in Week 7, accumulating eight sacks – six players factored into the sack column – and holding the Giants out of the end zone. The Eagles haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown in back-to-back games.
Nakobe Dean lead the way for Vic Fangio’s unit, registering a game-high 11 tackles and two sacks. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter also logged a pair of Daniel Jones takedowns.
Let’s get to the observations:
Note: The Eagles on Saturday activated S Sydney Brown (ACL) from the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list to the active roster. Sunday marks Brown’s first game action in nine months. In addition, the Eagles also elevated OL Jack Driscoll from the practice squad. Interestingly, the Eagles elected to go with only two tight ends against the Giants, despite having E.J. Jenkins and C.J. Uzomah stashed on the practice squad.
* The Eagles declared the following players inactive: QB Tanner McKee (3rd QB), CB Eli Ricks, T Darian Kinnard, OL Trevor Keegan, TE Dallas Goedert and DT Byron Young. OL Nick Gates, a former Giant, has typically been a weekly inactive, but got the game day bump with Goedert (hamstring) sidelined.
* Saquon Barkley and the offense entered the field to a chorus of boos. QB Jalen Hurts opened the game under center, which he hasn’t done all that often. He would align under center later in the first half on consecutive plays, and again on a play in which featured LB Ben VanSumeren at fullback. The second offensive play yielded only a one-yard gain by Barkley, who was promptly met with a showering of boos. There’s no love lost between the Barkley and Giants fans.
* At gunner for the Eagles opposite CB Kelee Ringo was S Sydney Brown, who also joined the kickoff team upon his return to game action. A notable development, as fellow S Tristin McCollum had occupied the role through the first five games. It’s also the same role – and side – in which Brown suffered his injury last January.
* The Eagles generated more pressure on the first two defensive series. To start, LB Nakobe Dean put a lick on Giants QB Daniel Jones on a 3rd-and-3 to force an incompletion to end the first series. On the ensuing drive, EDGE Bryce Huff got a shot on Jones, despite the Giants signal-caller getting off a short dump-off to TE Daniel Bellinger.
Three plays later, on a 3rd-and-6, Jones was dropped by EDGE Josh Sweat for a nine-yard loss. I couldn’t help but revisit my post-game conversation last Sundat with Bryce Huff, who offered a response as to whether he believes sacks come in bunches:
“I feel like it can,” he said. “Especially, we know, the guys came back to life, we all felt like we had a faster day – and everybody felt it. So, I feel like we’re excited to get to work, especially coming back in on Wednesday off of this performance we had. We have that we can grow off of. So, we’re looking forward to that.”
Huff himself stormed through to drop Jones for a 7-yard loss in the second quarter, his first full sack as an Eagle.
* Speaking of getting home, one would be remiss to ignore the progress of second-year EDGE Nolan Smith, who knifed through to drop Jones for an 11-yard first quarter sack, his second in as many weeks. For Smith, it’s been a slow burn, but his explosion off the line and lateral movement have been apparent. He’d been close during the first four games but is seemingly building some confidence. As a reminder, young players progress at different rates and often need reps and time to grow.
* Barkley broke a scoreless game midway through the second quarter, capping a five-play, 74-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown. Through four possessions, Barkley accumulated 75 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. On an afternoon in which it was tough sledding for the Eagles’ passing game, Barkley generated a spark, igniting a relatively punchless offense.
* Credit Jalen Hurts, who struggled to navigate pressure for much of the game and drifted away from throws, to respond following a 3rd-and-3 sequence late in the second quarter in which he missed an open DeVonta Smith. On the next snap, a 4th-and-3, Hurts hoisted a perfectly placed deep shot down the left sideline to WR A.J. Brown, resulting in a 41-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead. With Hurts, one of the positives about his makeup is that he remains poised and unfazed by whatever happens on a previous play or pockets of games. Instead, he continuously showcases a short memory, remaining fixated on executing the following play. The 41-yard touchdown strike embodies that.
*After surrendering an early completion over the middle and appearing slow in transition, Dean showcased a strong game, notching a pair of sacks, setting the tone with ferocity and physicality and showing well as a blitzer. For Dean, whom Fangio alluded to needing to tackle with more consistency and play better in space, his performance was his best of the season. A tone-setter and vocal leader on an ascending defensive unit, Dean earlier this season mentioned to me that he wanted to be part of a feared, gritty, “junkyard defense.” He’s doing his part in setting the temperature.
* The Giants struggled to generate much of anything offensively, with Jones indecisive and under duress for much of the afternoon. His passing was erratic and largely off the mark, but credit the Eagles’ defense for settling in and neutralizing the unit altogether. This is particularly notable, as Vic Fangio’s unit has now pieced together stellar back-to-back showings.
* Eagles LB Ben VanSumeren has doubled as a fullback a handful of times this season, including a couple occasions against the Giants. On Barkley’s 41-yard third quarter run, VanSumeren led the way to spring Barkley. VanSumeren is the ultimate utility player, as the linebacker offers the ability to play fullback, running back and tight end on offense. Perhaps the Eagles’ best athlete.
* Vic Fangio typically doesn’t rotate at the second and third levels, so aside from today, there was really no clear indication as to who would be first and second off the bench at linebacker. After Baun and Dean came off in the fourth quarter, rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and veteran Oren Burks came on in relief.
* Rookie RB Will Shipley garnered his first NFL touches, carrying eight times for 16 yards.
* Following a fourth quarter Jalyx Hunt sack – his first as a pro – six different Eagles factored into the stat column. At least in this particular case, they did come in bunches.
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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