Didinger: Eagles-Giants Scouting Report

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Sizing up Sundays game between the Eagles (3-6) and the New York Giants (6-3) at MetLife Stadium.

When the Eagles have the ballHere is what this season has come down to for Andy Reid. On Sunday, he has a choice between starting a quarterback with two broken ribs who hasnt played well most of the season (Mike Vick) or a quarterback who has hardly played at all and lined up at the wrong spot when he went on the field for one play last Sunday (Vince Young).

Gee, thats some choice, isnt it?

Vick missed three games last season with a rib injury so you would expect him to miss a game or two now, but the Eagles are facing a situation where a loss to the Giants puts an end to their season. It is desperation time so Vick may suck it up and try to play. If he is unable to go, it will be Young, who has thrown one pass (an interception) this season and looks lost in this offense.

Whichever quarterback plays will face a tough task. The Giants shut down Vick in the Week 3 game at the Linc when they did not surrender a single touchdown to him on the ground or in the air. They knocked Vick out of the game with an injured right hand, intercepted one of his passes and forced him to fumble three times in a 29-16 victory. That was the first Uh oh moment in what has become a painful season for the Eagles.

With Vick hurting and Jeremy Maclins status in doubt with a shoulder injury and DeSean Jackson brooding over his contract, it might be a good idea for someone to remind Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg that (a) they have the No. 1 rusher in the NFC in LeSean McCoy and (b) the Giants arent real good at stopping the run. Their defense is 20th in rushing yards allowed, 22nd in average yards per rush (4.8).

It is still mind-boggling to think that last Sunday against Arizona Reid and Mornhinweg called nine consecutive pass plays with a seven-point fourth-quarter lead. They went 13 minutes without putting the ball in the hands of McCoy, their lone healthy weapon. It was the play-calling equivalent of Rick Perrys brain freeze in the last Republican debate and just as embarrassing. But we digress

The Giants did play the run better last Sunday against San Francisco. Even though they lost the game, 27-20, they held Frank Gore to zero yards on six carries. However, rookie Kendall Hunter had success (six carries, 40 yards). McCoy had a big game against the Giants in Week 3 with 24 carries for 128 yards, a 5.3 yard average, so if the coaches give him the ball Sunday there is no reason to think he wont move the chains.

Look for the Giants to play a nickel defense with three safetiesKenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant. They probably would have done that anyway, but it is even more likely now that linebacker Michael Boley is injured. In Week 3, the Giants used a rookie, Jacquain Williams, as a spy on Vick and it was very effective. Williams had 10 tackles and was awarded a game ball. No doubt he will be used in the same role Sunday against either Vick or Young.

The Giants may borrow a defensive scheme used by Arizona. On Sunday, the Cardinals repeatedly brought a safety off the edge and his job was to guard the back door against a Vick bootleg or a McCoy cutback. On a few occasions when McCoy did try to cut back, either Adrian Wilson or Rashad Johnson was there to turn him back inside.

The Cardinals were able to do that because Jackson wasnt playing so they did not have to worry about keeping both safeties deep. It was very revealing to see how shallow the Arizona safeties played with Jackson sidelined. On most plays, they were within 10 yards of the line. It was a real contrast to the Dallas and Chicago games where the safeties were twice as deep and backpedaling at the snap, respecting Jacksons speed.

When the Giants have the ball
Many people (including me) laughed when Eli Manning said prior to the season that he considered himself in the class of Tom Brady. OK, he beat Brady in a Super Bowl, he is the only one to do that, but to put himself in the same elite class? It seemed like a stretch.

I still wouldnt put him on Bradys level and I wouldnt put him ahead of Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees either, but I have to give Manning his due. He is playing great football this year. He is completing 63 percent of his passes and averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. He has 17 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

He has been great in the clutch, leading the Giants on five game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. He almost did it again Sunday in San Francisco. On the final possession, he converted two fourth downs and drove to the 49ers' 10-yard line before his final pass was batted down by defensive end Justin Smith.

Two of the most important statistics for a quarterback are his third-down efficiency and fourth-quarter passer rating and Manning ranks high in both. He has thrown more than half of his touchdown passes (nine) in the fourth quarter and on third down, his passer rating is 106.1, which puts him just behind Brees and Rodgers and ahead of Brady.

Manning threw four touchdown passes in the Week 3 win over the Eagles. On a day when the Eagles controlled the ball for almost 37 minutes, Manning made the most of his opportunities. The Giants only had 14 first downs compared to 25 for the Eagles, but they put up 334 yards and 29 points.

Manning is accomplishing all this without a running attack. When the Giants won the Super Bowl a few years back, they averaged 4.6 yards per rush. The passing game was set up by playaction. This year, with Ahmad Bradshaw hampered by a broken foot and Brandon Jacobs slowing down, the Giants are averaging 3.3 yards a carry, 29th in the league, so it all has fallen on Mannings shoulders and he has delivered.

Hakeem Nicks, their best receiver, is back in the lineup after missing some time due to injury. Victor Cruz, a free agent up from the practice squad, has played well. He scored two touchdowns in the last game against the Eagles. Tight end Jake Ballard has become a favorite target for Manning, making the game-winning catch against New England.

Bradshaw is questionable again this week. Jacobs, the 260-pound power back, has been OK but not much more than that. He has 78 carries for 253 yards, a 3.2 yard average. He normally isnt a factor in the passing game but he had a 40-yard touchdown reception in the win over the Eagles. That was because the Eagles made the mistake of having Casey Matthews try to cover him. We havent seen much of Matthews since then.

Special teams
The Eagles-Giants series is marked by big plays on special teamsBrian Westbrooks memorable return, the DeSean Jackson walk-off last season, the 91-yard punt by Randall Cunningham, Clyde Simmons scoring on a blocked field goalbut were not likely to see such drama on Sunday.

Yes, Jackson probably will be fielding punts, but he is averaging 3.7 yards on returns this season with a long of 20. Aaron Ross handles punt returns for the Giants (7.7 yards with a long of 18). After bottling up Devin Hester and Patrick Peterson the last two weeks, the Eagles should have no trouble throwing a net over Ross.

Alex Henery has made his last seven field goal attempts but this will be his first test in the autumn winds at the Meadowlands. Giants' veteran Lawrence Tynes (9 for 11 on field goals) gets the edge. Punter Steve Weatherford shanked one in the Giants' loss to the 49ers (29 yards) and it proved costly. Chas Henry still ranks near the bottom with a 36.3 yard net.

Intangibles
The Giants would love to drive a stake through the Eagles' heartsand seasonon Sunday. They have not forgotten what happened when the teams last played on this field. The Giants blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter, lost the game and plummeted from first place in the NFC East to out of the playoffs. It will be sweet revenge if they can bury the Eagles on prime time TV. That is a strong motivation.

Prediction
The Giants are far from a perfect team, but the Eagles arent even a good one right now.

Giants 27, Eagles 20.

E-mail Ray Didinger at viewfromthehall@comcast.net.

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