Eagles-Giants 5 matchups to watch

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The Eagles have a chance this week to improve to 2-1 and start their season with two division wins. That would be huge for them. 

They should have a pretty good chance. The Giants have been a dumpster fire through two games. They're 0-2 and have been outscored by 30 points. 

With that said, they're an absolutely desperate team. And desperate teams can be dangerous teams. 

Here are five matchups to watch on Sunday at the Linc: 

Ereck Flowers vs. Vinny Curry and Derek Barnett
For as bad as Isaac Seumalo has been through two games with the Eagles, Ereck Flowers has been even worse for the Giants. The former first-round pick has been a disaster. He gave up three sacks to Ziggy Ansah and was basically a turnstile. Things won't get much easier. With Brandon Graham on the other side, Curry and Barnett should have a chance to do some damage. And Graham should feast on Bobby Hart on the other side. This could be the week when Barnett picks up his first NFL sack. 

But just because the Giants' O-line has struggled, it doesn't mean the Eagles can abandon their technique. 

"You still have to be disciplined," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "You still have to read your keys, and you still have to be able to execute. Just because they haven't been very successful in the first two weeks running the ball doesn't mean they're not going to come out in this game and try to run the ball. So we have to play good technique there."

Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Eagles corners
The Giants' top receiver is still hampered by that ankle injury he suffered in August. Beckham played just 34 snaps (61 percent) against the Lions and now has a short week to recover. Beckham sure doesn't appear to be 100 percent, but Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said they have to prepare as if he is. 

In six career games against the Eagles, Beckham has 41 catches for 524 yards and four touchdowns. Not bad. 

"He's another week away from that [injury], another week ahead of his rehab and things like that, so we'll have to be ready for (No.) 13, and we're going to have to be ready for him being the same guy we remember from last year," Schwartz said. "And he's a very difficult player to handle, and their offense has missed him the first couple weeks. It's our job to keep him from being a factor — well, he's going to be a factor, but keep him from being a game-changing factor. It's going to take good team defense to do it. It's not going to be one guy that'll do it."

Chance Warmack vs. Damon Harrison
We already talked about the Giants' offensive line. Well, the Eagles haven't been that much better. Seumalo was a big enough problem in the first two weeks that he's now been benched. That means former first-round pick Warmack is the new starting left guard. And he'll have a tough task against "Snacks" Harrison. At 6-foot-4, 350 pounds, Harrison is a load in the middle of that line and one of the biggest players in the NFL. Harrison is great against the run, but Warmack has a reputation for being a good run-blocker. Should be a good battle. 

Nelson Agholor vs. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Remember when Agholor was heading for the Pro Bowl after a big Week 1 performance? Well, he didn't have a great game in Week 2. Although, he did pull in his second touchdown of the season. It's the first time in his career he's had touchdowns in back-to-back games. He'll get to face off against old friend DRC on Sunday. 

It sounds like Janoris Jenkins will be back for the Giants in Week 3; that'll be a big boost for them. But either way, DC Steve Spagnuolo likes having Rodgers-Cromartie as their nickel corner. That will leave this matchup for most of the game. 

DRC fact from the 2012 Eagles media guide: his nickname is "Sexy Bologna." 

Evan Engram vs. Malcolm Jenkins
The Giants' first-round pick is off to a pretty good start. He has eight catches for 93 yards and a touchdown in his first two NFL games. He's going to face a tough test Sunday, though. The Eagles are pretty good against tight ends. I know, I know, 'They weren't very good against Travis Kelce.' But Engram isn't Kelce … not yet anyway. 

Schwartz said Engram is looking like a Kelce or Jordan Reed-type player so far and mentioned that the Giants are finding ways to get him involved. 

The Eagles will likely be without Rodney McLeod in this game, but Jenkins will need to have a big game against Engram. 

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