Game Preview – NYG at PHI
Posted November 8th, 2026 | No Comments »A game between the Eagles and Giants featuring the first and last place teams in the NFC East is not a surprise. The Giants being the first pace team and the Eagles being the cellar dwellers is a big surprise. Welcome to the upside down world of 2026.
NY hired John Harbaugh to bring order to that franchise and he’s done just that. The dysfunctional Giants we’ve loved for so long are gone, unfortunately. They are 4-2-1 and are in the Top 15 in points and yards on both offense and defense. There is a lot to like. At the same time, they are only 26th in DVOA. The dreadful Eagles are 28th. Being the best team in the NFC East is the equivalent of being the sexiest Detmer.
I do give the Giants credit for handling adversity well. They are on their third starting QB (Dart, Winston, McCarthy). They’ve had other injuries to overcome. There have been some issues with the players adjusting to hard coaching. Harbaugh keeps the ship heading in the right direction and the players are doing what it takes to win.
The Eagles will get their first look at JJ McCarthy. He’s played well since taking over for Jameis Winston. McCarthy has a lot of talent and seems to be a good fit in NY after struggling with the Vikings.
@gregcosell analyzes how J.J. McCarthy is able to operate within the pocket with his feet and use his eyes and body position to manipulate the defense.
#BigBlue vs #FlyEaglesFly
Live on ESPN2 & Streaming on NFL Network & ESPN+
@gregcosell | @DariusJButler | Sal Paolantonio! https://t.co/8wMbLD1WYM— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) November 6, 2026
Cam Skattebo is doubtful so that will put more pressure on McCarthy. The Eagles run defense has been an issue this year so avoiding Skattebo would be doing them a big favor. If the Eagles can make the Giants one-dimensional, that will help the defense in a big way. The pass rush showed some signs of life last week. It would be great if they could build on that and get regular pressure on McCarthy.
The Giants have big WRs so the Eagles should match up well in that regard. I am curious to see how they defend TE Isaiah Likely, the leading receiver. He’s a really good athlete.
Obviously the huge news in this game is the Eagles going with Joe Milton as their starting QB. He has more talent than experience so this is a risky move, but the offense needed some kind of boost. Nick Sirianni decided the risk was worth it to see if Milton can jump start the offense. It will be interesting to see how he does and how the coaches use him.
.@Giants @Eagles let the Joe Milton111 Era begin…watching wk 18 v NYG last year and v the @AZCardinals in preseason this year…Has not played much and maybe he just needs to. #BaldysBreakdowns https://t.co/JEobIDKtCk
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 5, 2026
Milton is a good athlete so the Eagles could mix in designed runs or just go with RPOs. He has a big time arm so they could try to dial up more deep shots. None of this will mean much unless the Eagles OL does their part. They were not good enough last week. That has to change.
The Giants run defense hasn’t been good this season. They don’t have good DTs. Saquon Barkley isn’t 100 percent, but he should play. He’ll have a chance to be productive if the guys up front do their jobs. A good run game would be a huge help for Milton.
This really is a can’t lose situation if you think about it. If Milton plays okay and the Eagles win, you get to enjoy a W. If he stinks and the Eagles lose, you move closer to a Top 5 pick.
The Eagles haven’t lost a home game to the Giants since 2013. We’ll see if that streak continues.
Win or lose, let’s hope the Eagles entertain us for three hours.
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