Philadelphia Eagles’ rout of Giants showcases daunting reality for rest of NFC

PHILADELPHIA – Little more than two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were in crisis. They had been dominated by the New York Giants on a Thursday night for their second straight loss, their star running back had continued to be bottled up, their star wide receiver frustrated by the offense and his own production, their new offensive coordinator’s play-calling under attack, their very identity in question.

Some teams do best amid the noise, and the Eagles seem to be one of those. That loss to the Giants was the low point, certainly, but also it turns out, it was the turning point. Jalen Hurts excelled last week in a win over the Minnesota Vikings. And on Sunday, against the Giants, everything else finally fell into place for the Eagles in a 38-20 victory. It was the Eagles’ most balanced, most efficient game so far — they were 3-for-3 in the red zone — and it showcased a daunting reality for the rest of the NFC: The Eagles are taking off as the second half of the season begins.

“The goal is to be playing the best ball at the end of the season, and there’s a focus to do that,” Hurts said. “You saw a lot of guys make big-time plays today.”

Then, about his own progression: “I think the best is yet to come.”

Sunday was already the best the Eagles have looked in a season in which they have been desperate not to think about their Super Bowl season. Saquon Barkley, the hero of 2024, finally broke out, first with a 65-yard touchdown run just seconds into the game, and with 150 yards total in a game that the Eagles had been sure was close for weeks. Tank Bigsby added 104 more. The offensive line, riddled with injuries and inconsistency, bulldozed the Giants, even getting the Eagles out of a second-and-26 with a 29-yard Bigsby run. With A.J. Brown injured, Hurts targeted DeVonta Smith over and over, for six receptions and 84 yards. The defense harassed Jaxson Dart with five sacks and kept him from using his legs to gash it as he had done two weeks ago in New York.

And perhaps most importantly, the Eagles put a lid on the energy Dart has brought to the Giants and which had seemed to surprise the Eagles in their first meeting. He never seemed to get fully into the flow that has buoyed the Giants since he became the starter, and when Cam Skattebo suffered a gruesome ankle dislocation midway through the second quarter, the engine of the offense started to sputter. Even Giants head coach Brian Daboll admitted his team was outplayed in every phase of the game.