A New QB For Philadelphia: Giants vs. Eagles Week 9 Preview

We’re officially at the halfway point in the NFL season.

Nine weeks into the year, many Eagles fans didn’t expect Philadelphia to be starting their third different quarterback, and they really didn’t expect the team to hold a 2-6 record overall. Injuries to multiple starters and lack of cohesion on both sides of the ball have led to the worst start to an Eagles season in over a decade.

Unfortunately, the only thing that can stop this season from hell is the end of the season, and Philadelphia has a long road until then. For now, they play host to a familiar foe in one of their biggest rivals, the New York Giants, who, despite their own share of injuries, find themselves leading the NFC East.

They’re led by former Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy, who has taken over for the injured Jaxson Dart, and McCarthy has looked solid in his few games with New York. Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers has been the true leader on offense for New York, who was just named

Phialdelphia will have its hands full if they want to snap the six-game losing streak, and on top of all of that, they’ll have a brand new signal caller in the backup attempting to lead them to victory in Joe Milton.

The Debut Of Joe Milton

Since starting quarterback Jalen Hurts went down with his blood clot injury, the Eagles’ quarterback situation has been a rough one. They lost Andy Dalton to the Falcons, pushing Tanner McKee into the starting job, and to say he struggled would be an understatement.

In three starts, McKee threw for 638 yards, tossing two touchdowns and two interceptions, losing all three games. The offense was just not clicking at all with McKee, as drive after drive was just ending in too few touchdowns and too many three-and-outs.

So, Nick Sirianni and co. made the decision to bench McKee for Joe Milton, who was signed off the Cowboys’ practice squad just three weeks ago. Milton hasn’t exactly blown anyone off the page since entering the league three years ago, making five total apperances, four being with Dallas last season.

Milton has thrown 424 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, and shown that his arm strength is still a place, but his accuracy is still a big time issue, just like it was at Tennessee.

Despite all that, Milton will get his first crack at being a full-time starter as the Eagles need someone to take the snaps for the second half of the season. He’ll have his hands full as New York’s defense packs a punch as they continue to fight for a division crown.

Top-Tier Giants Pass Rush

Somehow the Giants find themselves at 4-2-1 on the season, and while their offense has shown sparks of good, consistent play, their defense and, more specifically, their pass rush has been what has kept them in a lot of games.

Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese has been everything the Giants have hoped for and then some after drafting him fifth overall back in April. Reese is the favorite for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and leads the Giants in tackles and tackles for loss. His ability to get after the quarterback and clog holes has made him one of the league’s bright young superstars.

Assisting him at linebacker are Abdul Carter and Tremaine Edmunds, who both have had stellar years, while CJ Okoye and Darius Alexander have held things down in the middle at defensive tackle. New York’s Pass Rush Win Rate (PRWR) is 61%, which ranks second in the league behind Minnesota.

What’s so impressive is that the Giants are doing this all without their top edge rusher, Brian Burns, who’s been out with an injury for over a month now. The Eagles’ offensive line, which had already struggled mightily this year with blitzes, will have its hands full again Sunday.

Saquon Straps Up Against Former Club

One thing that I, along with many others, look forward to in the Eagles vs. Giants matchup is the type of performance former Giants and current Eagles running back Saquon Barkley puts on. Barkley had a notable contract dispute during his time with New York, eventually leading to his signing with the Eagles three years ago.

Since then, Barkley has won a Super Bowl, rushed for 2000 yards in a single season, and won Offensive Player of the Year, while also putting up solid numbers against his former franchise.

In three games against the G-Men, Barkley has rushed for 384 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding another 44 receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Barkley is currently still dealing with back and hamstring injuries, but the veteran back has played through the injuries and will once again suit up Sunday against his former team.

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