The NFC East-leading New York Giants (4-2-1) hope to extend their division lead when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles (2-6) at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon.
It is a tale of fortune reversals. The Giants, despite a bevy of key injuries, have a clear path to the division title, while Philadelphia has fallen on hard times.
The Eagles, who won the Super Bowl just two seasons ago, have more than just injury issues. They've also had retirements and departures that have whittled away their offensive capabilities, especially in the running game.
Starting quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) is gone for the season, and star running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring, back spasms) has seen his usage severely reduced and has already missed
two games this season.
The Giants can't let the Eagles' woes concern them. Barkley has been limited in practice this week, but he will play Sunday, and as we know, if Barkley is suited up, he's potentially a dangerous customer.
Last week, in the Eagles' loss to Washington, Barkley racked up 54 total yards, including a 24-yard reception and a rushing touchdown. Translation: Injuries and all, he can still hurt you.
“I’m expecting [Barkley] to be healthier than he has been so far,” defensive lineman Shelby Harris told the New York Post this week. “They’ve done a good job trying to manage him on his way back from injury. If he’s going to play, I expect to get the best out of him — full-on star Saquon Barkley. And we’ll have to stop him in order to be successful.”
Giants head coach John Harbaugh is relatively unfamiliar with the 21st-century Giants-Eagles rivalry, having been in Baltimore for the past 18 years. He said he doesn't know Barkley very well.
"I don't really know him," said Harbaugh. "I probably maybe bumped into him somewhere along the way, a Pro Bowl or something like that, and chatted with him. Nothing but respect. First-class guy from everything I've been told or seen. Obviously, a great player. That's what I know."
Harbaugh does know, however, what the former Giants star running back can do on the field.
"Oh, he’s an elusive dude, man," Harbaugh told reporters this week. "I mean, they're one of the league leaders in making tacklers miss. I'm pretty sure he's a big part of that, and that's just what he does. So, he can take the ball from the A-gap to the edge, to the backside edge, like that. That's what he does. He's still doing it. He's a threat catching the ball out of the backfield, checkdowns, things like that. So, all hands on deck. All hands on deck when he's out there."
The Eagles, who have been atop the NFL in rushing the past five years, are ranked 27th this year. They are also 28th on fourth-down conversions. That is a direct result of not having Hurts under center to run the controversial "tush-push."
Philadelphia will try to change that on Sunday. They are replacing quarterback Tanner McKee with Joe Milton III, a more mobile player.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants not underestimating injured Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
