The NFC East-leading New York Giants (4-2-1) travel down to Pennsylvania to face the Philadelphia Eagles (2-6) in a midseason matchup between two long-time division rivals.
Here are five storylines to watch heading into this Sunday afternoon's game.
The trading deadline
It's common knowledge the Giants are driving hard to the hoop to improve their roster for a playoff run. They would like to land a running back, preferably Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor, but the Colts' asking price is reportedly incredibly high.
They are also in the market for defensive line help. With the clock ticking, it's unlikely they can make a deal that will impact this week's game. The NFL trading deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10.
The Giants have very little draft capital to play
with, so any deal will likely dip into future draft classes. The Giants see an opportunity here. They are the only team in the division with a winning record and believe they should not squander a chance at the postseason.
Two teams dealing with adversity
Philadelphia won the Super Bowl just three seasons ago and appeared to be poised for sustained success. But the football gods had other ideas. They have faced a slew of devastating injuries, retirements, and other departures that have reduced their once-powerful roster to a shell of what it once was.
The Giants have lost players, too. Starting quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Top pass rusher Brian Burns was lost the next week with a knee injury. Since then, the Giants have lost another defensive captain in inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (chest).
Streaks on the line
The Giants haven't won in Philadelphia since 2013, a stretch of 13 games. They are currently 3.5-point favorites to win on Sunday, and if all holds true, they will finally get off that schneid.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy starts his second game for the Giants. He won last week in Houston to extend his winning streak to five games, dating back to last year, when he was with the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy's winning streak is currently the longest of any quarterback in the NFL.
Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers is aiming for his fifth consecutive game with six or more receptions and 110 or more receiving yards.
Who's running the ball?
Two weeks ago, the Giants had four healthy running backs: Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. At Wednesday's practice, they had just one healthy, active back with any experience: Singletary.
Harris was cut two weeks ago, and Tracy was placed on injured reserve (IR) with a hamstring strain last week. This week, Skattebo is dealing with a hamstring issue of his own and is not practicing.
The Giants signed Greg Desrosiers from the Los Angeles Chargers' practice squad and re-signed former draft pick Eric Gray to the practice squad.
Ex-Wolverines under center
The Giants will start McCarthy at quarterback, and the Eagles will go with recently acquired Joe Milton III under center. It will be McCarthy's second start as a Giant and Milton's first NFL start anywhere.
Both players attended the University of Michigan and played under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Milton played in Ann Arbor from 2018-2020 before transferring to Tennessee, while McCarthy played there from 2021-2023, winning a National Championship in his final season.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 5 storylines to watch in Week 9
