The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, 19-11, on Sunday. It was their first victory there since 2013.
The game was a tough watch for both fan bases, but someone had to win. This time, it was the Giants, who maintained their lead in the NFC East with a 5-2-1 record.
Here are three quick takeaways from Sunday's win.
They made the right choice
The Giants had many options with the fifth overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, but stuck to their guns and took Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. On Sunday, the rookie was the beast on the field, racking up a career-high-tying 12 total tackles, with 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
According to the Giants, Reese's 12 total tackles is tied for
the most by a Giants rookie in a single game dating back to 1994, when tackling data was established as a stat. Reese joins his teammate, safety Tyler Nubin, as the only Giants rookies since 1994 to have multiple games of 12-plus total tackles. He is also the only rookie in the NFL since 2000 to record 12-plus tackles and three or more sacks in a single game.
Resilience once again
The Giants' offense struggled in this game, gaining 243 yards and averaging 3.8 yards per play. Most times, stats like those would mean a loss, but not this time. Big Blue found a way to outpace the battered Eagles, taking advantage of almost every break they were given.
When starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy was temporarily knocked from the game with a bruised hip and ribs in the third quarter, the Giants turned back to Jameis Winston, who provided a major boost to the Giants' offense, taking them on a 14-play, 76-yard drive that resulted in a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely.
The defense was up to the task, putting heavy pressure on Eagles quarterback Joe Milton III in his first NFL start. Philadelphia had only six possessions in the second half and crossed into Giants territory once for a field goal. It wasn't pretty, but the Giants played just enough complementary football to walk away with a win.
Lockdown corners
Giants cornerbacks limited Milton's passing game, allowing just four receptions for 31 yards. Milton couldn't find his receivers and targeted them just 11 times. Deonte Banks and Greg Newsome III were smothering. The longest Eagles pass play went for just 20 yards.
Milton's QB rating was just 66.9. He did most of the damage with his legs, rushing for 64 yards on nine attempts. The only blemish was a pass interference call on Banks in the second quarter that led to the Eagles' only touchdown of the game, a three-yard run by former Giant Saquon Barkley
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: What we learned from New York Giants' 19-11 win over Philadelphia Eagles
