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Eagles-Giants preview
Eagles-Giants preview
Special teams
Eagles: Eagles are ranked sixth in the league in punt coverage (4.5), but 21st in kickoff coverage (25.3). PR Reno Mahe had a solid game vs. Lions, averaging 10.3 yards. P Sav Rocca is 20th in average (42.0) and 17th in net average (38.3).
Giants: Both of the Giants' coverage units are shaky. They're 17th in punt coverage (8.4) and 27th in kickoff coverage (27.0). RB Reuben Droughns has handled kickoff returns the last two games, averaging 23.3 yards per return.
PICK: EAGLES
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
Each week in the Eagles Playbook, Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch provides five keys that fans should be keeping their eyes on:
1. Plaxico's production: The Giants' wide receiver is off to a sensational start. He already has five TD receptions and is averaging 17.5 yards per catch. His size was a problem for the Eagles' munchkin corners last year. In three games against them, he had 17 grabs, 323 yards and three TDs. One of the main reasons the Eagles signed Will James last season was to give them a taller corner to match up against Burress.
2. Throwing to Brian: Westbrook has a team-high 19 catches and is averaging 11.7 yards per catch. He had two 40-plus yard catch-and-runs against the Lions last week, and he is facing a defense that is even less equipped to defend against him in the passing game than the Lions were. Million dollar question is how much his abdominal strain will affect his ability to cut.
3. Let's make a Diehl. The Giants released veteran left tackle Luke Petitgout in the offseason and moved guard David Diehl outside to replace him. Diehl was the Giants' left tackle in their playoff loss to the Eagles last January and held his own vs. Trent Cole. But Cole was running on fumes at that point. He's fresh as a daisy now and leads the NFL with five sacks.
4. Conversion SAMs. Both the Eagles and Giants have former defensive ends starting at strongside linebacker. The Eagles' Chris Gocong has had a little more time to make the transition than the Giants' Mathias Kiwanuka, who has been an effective blitzer, but has struggled in a big way in coverage. Opposing TEs have 17 receptions and four TDs vs. Giants. Problem for Eagles is their best-catching TE, L.J. Smith, won't be playing.
5. Eagles' red-zone offense. The Eagles scored TDs on four of five trips into the red zone against the Lions, which was considerably better than the 1-for-6 they were in their first two games.
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HOT AND NOT
Hot
Eagles: WR Kevin Curtis. Had 11 receptions for 221 yards and three TDs vs. Lions.
Giants: WR Plaxico Burress. Has 15 catches and five TDs in first three games.
Not
Eagles: WR Reggie Brown. Has just five catches and 0 TDs in first 3 games.
Giants: DE Michael Strahan. Has 0 sacks in first three games.
DOMO'S PICK: EAGLES 24, GIANTS 17
