Just like that, the NFC East is no longer the laughing stock of the NFL. After suffering through a cumulatively miserable 2013, the division is off to a fast start this season (with the exception of 1-4 Washington, of course).
Sunday Night Football, Giants vs. Eagles 2014: The battle for the NFC East takes over primetime
The Cowboys and Eagles are the talk of division, but the G-men are quietly mounting a run for the NFC East.
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The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have each jumped out to 4-1, but the biggest surprise may be the New York Giants. Left for dead after an 0-2 start, the G-men have reeled off three consecutive wins to pull themselves above .500 for the first time since December of 2012, setting up a surprisingly meaningful game this Sunday night. Eli and Co. head to Philly to take on Chip Kelly and Nick Foles in a game that could reshuffle the division standings.
The Eagles are looking to find more secure footing after a shaky victory over the St. Louis Rams in Week 5. Philadelphia allowed St. Louis to crawl back into the contest despite establishing a 34-7 lead in the third quarter. In fact, the Rams had a chance to pull out a win at the end of the contest but Philly managed to hold onto a 34-28 win.
Digits
You would think that a 4-1 start means the Philly offense has been running smoothly all season, but it's actually been a bit up and down. After averaging 310 passing yards through their first three games, the Eagles have mounted just 191 and 207 yards through the air against the 49ers and Rams, respectively. The running game has been even more problematic -- a year after leading the league in rushing, the Eagles rank 23rd with just 98.6 rushing yards per game. But yardage doesn't decide games, and Philadelphia is doing just fine in the only offensive category that really matters: they're second in the league with 31.2 points per contest.
The Giants are putting up points themselves (26.6 per game), and while it's easy to point to Eli Manning's steadily improving ball protection (just one interception in the three wins) or the emergence of Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams in the ground game, the real key has been the offensive line. Early on it looked as though the O-line was as miserable as last season, but they've bounced back in a big way. They rank in the top 11 in both adjusted offensive line yards (a stat that gives credit to the line for rushing yards) and adjusted sack rate at Football Outsiders.
Who to watch
Larry Donnell, Giants TE
The Giants had serious concerns at the tight end position before Donnell exploded onto the scene early this season, piling up 236 yards and four touchdowns in the first four weeks. But he disappeared entirely last week against the Falcons, failing to tally a single target in the game. The Eagles defense has been stingy against tight ends, so Donnell will be hard-pressed to get back on track this week.
Odell Beckham Jr., Giants WR
One explanation for Donnell’s disappearance against Atlanta was the emergence of Beckham Jr., who finally made his injury-delayed NFL debut. The rookie first-rounder made the most of his opportunities, going for 44 yards and a key touchdown against the Falcons. His involvement should only increase as he gets more live reps with the offense.
Darren Sproles, Eagles RB
Sproles has provided a key spark to the struggling Eagles running game, to the point that Kelly had to address muffled whispers of a running back controversy this week. While LeSean McCoy is averaging 2.9 yards per carry, the electric Sproles sits at 6.9 and has also chipped in 198 receiving yards. The thought of McCoy getting benched is laughable, but his struggles do leave room for an increased workload for Sproles.
How to watch
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pa.
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Chris Collinsworth, Michel Tafoya
Radio: Giants Radio Network | Eagles Radio Network
Online streaming: SNF All Access
Odds
The Eagles opened up as three-point favorites at home, according to OddsShark. The over/under for the game opened at 50.
Preliminary judgment
SB Nation’s panel of seven experts is leaning heavily toward Philadelphia. Stephen White, Joel Thorman, David Fucillo, Danny Kelly and PFT Commenter all picked the Eagles to win, while Ryan Van Bibber and Matt Ufford are going with the G-men. For all of the Week 6 picks, go here.
Further reading
For more on the Giants, head on over to Big Blue View. If you want to read up on the Eagles, check out Bleeding Green Nation.
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