The Philadelphia Eagles will have a lot of things to fix in the offseason, but are hoping for one more rivalry win over the New York Giants in Week 16. This NFC East matchup will be the last Thursday Night Football game for either team this season, and the Giants are looking to clinch a playoff berth. With a win — or tie — over the Eagles this week, the Giants are headed to the postseason.
Giants vs. Eagles 2016 live stream: How to watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ online
The Giants are trying to clinch a playoff berth in a win over their NFC East rival.
This NFC East rivalry game can be seen on NBC and NFL Network, with a live stream available on Twitter and at NBC Sports.
The offensive line for the Eagles should get a big boost this week with the return of Lane Johnson, following a 10-game suspension for his second violation of using performance enhancing drugs. Head coach Doug Pederson did not mince words ahead of the lineman’s return, calling it a no-brainer to start Johnson with so many other injured or inexperienced players on the line.
This should be a huge help for rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, who has been rushed out of the pocket in what seems like almost every offensive snap. Aside from having a wide receiver corps that spent half the season dropping catchable passes, Wentz has been battling an offensive line that continues to fall apart within seconds after the snap. Johnson may have made a few enemies with his long suspension, but he could allow Wentz to have a bit more protection heading into the final two games of the year allowing for some momentum building production from the rookie.
The Giants boast one of the league’s best interior defenses with Johnathan Hankins and Damon Harrison wreaking havoc on quarterbacks and running backs alike. Running back Darron Sproles is expected to return for the Eagles from a concussion, which should help an injury-prone and young group of rushers. There have been a few bright spots for the run game this season in Philadelphia with rookie Wendell Smallwood and third-year tight end Trey Burton, who is quickly becoming the Eagles offensive Swiss Army Knife. Ryan Mathews had his best game of the season last week against Baltimore in a close one-point loss, rushing for 128 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown.
The Giants’ defense has taken a few hits the past couple of weeks, first with Jason Pierre-Paul ruled out the rest of the regular season, then with defensive back Janoris Jenkins leaving last week’s matchup after taking a knee to the back. Jenkins was evaluated specifically for a rib or spine injury, but later told Josina Anderson “I’m good. I’m fine.”
Jenkins will be critical for the team’s defense as they finish the season with two NFC East rivalry games, followed by a run at the playoffs. The Giants’ offense has been on an uptick, and could eliminate some of the pressure on an injured defense by having big games these last two weeks. Quarterback Eli Manning has 559 passing yards for six touchdowns and only two interceptions for a 94.9 rating in his past two games against Philadelphia. His favorite target, wideout Odell Beckham Jr., now has the most touchdown catches (35) since 2014 and is looking to extend that lead against the Eagles.
The last time these teams met was in early November, when the Giants snagged a 28-23 win. It was an offense-heavy game, with Eli Manning passing for 257 yards and four touchdowns — two of those to Beckham Jr.
How to watch
Time: 8:25 p.m. ET
Place: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
TV: NBC, NFL Network
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Heather Cox
Online: Twitter, NBC Sports Live
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