Even if the Giants had donned midnight green uniforms and pretended to flap their arms like wings, it wouldn’t have mirrored their actions on Thursday night quite as closely. Big Blue managed a surprising upset against the Eagles, rushing 39 times for 172 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-17 win. This victory came against a team known for dominating the line of scrimmage, a hallmark of their franchise and something that has typically favored them against the Giants for nearly a decade. The offensive line performed admirably, permitting only three hits on the quarterback.
Defensively, the Giants were effective as well, limiting former teammate Saquon Barkley to an average of just 2.7 yards on his last ten of twelve carries while generating 16 pressures, including three sacks, on Jalen Hurts.
“That’s how we want to play,” head coach Brian Daboll mentioned. “Physicality and control over the line of scrimmage—those are crucial in this game.”
We all know the Eagles intend to retire the jerseys of offensive linemen Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, as well as defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox, in the near future.
Historically, the Eagles have dominated this matchup, winning 14 of the last 17 meetings. They averaged 156 yards per game to the Giants’ 107 and created more pressure on quarterbacks with 47 total sacks compared to the Giants’ 41. Yet, in this single game, it seems the tides may be turning, hinting at a potential resurgence in the rivalry during the Jackson Dart and Cam Skatebo era.
While there were no excuses for the Eagles missing key players like defensive tackle Jalen Carter and left guard Landon Dickerson, it’s worth noting the Giants have faced their share of absences. Left tackle Andrew Thomas and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeau were previously sidelined, and center John Michael Schmitz Jr. exited the game due to a concussion.
“I’m grateful to the guys up front for all the effort they showed me and the team,” Scattebo commented after a strong game where he rushed for 98 yards and three short-yard touchdowns.
Skatebo also made history, becoming the first NFL player this season to have at least 18 carries in a game without a single rush going for zero or negative yards—he managed 47 yards against a defense tight with at least eight defenders, per NextGenStats.
Building from their previous struggles, the Giants showed red zone efficiency, with Skatebo scoring on all three of his pass attempts, along with Dart’s touchdown run within the 20-yard line.
“We’re developing this aspect of our game,” left guard John Runyan Jr. said. “We’ve always been able to move the ball, but getting over that hurdle consistently in the red zone has been the challenge. The offensive line has stepped up; everything fell into place.”
It’s clear that Thomas’ return to left tackle after missing 13 games has positively impacted the offensive line. Pro Football Focus noted he’s allowed just two pressures without any sacks over 130 pass-blocking snaps across four games.
“I think we’ve managed to protect our offense effectively,” right tackle Jermaine Elemunah noted. “But, Dart is exceptional at making plays happen.”
In a humorous exchange between Elemunah and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney, the importance of protecting Dart was underscored. Elemunah saw Dart take a hit and told Tierney, “Don’t let him run!” to which Tierney replied, “He wants to run!” It really captures the chaotic nature of the game.
Yet, there’s more depth to this story. A defensive veteran took two significant steps—imploring defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to adopt a more aggressive strategy while organizing meetings focused on details. This led to substantial improvements.
“As a rookie quarterback, having a defense like that making impactful plays is incredibly helpful,” Dart reflected.
The Giants’ defensive line, featuring Dexter Lawrence, Brian Barnes, Thibodeau, and Abdul-Carter, can finally contend against an Eagles line boasting three Pro Bowlers—Johnson, Dickerson, and Cam Jurgens—as well as underrated tackle Jordan Mailata.
It’s indeed curious how stopping the run has been a struggle for the Giants over the last couple of years, a challenge compounded by the recent return of defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who had missed three games due to injury.
In his first game back, after the Saints averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, Barkley found little success, managing only six out of twelve runs that went for a yard or less.
“We were aware of Saquon’s ability to make significant plays, so we wanted to manage him carefully,” Burns explained. “When we saw the opportunity to go after Hurts, we took it.”
