The City of Brotherly Love should love this victory.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants, 24-19, on Thursday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field, delaying a potential postseason berth for the road team.
The Giants (10-5) had a chance to clinch a playoff spot on Thursday, but instead their loss clinched the NFC East and No. 1 seed in the conference for the Dallas Cowboys (12-2).
Carson Wentz played well
Whether he was picking up yards with his legs or making plays with his arm, Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz played well against the Giants. Philadelphia had success on the ground, so the rookie quarterback used play-action passes to complement the Eagles’ rushing attack.
In fact, Wentz used a play-action pass to throw a 40-yard touchdown to receiver Nelson Agholor in the second quarter. That touchdown extended Philadelphia’s lead to 21-6.
Other than throwing an interception to Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie early in the second quarter, Wentz played mistake-free football.
However, in the third quarter, the rookie signal caller left the game after falling hard. Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon slammed Wentz to the ground after he released the ball.
Wentz’s head hit the ground, and Vernon was flagged for roughing the passer. The rookie quarterback left the game and went into the NFL’s concussion protocol. Backup quarterback Chase Daniels came in for Wentz, but the rookie quarterback returned in the fourth quarter.
Wentz finished the game with 152 passing yards to go along with a touchdown and an interception.
Eli Manning couldn’t avoid back-breaking turnovers
Giants quarterback Eli Manning had an up-and-down first half. With the Giants down 7-0 early in the first quarter, he threw an interception to Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, and the veteran safety returned it for a 34-yard touchdown.
Manning made some good and bad throws, and his receivers and tight ends dropped some of his passes. New York’s veteran quarterback couldn’t get the Giants into the end zone until late in the second quarter.
Manning orchestrated a 12-play, 84-yard drive and capped it off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Sterling Shepard. New York reduced the lead to 21-13.
Not much changed in the second half. Manning made some great throws, but he could not avoid committing back-breaking turnovers. Down 21-16 early in the fourth quarter, the veteran quarterback threw another interception to Jenkins.
With a 24-19 Eagles lead late in the fourth quarter, Manning tried to lead the Giants down the field for a game-winning touchdown but threw an interception to safety Terrence Brooks.
Manning finished the game with 356 passing yards to go along with one touchdown and three interceptions.
The Giants were effective on the ground
Throughout the entire season, New York struggled on the ground. It had to rely on Manning’s arm to gain yards. Coming into this game, the Giants were the 30th-ranked rushing offense in the league.
However, New York ran the ball well tonight. Running backs Rashad Jennings and rookie Paul Perkins combined for 112 rushing yards on 24 carries. The Giants offensive line also did a good job of carving out space for both running backs, too.
Eagles secondary had an up-and-down performance
Jenkins had a great game for the Eagles, catching two interceptions. In the early stages of the contest, the veteran safety shadowed Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and did a great job covering him, as well.
However, the other defensive backs for Philadelphia had a hard time making sure Beckham didn’t catch the ball. He turned short passes into long gains. If you aren’t convinced, look at this 33-yard gain:
The Eagles did a great job of limiting a lot of big plays from other Giants receivers, though. Beckham had 11 catches for 150 yards.
What’s next for both teams
Philadelphia will travel to Dallas for a Week 17 matchup against the Cowboys. The Eagles must continue to run the ball and complement it with play-action passes.
New York will travel for a Week 17 matchup against Washington. New York squandered an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot tonight, but it can still make the playoffs with a win against Washington or a loss or tie this weekend by the Lions, Packers, or Buccaneers, or a loss by the Falcons. Manning must avoid those back-breaking turnovers.
Source: SB Nation