While it's difficult to get an accurate read on any game that will be played in over two months from now, this game is even more difficult to assess than others on the schedule. The Giants will visit Lincoln Financial Field for the Eagles Home Opener. This is another important game for the Eagles, a team widely considered among national media to be the cellar-dwellers of the NFC East. Not only will the Eagles want to come out and make a statement in front of their home crowd, but they will also want to show that they are good enough to win games against division rivals, something that they were unsuccessful with in six tries last season.
The Eagles stayed close with the eventual NFC East Champions in 2005, even without Donovan McNabb, but went on to lose both contests. The Giants upgraded their defense significantly in the offseason, adding linebacker LaVar Arrington along with Sam Madison and Will Demps to an improving secondary. If the Eagles young offensive line is as good as advertised, they should be able to contain the talented Giant defensive ends. The Giants should defend the pass well this season, so if Andy Reid is true to his word and wants to run the ball more in 2006, than this would probably be the game to do it. I suspect they will find some balance and rhythm offensively, scoring in the area of 17-21 points.
On the other side of the ball, Eli Manning is not all the way there yet. Manning is both young and talented, but it's obvious that he is not quite as good as some "experts" make him out to be. This space wonders how much life is left in the aging legs of running back Tiki Barber, but the guess here is that this certainly won't be the season in which his play declines. Barber is still as explosive as ever and will figure to give the Eagles fits running the football. Jeremy Shockey obviously provides a viable threat in the middle of the field, but the key to this game is containing Barber. The Eagles will have to make Eli Manning beat them and with the Eagles deep and talented front four and playmaking secondary, I like their chances.
I will preface this prediction by saying that I feel the Eagles will ultimately go 3-3 against their division opponents this season, likely splitting the season series with each of the three teams in the division. In three years of play at Lincoln Financial Field, including postseason contests, the Eagles have compiled a 19-9 home record. Since this is another statement game for Philadelphia and because it is at home, I will go with the Eagles in this one.
Final Score: 21-20
Up next: 9/24 @ SF 49ers
About Me
- Bob Wankel
- My name is Bob Wankel. I'm a junior studying English and Education at Monmouth University. I have been published in southern New Jersey's "Courier-Post" and have done some work with NFL Films.