Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will try to lead the New York Giants to their first sweep of the rival Eagles since the 2007 season when they travel to Philadelphia on Sunday.
Since that season, when Dart was only 4 years old, the Giants have won the first leg of this NFC East derby on four occasions (2008, 2011, 2016 and 2021) but settled for a split each time.
“I can’t wait to go out there and compete and kind of just feel the hostility in the air,” Dart, who played at Ole Miss, said on Wednesday. “The rivalry between the two organizations — it’s going to be really cool. I kind of compare it to an SEC rivalry, so I’m really excited for the atmosphere. I know it’s going to be intense, but just excited for it.”
In Week 6, Dart had a passing and a rushing touchdown and fellow rookie Cam Skattebo ran for three scores in New York’s 34-17 Thursday night victory against Philadelphia in East Rutherford, N.J.
Two weeks later, however, the Giants (2-5) are coming off a historic collapse at Denver while the Eagles (5-2) are back home after their best offensive performance of the season at Minnesota.
Dart accounted for four scores (three passing, one rushing) in the loss to the Broncos. The first-round draft pick also threw his third interception of the season during a disastrous fourth quarter as Denver flipped a 19-0 deficit into an improbable 33-32 win.
Giants coach Brian Daboll said Dart hasn’t lost any confidence heading into his second showdown with the defending Super Bowl champions.
“Jaxson’s played a good amount of football in his career,” Daboll said on Wednesday. “These last four weeks, he’s got a routine down, and we do everything we can do to get him ready to play.”
One major difference in the rematch will be the presence of Jalen Carter, Philadelphia’s disruptive defensive tackle who missed the first meeting with a heel injury.
Carter returned last week and made a key play in the 28-22 win against the Vikings, applying pressure against Carson Wentz that led to a pick-six by Jalyx Hunt.
“The whole key to the play was Jalen Carter,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Tuesday. “He beat the center quickly, got into the quarterback’s face, hit him just like we teach him to hit him, and caused the interception and Jalyx made a great catch.”
Hunt’s touchdown helped Philadelphia jump out to a 21-9 lead before hanging on to win in Minneapolis. The Eagles got a perfect performance (158.3 rating) from quarterback Jalen Hurts and a combined 304 receiving yards and three scores from DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown.
For the fifth time this season, the Eagles did not commit a turnover. Two of their three giveaways came against the Giants, including Hurts’ lone interception in his last 13 regular-season games.
Saquon Barkley is still looking for a breakout. After gaining 44 yards on 18 carries against Minnesota, he ranked 23rd in the NFL entering Week 8 with 369 rushing yards.
Coach Nick Sirianni said the Eagles aren’t thinking about payback on Sunday.
“If we’re getting up more for one game than the other then we’re not doing our jobs on a consistent basis,” he said. “… Business as usual.”
Brown (hamstring), center Cam Jurgens (knee), cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (concussion), linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (ankle) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice for Philadelphia.
Four players did not practice Wednesday for the Giants: outside linebacker Brian Burns (hip), safety Jevon Holland (knee), cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck).
