The New York Giants had received six-straight video games towards the No. 1 seed within the NFC playoffs. It’s a streak that clearly took years to construct, aided by the truth that the Giants had solely been within the playoffs twice within the final 11 years.
It took the Eagles about 5 minutes to snap that run into items Saturday night time at Lincoln Monetary Subject of their 38-7 demolition of the Giants within the NFC divisional spherical of the playoffs.
The Eagles now advance to the NFC championship for the primary time because the 2017 season and for the eighth time in franchise historical past, seventh since 2001, ready for the winner of the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.
This recreation was over earlier than it started. The Eagles took a 28-0 lead at halftime and had been by no means threatened (second largest halftime lead in franchise playoff historical past since they had been up 38-7 towards the Detroit Lions on Dec. 30, 1995). It evened the Eagles’ all-time playoff document at 24-24.
The Eagles’ group dashing complete of 268 yards is second in franchise playoff historical past behind the 274 yards dashing the Eagles amassed of their 14-0 victory within the 1949 NFL Championship over the Norm Van Brocklin and the Los Angeles Rams.
In his first NFL playoff victory, Jalen Hurts accomplished 16 of 24 for 154 yards and two touchdowns, whereas the Eagles’ protection stymied the recent hand of the Giants’ Daniel Jones, who was 15 for 27, for 135 yards and an interception.
There was a pile of excellent, some touches of dangerous and ugly right here and there, within the Eagles’ overpowering 38-7 rout of the New York Giants.
The Good
Proper sort out Lane Johnson, proper guard Isaac Seumalo, heart Jason Kelce, left guard Landon Dickerson and left sort out Jordan Mailata, and tight finish Dallas Goedert completely manhandling, controlling and steering the Giants’ defensive entrance into something they needed to do, to the tune of 416 complete yards, 268 approaching the bottom.
The Eagles first half: They took a 28-0 lead into halftime, with 18 first downs to the Giants’ three, outgained New York, 258-64, transformed six of seven third downs, scored on 4 of their six possessions, ran off 43 performs to the Giants’ 19, whereas Hurts was 12/17 for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for one more rating.
Defensive finish Josh Sweat’s eight-yard sack on a third-and-10 on the Giants’ 15 with 5:00 to play.
Security Reed Blankenship taking down Saquon Barkley for a four-yard loss on a first-and-10 on the Giants’ 25 on New York’s fourth possession.
On the Eagles’ fourth possession, Hurts going seven yards on a third-and-three to the Giants’ 13. It arrange Boston Scott’s three-yard landing for a 21-0 Eagles lead.
Working again Miles Sanders dashing for an amassed 43 yards within the Eagles’ fourth drive with the primary six performs. It arrange Scott’s second-quarter landing. Sanders completed with 90 yards.
Cornerback James Bradberry’s diving interception on the Giants’ second possession on the New York 46. Regrettably, the Eagles weren’t in a position to do something with the turnover. It was an important name by defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon sending C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a blitz, forcing Jones to make a untimely throw and Bradberry was there to leap the route. Bradberry made a pleasant cease on the Giants’ 15 on New York’s third possession, tackling Isaiah Hodgins for a three-yard achieve on a third-and-four.
A.J. Brown’s block on the Giants’ cornerback Adoree Jackson that freed up DeVonta Smith for a nine-yard landing and a 14-0 Eagles’ lead with 1:21 left within the first quarter. Hurts at the moment was 7-for-7 for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
Hurts displaying he was wonderful on a first-and-10 on the Giants’ 17, going 9 yards earlier than taken down. It proved he might take successful.
On the Eagles’ second possession, working again Kenneth Gainwell going 14 yards on a third-and-one on the Giants’ 43. Left sort out Jordan Mailata supplied an important block, closing off Giants’ linebacker Jarrad Davis from getting wherever. Gainwell later acquired a six-yard achieve on a third-and-one on the Giants’ 17 on the Eagles’ final possession of the half. He got here up with a tricky 12-yard run to the Giants’ 13 with 5:57 left to play that sealed the victory for the Eagles. Gainwell completed with 112 yards.
Linebacker Haason Reddick beating Giants’ proper sort out Evan Neal for a five-yard sack of Jones on the Eagles’ 40 on New York’s first possession. It’s the primary defensive play the Eagles had made as much as that time and was a serious momentum swing. Reddick ran a stunt the following play, swinging round and working by Giants’ heart Jon Feliciano to sack Jones for an eight-yard loss.
The Eagles opening drive. They made it look straightforward—and it set the tone for the sport. Hurts went 5-for-5 for 68 yards and a landing, whereas the Eagles confronted solely two third downs on the eight-play, 75-yard drive that absorbed 4 minutes, 54 seconds of the clock.
On third-and-five on the Giants’ 15 on the Eagles’ first possession, tight finish Dallas Goedert hauling in a Hurts’ go together with his left hand, taking full benefit of Giants’ security Xavier McKinney falling, for the primary rating of the sport. Goedert had probably his greatest all-around half of soccer as a professional, catching 4 passes on 4 targets for 35 yards and a landing, and making pancake blocks down subject on exterior runs by Gainwell and Sanders. Goedert completed with 5 receptions for 58 yards.
The Eagles changing their first third down, when Hurts hit A.J. Brown on the Giants’ 21 with a five-yard go on a third-and-three on the opening drive of the sport.
The second play of the sport, Hurts hitting Smith with a 40-yard go, beating Giants’ security Julian Love. It confirmed Hurts could not have been “hurting” as many within the media speculated previous to the sport. The play flipped the sphere, shifting the ball from the Eagles’ 27 to the Giants’ 33.
The Dangerous
Granted it was late, cornerback Darius Slay permitting a 17-yard completion on a fourth-and-16 with 4:17 left to play, when Jones hit Marcus Johnson on the Giants’ 34.
Up 28-7 and the sport properly in hand, why run Hurts on a third-and-two on the Eagles’ 38 with 11:13 left to play? Kayvon Thibodeaux wound up making the sort out, but it surely got here at a danger of placing Hurts on the market when it was not obligatory.
Security Reed Blankenship falling on third-and-four on the Giants’ 30 on a Jones-to-Richie James 12-yard completion on New York’s first possession. Blankenship acquired stung once more the following play, when Jones hit Lawrence Cager for a 16-yard achieve to the Eagles’ 42. In opposition to the Giants, the Eagles’ flawed security space was straightforward to cover. In opposition to the Dallas or San Francisco offense, it could possibly be a distinct story.
The Ugly
Defensive finish Josh Sweat being utterly fooled on the Matt Breida eight-yard landing round left finish. It was wildcat designed for Barkley to select, and as a substitute of conserving the ball, he handed it to Breida, catching Sweat, who was chargeable for the surface include, flatfooted as Breida ran proper by him.
On the Giants’ second drive of the second half, on a third-and-two on the New York 20, Barkley ripping off a 39-yard run to the Eagles’ 41. Linebacker T.J. Edwards stuffed the flawed hole. He got here capturing by the appropriate, when Barkley flew proper up the center untouched till he was 30 yards down subject. Security Marcus Epps took a nasty angle on Barkley, giving the Giants’ harmful working again much more yards. That play served because the catalyst for the Giants’ first rating of a recreation that the Eagles had been totally in control of.
On the Giants’ second possession, Jones seemingly having all day to hit Matt Breida with a 19-yard go to the Eagles’ 49. In case you watch a replay, you’ll see that Hasson Reddick by some means acquired knotted up with Giants’ proper sort out Evan Neal in a approach that’s positive to make everybody snort throughout the movie session this week, together with his helmet caught between Neal’s legs. Fortuitously for the Eagles, Jones tossed an interception to James Bradberry on the next play.
With the Eagles having an opportunity to go up 21-0 early, proper sort out Lane Johnson’s false begin on the Giants’ 44, making a third-and-eight right into a third-and-13 on the Giants’ 49 and forcing the Eagles to punt for the primary time. It was New York’s first cease and it gave the Giants some hope that they might cease the Eagles’ offense. That momentum rapidly deflated.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter primarily based within the Philadelphia space who has written function tales for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Day by day Information. In 2006, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a particular venture piece for ESPN.com referred to as “Love at First Beep.” He’s most famous for his award-winning ESPN.com function on highschool wrestler A.J. Detwiler in February 2006, which appeared on SportsCenter. In 2015, he was elected president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
