New York Post, Sunday, November 15, 2020
nypost.com
1
MARQUEE MATCHUP
Eagles’deeppa ssinggamevs.Giants’secondary
Not allowing completionsover the top of their
defensewas a Giants strength.Wasa Giants
strength. Lastweek, they allowed pass plays
of 68 and 45yards vs. Washington. Three
weeks ago against the Eagles, John
Hightower brok e free for 59
yards, Travis Fulgham (right)
had a 40-yard catch and
tight end Richard Rodgers
hurt the Giants witha 30-yard
reception.A possiblereturn
of Alshon Jeffrey adds to the
Eagles’weaponry. CB James
Bradberry does not let the
ball getover his head, but
the other starting cornerback
spot has beena season-long
problem. Isaac Yiadom has
struggled and could be out
witha calf issue.4 DOWNS
Schwartz’skeys
tothe game:PAUL SCHWARTZ’S BIG BLUE PLAYBOOK
It was one of those
comments that actually
soundeda bit funny.
It came inresponse
to a question about the
progress made along the
Giants’ offensive line. But
it had broader implications that apply to
the entire team.
Why so much better now thana month
or two ago?
“It’s nice when everyone knows what
they’re doing,’’veteran guard Kevin Zeitler
said. “It speeds up communication, it
speeds up the process and helps the
whole team in general.’’
Yes, indeed, it is always beneficial when
players know what they are doing.
This is the course first-year head
coach Joe Judge set for the Giants. He
fullyrealized all the changes made on
offense, defense and special teams,
new personnel, an injection ofyouth, a
disjointed andremote spring as COVID-19
took hold, no on-fieldwork, no preseason
games,a slow ramp-up toa semblance
of normalcy in training campwould all
conspire against early success. Judge
never used any of this as an excuse, but he
did acknowledge there would bea feeling-
out process thatwas unavoidable and
hoped more thana sprinkling of winning
could come during the growing pains.
As it turned out, there was too much
pain amid the growing, as the Giants lost
their first five games and seven of their
first eight, the majority of the lossesexcruciatingly close and agonizingly
late. Onlya hater will deny the Giants are
making strides, but the only thing Judge
has to show as proof ofresults are two
victoriesover Washington.
“I feelwe’re getting closer and closer to
whatwe want to be asa team,’’ Judge said.
“I thinkwe’re improving everywe ek andI
see that, the players see that whenwe turn
on the tape.
“We’re also very transparent andvery
blunt about whatwe have to correct and
make sure we get better ona weekly
basis. DoI thinkwe are a different team?
I thinkwe’re an improving team.I see
strides made with all the players ona
weekly basis.’’
What comes next is the perfect marker
for the Giants. Threeweeks ago, theywere
ahead 21-10 midway through the fourth
quarter in Philadelphia, and they couldn't
hold on, losing 22-21. The Giants do not have
to bea different team to flip the outcome.
They do, however, ha ve to be an improved
team, especially with the Eagles— so injury
depletedback on Oct. 22— much healthier,
and rested, coming off theirbye.
The Giants did not play a complete game
last week as they held offWashington,
23-20.At 2-7, they can, witha win Sunday
at empty MetLife Stadium, pull withina
half-game of the first-place Eagles (3-4-1)
in thewoeful NFC East. If that happens,
the Giants will enter their long-awaited
bye week having tangible evidence that
they are an improved operation..
[email protected]Big Blue need to be one
point better this time
GIANTSGAMEDAY
WEEK 10:VS. EAGLES
1 P.M. | TV: FO X | RADIO: WFAN (101.9 FM, 660 AM)| LINE: GIANTS +4| O/U: 44.5
BATMAN:DalvinTomlinsonis
picking an opportune time to have
his best season. The four-year
veteran defensive tackle isa team
captain,a quiet leader and has
a knack for getting his hands on
the ball. He hasa career-high four
battedpasses this season and has
an awareness to
disruptpassing
lanes when he
cannot getto the quarterback.
“A big thing fora defensive
lineman,you want to affect
the quarterback in all phases,’’
Tomlinson said. “I just make sure
I put a key emphasis onbatting
downpasses or gettingmy hands
up because that’s just as effective
as a sack ora [tackle for
loss] and things like that,
because it gets in their
heada little bit.’’PAUL’S PICK
Eagles are healthier than
the first time around, and
also well-rested. They can
smell the NFC East title.
This endsa long pre-bye
stretch for the Giants,
who are playing much
better but almost never
score enough points.You
confident Daniel Jones
can go another game
withouta turnover
and that this offensive
line is truly improve d?EAGLES 27,
GIANTS 16
272727 ,,
16
APSte Serb
Getty Images; Joseph E. Amaturo; Corey SipkinDaniel
Jones
Evan
Engram