The NFC East took center stage in the NFL's final game of Week 6, and it wasn't exactly must-see TV.
"Monday Night Football" viewers watched the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles combine for seven turnovers and 21 penalties in a contest that began as cleanly as you could draw it up for Big Blue. But after Eli Manning completed his first 10 passes, including a 13-yard touchdown to Odell Beckham Jr. on the opening drive, the Giants failed to move the ball again and fell, 27-7, to their divisional rival.
Both teams now stand at 3-3 for the season and lead the Cowboys (2-3) and Redskins (2-4) in the NFC East race. With that, here's what experts and analysts around the NFL are saying about Big Blue:
"They got manhandled up front. There's no other way to look at it. They could not block Philadelphia. Their receivers looked like they hadn't practiced all week. Short week, they've got to pull themselves together. They're on the mat right now."
"Still so much about the Eagles that is uncertain—such as, is Sam Bradford ever going to show franchise-QB form? Philly has won three of four, but the Monday-nighter over the Giants was one of the ugliest games and least satisfying wins in this long rivalry.
"Went to bed after the 19th penalty, with the Eagles up 24-7 and about a minute left in the third quarter. What'd I miss? Any competence in the fourth quarter, on either side?"
"If you can rush Eli Manning, you can beat him. That was true in Manning's rookie season of 2004, and it's true today. Manning had thrown just two interceptions in his first five games before matching that total here, but as previously discussed, he was living on borrowed time against the 49ers, and he had to pay the price in this game."
"The penalties and the turnovers kept coming, the yards and points stopped, the Eagles scored 27 points in a row and, when the smoke cleared, the Giants' three-game winning streak had ended with a 27-7 loss to their division rivals on the other end of the New Jersey Turnpike."
"On the bright side, we have a tight race in the NFL's most storied division and nobody tried a fake punt Monday night. But the bright light that shines on the NFC East exposed a blooper reel in the Philadelphia Eagles' 27-7 victory over the New York Giants that could be presented to the Dallas Cowboys - the only real victors from this game -- as an early Christmas gift."
"The Eagles and Giants were supposed to match the fireworks of the new "Star Wars" trailer on Monday night. Instead they played a football game better suited for 1977, a sloppy, unsightly, turnover-filled battle in prime time. Ultimately the Eagles came out on top 27-7, but they shouldn't feel much better about themselves for it. But you know what? Philly is sitting in first place of the NFC East now."
