The New York Giants (4-10) travel to Philadelphia in Week 16 to take on the Eagles (7-7), who have a quick turnaround after facing the Washington Football Team on Tuesday night in a game postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Philadelphia has won four of its past five games, with the lone loss coming to the Giants in Week 12 at MetLife Stadium.
Coach Joe Judge addressed the media Wednesday morning before his team began on-field preparations for another NFC East matchup. Here is what you need to know:
🔹 Daniel Jones' season officially ended Monday when the Giants placed the third-year quarterback on injured reserve. Judge said he expects Jones, who had missed the last three games with a neck injury, to continue what he has been doing in terms of helping out his teammates behind the scenes while also getting in his rehab and conditioning.
🔹 With Jones officially done for the year, the Giants have a decision to make between Mike Glennon and Jake Fromm. Glennon started the previous three games, and Fromm made his NFL debut in the closing minutes of Sunday's loss to the Cowboys. Judge said an announcement probably won't come until later in the week.
🔹 Judge noted there is a "drastic difference" between starting at quarterback in the NFL and coming in at the end of a game.
🔹 The Giants plan to build some things into practice this week – including "good on good" drills between the offense and defense – to aid their decision. They want to get a "good snapshot of everyone involved."
🔹 Judge gave his usual Wednesday scouting report of the upcoming opponent. Of course, it all stats with the run for the Eagles, who are the first team to rush for at least 175 yards in seven consecutive games since the 1985 Bears (also a first in Eagles franchise history). The Eagles ran for 208 yards against the Giants four weeks ago, but Big Blue forced four turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble) to win the game 13-7.
🔹 Judge said the run game does not take away from what Jalen Hurts can do through the air. Hurts averaged 11.38 yards per pass attempt on Tuesday night against Washington, the highest average in his 17 career starts. Meanwhile, tight end Dallas Goedert is coming off a career-high 135 yards receiving.
🔹 Defensively, it starts up front for the Eagles, Judge said. Their front creates opportunities for the defensive backs to make plays. Overall, the Eagles are "hitting their stride" as they have given up an average of just 17.6 points over their past seven games.
🔹 Like several teams around the league, the Giants dealt with a significant number of players in COVID-19 protocols. Judge said there was not much new to report on that front as of Wednesday morning. Defensive back Keion Crossen was added to the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday.
🔹 Rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney has an opportunity to get back in the building tomorrow after spending last week on the COVID list, but they also have to check on how he is doing with his oblique injury. "That was something he aggravated, an injury back in the Tampa game," Judge said. "It's something he was dealing with. It obviously restricts someone at his position. We haven't seen him for over a week now, so we'll have to see where he is physically when he comes back."
Judge added, "There are a lot of things that are really outside of his control. What I've been pleased with him is when he's been in the building with us, when he's been healthy and present, he's really done a really good job. When he's been removed for different reasons – obviously, he's dealing with COVID right now – he's done a good job staying engaged in meetings. One thing that's really a strength of his is he's very, very intelligent. He has the flexibility to play a lot of different positions. He really learns the entire offense conceptually and it gives him flexibility within it to play in different spots, which really with his skillset, that's something you look to do is build him in for matchups in different places. I'm really pleased with the way he's worked. Obviously, there have been some setbacks."
🔹 Rookie running back Gary Brightwell, who left Sunday's game with a neck injury, will be limited with the trainers on Wednesday. They will see how he progresses and hope to get him on the field in some capacity on Thursday.
🔹 On the schedule for the week, Judge said, "Actually, timing-wise, it's worked out really well. With Christmas being on Saturday, it really is just going to lay out as a normal Wednesday, Thursday, Friday for us. Friday's obviously Christmas Eve and then on Saturday, we'll travel. What we'll do is we'll give the players the morning, we'll come in here in the afternoon and we'll have our normal Saturday day-of meetings, but we'll make sure that everybody who has family in town or children, whatever it may be, that they have time to see them and spend Christmas morning with their family."
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