The Eagles are back to work following a bye week that benefited the team in several ways. Get the latest ahead of this Sunday's showdown with the Giants in our Morning Roundup presented by Microsoft.
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Was this the Eagles' biggest catch of the first half of the 2020 season? Running back Boston Scott's 18-yard touchdown reception proved to be the game-winner against the Giants. What's next for the Giant killer, who has five career touchdowns against New York?
1. A six-pack to start the week
Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro's latest On the Inside column looks at the state of the team coming out of the bye week and finishes with a quick preview of this week's opponent.
Finally, don't overlook the Giants. They are a much-improved team and have played hard for Head Coach Joe Judge. While they are only 2-7, the Giants have lost close games in the last several weeks – 17-9 to the Rams, 37-34 to Dallas, 22-21 to the Eagles, and 25-23 to Tampa Bay between wins over Washington. The defense is playing well. Quarterback Daniel Jones, hot and cold as young quarterbacks are, presents a dual threat. Even without star running back Saquon Barkley, the Giants are running the football. They stacked up 166 yards on 35 carries against a good Washington front. Defensively, the Giants shut down Washington on the ground and picked off quarterback Alex Smith three times. So, yeah, the Giants are coming. Tough game ahead on Sunday. Very tough.
2. A look at the Giants and the other remaining opponents
Here's a look at the final eight teams that the Eagles will face in the regular season:
• at New York Giants
Record: 2-7
Latest Result: Win over Washington, 23-20
Note: The Giants are 2-0 vs. Washington and 0-7 against everyone else.
• at Cleveland Browns
Record: 5-3
Latest Result: Lost to Las Vegas, 16-6, in Week 8
Note: Last chance for the Eagles to get a win against the AFC North.
• vs. Seattle Seahawks
Record: 6-2
Latest Result: Lost to Buffalo, 44-34
Note: The Seahawks have lost two of three and have two tough NFC West matchups before coming to Philadelphia for Monday Night Football.
• at Green Bay Packers
Record: 6-2
Latest Result: Win over San Francisco, 34-17
Note: This was a critical win for the Eagles last season. The Packers are proving that Head Coach Matt LaFleur's debut season was no fluke.
• vs. New Orleans Saints
Record: 6-2
Latest Result: Win over Tampa Bay, 38-3
Note: Sunday night's rout of the Bucs in prime time was a wake-up call to the league that the Saints are one of the NFL's elite teams.
• at Arizona Cardinals
Record: 5-3
Latest Result: Lost to Miami, 34-31
Note: Kyler Murray is the 2020 breakout second-year player at quarterback. The Cardinals are 2-0 against the NFC East with wins by 15 points (Washington) and 28 points (Dallas), respectively.
• at Dallas Cowboys
Record: 2-7
Latest Result: Lost to Pittsburgh, 24-19
Note: The Cowboys put up a gutsy effort against the undefeated Steelers.
• vs. Washington Football Team
Record: 2-6
Latest Result: Lost to New York Giants, 23-20
Note: Could this Week 17 clash be for the NFC East title?
3. Who is the offense's unsung hero?
The Eagles opened the 21-day practice window on Monday for guard Isaac Seumalo, meaning that the starter will return to the lineup very soon. If the Eagles can get Seumalo and tackle Lane Johnson back, the offensive line – a unit that's started seven different lineups in eight games – can hopefully provide some stability moving forward.
With that in mind, several players have stepped up in the first half of the season on offense, but who is the unsung hero? Travis Fulgham is the breakout player on offense, but don't think he qualifies as an unsung hero at this point. Here's five candidates:
• G Nate Herbig – The second-year player has started games at both guard spots and has played 100 percent of the snaps on offense this season.
• C Jason Kelce – Like Herbig, Kelce has played every snap on offense. He's the only projected Week 1 starter along the offensive line to play in each game. Don't take the All-Pro's presence for granted.
• T Jordan Mailata – Thrown into emergency starts at both right and left tackle, Mailata has established himself at no worse than a quality reserve swing tackle in his first NFL action.
• RB Boston Scott – Scott has filled in nicely with Miles Sanders missing three games due to injury. Scott had the game-winning catch against the Giants and rushed for a career-high 70 yards against the Cowboys.
• WR Greg Ward – Travis Fulgham has been the breakout player, but Greg Ward is a model of consistency with several clutch grabs (especially on third down) this season. He's built off the strong finish to 2019 with 32 catches (No. 1 on the team) for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
