It was, to say the least, an unpleasant bus trip down the Jersey Turnpike from MetLife Stadium two Thursdays ago. The Eagles had taken it on the chin against the New York Giants, 34-17, and it just didn't feel good at all.

"A bad taste in my mouth, to say the least," safety Reed Blankenship said. "It was not a good feeling at all, especially after we lost just a few days before (at Lincoln Financial Field against Denver). That loss kind of compounded the feeling."

"They beat us, we didn't play well, and they deserved to win, and it sure was disappointing," edge player Joshua Uche said.

"Lousy, lousy night for us, and give credit to the Giants," left tackle Jordan Mailata said. "It sucked. I didn't do my job. I let us down. It was a crappy feeling coming home. It's personal for me. I hate that I played like [crap]. When I don't live up to my expectations for myself, that's when I get that feeling. It's more of a personal game for me."

Sunday's meeting against the Giants is the second time in three games the Eagles will face their NFC East rival from the North and there is no question New York's win in the nationally televised game resonates throughout the locker room at the NovaCare Complex.

Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart avoided the Eagles' pass rush and ran for 58 yards and a touchdown, threw for a touchdown, didn't turn the ball over. His energy and moxie translated to the entire team as running back Cam Skattebo bulled his way to 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns and the defense shut out the Eagles in the second half and created a key takeaway in the fourth quarter to end a Philadelphia drive.

It was, all agreed then and now, a lesson learned.

"Credit to them for the game they played, no doubt," wide receiver DeVonta Smith said. "The second time around, you want to switch up some of the things that you did – whether it's how you release from the line of scrimmage or do the things that you do whenever you line up. They watch our games. They study us, just like we study them.

"I'm excited about this game. I'm excited to see them again and play our best game and hopefully handle business this time."

This is a game that features rivals that know each other very well, of course. The Giants have been revitalized by the insertion of first-round pick Dart into the starting lineup – they are 2-2 with Dart operating the offense on a full-time basis – and the Eagles know just how slick and dangerous he can be.

"They use him well and take advantage of his ability to move and create," Uche said of Dart, who is coming of a big game against the Broncos in which a late-game interception marred a three-touchdown, 283-yard passing performance as Denver's 33 fourth-quarter points marred a terrific New York outing on the road. "You have to respect everything he does. He's a first-round pick for a reason."

Seeing the Giants so soon after the first meeting – the Eagles will face the same situation late in this 2025 campaign when they play at Washington in Week 16 and then host the Commanders to finish the regular season in Week 18, so it is something to handle.

This is different and tricky and no doubt emotionally charged.

"I would say the 'pro' is that you already know who they are. We played them on a short week the first time and a lot of the material that we studied was sped up. I'm sure we'll see some unscouted looks still," Blankenship said. "At the end of the day, they're going to do what they want to do and obviously they've got some playmakers on their side of the ball right now and they're playing confident football, so it's our job to put a stop to it."

The message this week for the Eagles? Mailata has one that the entire locker room feels.

"The message this week is, be physical," he said. "Let's be physical up front, both sides of the ball and dominate. That's the message."