PHILADELPHIA − The irony is the furthest thing from the Eagles’ minds heading into a regular-season finale that means everything for them, but nothing for their opponent, the Giants, who are locked into their No. 6 playoff seed.
The Eagles, for the third straight game, need a victory to clinch the NFC East and the top seed in the NFC playoffs, with the first-round bye that goes with it.
That’s because the Eagles (13-3) twice missed their chance as quarterback Jalen Hurts sat out with a sprained shoulder, replaced by Gardner Mishew, who played poorly in the 20-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Eagles scored a season-low in points and were shut out in the first half for the first time this season.
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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni wouldn’t say Monday if Hurts will play Sunday, or if he’ll be at full strength if he does play. Sirianni began his answer by saying a shoulder injury is different for a quarterback as opposed to another position because the QB has to be able to throw with accuracy and velocity, and he has to be able to take a hit.
At the same time, Hurts might be able to pass those tests with the shoulder not fully healed.
“I think it’ll be both,” Sirianni said. “One, where he’ll be healthy where we’re not putting him at risk, and two, he should be able to throw is the expectation.”
Either way, it would certainly benefit the Eagles if the Giants treat this game as meaningless by resting their starters or playing them sparingly.
Sure, beating the Giants under these circumstances might seem like a hollow victory for the Eagles. But the Eagles will have to play their starters because a loss coupled with a Cowboys win over the going-nowhere Commanders gives Dallas the NFC East title.
That would turn the Eagles into a wildcard team without a week off, and send them on the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I just want to make sure we’re improving as a football team,” Sirianni said when asked about needing momentum heading into the postseason. “You never want to take dips in your improvement. You want to continue to go at an upward level. So that’s what you want, and that’s what you’re trying to get out of this … We just want to go out there and play a good game (against the Giants), and play to our abilities and coach to our abilities.
“As far as momentum, I don’t really think about that stuff too much. I just want to go out and perform that day.”
The irony, of course, is that two years ago, the Eagles faced a meaningless regular-season finale against Washington, and they treated it as such by resting anyone they could, going so far as to pull Hurts in the fourth quarter with the Eagles trailing by three points.
The result for the Eagles was a loss and a better draft pick. But it also kept the Giants from winning the division and getting a playoff spot, much to the chagrin of former Giants coach Joe Judge, who said the Eagles “disrespected the game.”
In a sense, the Eagles could use the Giants doing the same thing.
Sirianni wasn’t the Eagles’ coach then. But last season, the Eagles were in the Giants’ current predicament where they had clinched a playoff spot in the penultimate game, then rested their starters before facing the Buccaneers on the road. They lost 31-15.
“I can’t anticipate the Giants (plans),” Sirianni said. “What went into it last year for us was … that was what was best for us as a football team with some of the bumps and bruises that we were dealing with at that time.”
Another bit of irony is the Eagles have the NFL’s best record, but they have to play their starters because they have some of those same bumps and bruises this year, and they could really use the bye week in the playoffs to further recover.
In addition to Hurts, right tackle Lane Johnson and cornerback Avonte Maddox missed the game against New Orleans. They’re not expected back until the playoffs. A bye week would certainly help them.
Also, defensive end Josh Sweat suffered a scary neck injury on Sunday and was transported to the hospital as a precaution. Sweat was released Sunday night, and Sirianni said he was “thankful” the injury wasn’t worse. But it’s not known when Sweat can return.
And safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is still on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney suffered Dec. 4 against Tennessee. Gardner-Johnson’s 21-day practice window hasn’t been opened yet, even though he’s eligible, an indication that he likely won’t return this week.
So an Eagles’ win Sunday is crucial. It is far from that for the Giants.
“We’re going to need a laser focus and for guys to lay it on the line (against the Giants) because this is the one,” Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick said. “In the regular season, this is now the biggest game of the year. We’ve got the playoffs, we know that. But as far as locking up that No. 1 seed and getting that first-week bye, then having everybody have to come through the Linc to play us, this next game is the most important one.”
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
