EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. − The Eagles were well on their way to clinching a playoff spot with an early 21-0 lead over the Giants.
The Eagles had two clinching scenarios, but the easiest was with a win or tie over the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Miles Sanders scored from 3 yards out on the first drive, then Jalen Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for 41 yards, connecting on a 4th-and-7. Hurts and A.J. Brown hooked up from 33 yards, coming on the first play after Giants punter Jamie Gillan was called for an illegal kick.
The Giants were punting with the line of scrimmage their 43 when Gillan dropped the ball on his approach. He then kicked the ball after it bounced, making it an illegal kick. The Eagles took over at the Giants’ 33, and Hurts immediately went to Brown for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
Then the Giants benefitted from the Eagles’ punting unit as a punt block enabled them to take over at the Eagles’ 15. Daniel Jones then completed a 2-yard TD pass to Isaiah Hodgins with 2:57 remaining.
But the Eagles answered with a 29-yard field goal from Jake Elliott with 58 seconds left.
Hurts was 17 of 24 for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half.
If the Eagles don’t hold on, they can still clinch a playoff spot with losses by both the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks are playing host to the Carolina Panthers, while the 49ers play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both games start at 4:25 p.m.
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No doubt, the Eagles would rather get in with a victory. That would give the Eagles a 12-1 record and thus help their chances to wrap up the NFC East title, not to mention the top seed in the NFC, when they play the Dallas Cowboys (9-3) on Dec. 24.
Weird punt plays
The punting unit Eagles benefitted from a punt play that doesn’t happen often, and the Giants benefitted from blocking Arryn Siposs’ punt.
Midway through the second quarter, the Giants were punting from their 43. But they were called for an illegal kick as Gillan dropped the ball as he was kicking, then kicked it on the bounce. The 10-yard penalty gave the Eagles the ball at the Giants’ 33.
They scored on the next play.
Then it was the Eagles’ turn. Punting out of his end zone, the Giants’ Elerson Smith blocked it. Siposs picked up the deflection and started running. He was pushed out of bounds at the 15, where the Giants took over. Siposs hurt his leg on the play and was helped off the field.
Siposs is also the holder on field goals. Wide receiver Britain Covey filled in that role on Elliott’s field-goal late in the first half. It’s believed that Elliott would serve as the punter.
The Giants proceeded to score their first touchdown of the game with 2:57 left.
Eagles take early lead on short passes
The Eagles used a ball-control offense, but with the pass, as they took an early 7-0 lead, using up 8 minutes, 4 seconds of the first quarter. Jalen Hurts attempted 10 passes, completing 9, bunt none went for more than 13 yards. Grant Calcaterra, who had 2 catches all season, caught 2 of the passes, for 23 yards.
The Eagles tried just four running plays, with Miles Sanders capping the drive with his 3-yard TD run.
Big chance for Brightwell
The Giants determined before the game that star running back Saquon Barkley would play through his neck injury. But it became clear early on that Barkley wasn’t going to get his usual workload, and that benefited Gary Brightwell, who starred at St. Georges in Delaware.
Brightwell was already the Giants’ kick returner. But he was also the running back on the Giants’ second series. His first carry went for 14 yards and his next went for 3. Brightwell came into the game with 9 carries for 50 yards. Barkley got some chances as well. He came into the game second in the NFL in carries with 242.
Brightwell is one of two Delaware high school players on the Giants. The other, wide receiver David Sills from Red Lion Christian, was not on the game-day roster.
Eagles inactives, and Giants star playing
CB Avonte Maddox is making his return after missing the previous four games with a hamstring injury. Maddox was activated off of injured reserve Saturday. LB Christian Elliss received a practice-squad elevation for the second straight week. Elliss was used on special teams.
The Eagles’ inactives are QB Ian Book, RB Trey Sermon, LB Shaun Bradley, DE Janarius Robinson, G Josh Sills, G Sua Opeta.
For the Giants, RB Saquon Barkley (neck) is playing, but DE Leonard Williams is not. Williams (knee) was listed as doubtful.
Miracle at the Meadowlands memory
The Eagles have had some memorable late-season games since MetLife Stadium opened in 2010, none more so than the Miracle of the Meadowlands Part II game later that year on Dec. 19.
The Eagles trailed 31-10 with less than 10 minutes remaining when they scored three touchdowns to tie the game. They won it on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return as time expired. On the punt return, Jackson at first fumbled the ball, picked it up, then burst down the right sideline before cutting all the way across the field as time expired.
The Eagles have two players remaining from that game − one from each team − although neither played in defensive end Brandon Graham and defensive tackle Linval Joseph.
Joseph was the Giants’ second-round pick that year, but he was inactive for the game. Still, he remembers it well.
“DeSean Jackson, he fumbled the ball, picked it up, ran it in and celebrated − and crushed our season,” Joseph said. “Our season was over after that play. It was just one of those years.”
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
