Scouting the Eagles: Giants showed the way for Patriots to dominate Eagles

In the run-up to Super Bowl LII, I’ll be posting my game notes as I review Eagles film for a comprehensive scouting report at the end of the week. 

Previous installments:

NFC championship vs. Vikings
Divisional win vs. Falcons

Next up:

Week 15: Eagles 34, Giants 29

Gamebook

If there was a game that shows the Patriots exactly how they should play the Eagles on both sides of the ball, it's this one. Despite the Giants' lackluster season — Steve Spagnuolo had replaced Ben McAdoo as head coach — the performance was not a huge surprise because divisional opponents always know each other the best (think the Dolphins with New England). They've already played each other, and they know the players and schemes involved, so there's not a lot of wasted time just preparing for an opponent. They can get straight into game planning, and coming up with new wrinkles. The Giants really threw the Eagles — in Nick Foles' first start for an injured Carson Wentz — for a loop in this one and would have won this game if they weren't the 2017 Giants: a blocked field goal, blocked punt, and an interception led directly to 17 of the Eagles' points.

EAGLES DEFENSE

A few things jumped out but the biggest was that the Giants used a lot of tempo and the Eagles had a really tough time with it. The Giants ended up running 81 plays (a total the Patriots would be thrilled with) and by my count, 43 were done without a huddle. Not only was Eli Manning able to dink and dunk all day as the Eagles reverted to mostly zone coverage in the first half, but they were able to find some big-time openings in the zone, like on this 28-yard catch:



As a result, the Giants were going up and down the field as their line and pass rush was rendered useless with the quick tempo. New York raced out to a 20-7 lead, and by the end, the Eagles had given up season-highs in points (29), first downs (27), total yards (504), passing yards (429) and third-down conversions (10).

Right corner Ronald Darby continues to be a huge issue on most plays and he is especially susceptible to double moves, which the Patriots will definitely try with Brandin Cooks. That being said, Cooks has to be on point with his route running or Darby can make a game-changing play, like he did here with the Giants up 20-7:



Aggression is a theme throughout the Eagles' defense and it's a double-edged sword. It often helps, but it can also be used against the Eagles. Left corner Jalen Mills is the best of the Eagles' corners, but he too can bite on double moves:



With so many issues in the first half, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz decided to use more man coverage in the third quarter. But one of the problems with a zone team playing more man coverage suddenly is they can have trouble with rubs and jams. This is likely going to be in play in the Super Bowl because the word on the street is the Eagles will play more man coverage. Well, Darby is going to have to do better on jams than he did here, or Cooks is going to go to the house too:



And the Eagles better be ready for the rub routes the Patriots use, like the Giants did here for a long touchdown:



Fletcher Cox was a beast in this game, as he had two hits, a sack and was a force in the run game.

The Eagles used a lot of their big nickel defense with third safety Corey Graham, which I expect them to do against the Patriots. The Eagles are better when Graham is on the field.

With the Giants driving for a game-winning score, the Eagles reverted back to simple zone coverages and the Giants easily move the ball down in position to win the game. Manning didn't convert because the Giants weren't that good this season, but Tom Brady will. The Eagles can't play that passively down the stretch if the Patriots are attempting to come back.

EAGLES OFFENSE

Foles did a lot of good things in this game, but he struggled throwing the ball deep and outside the numbers. Expect the Patriots to make him have to prove he can do that.

Foles got some help in the running game, especially from center Jason Kelce, who showed off his athleticism and crushed fools going down the field:



It's going to be crucial to get Foles off his first read and hold the ball. He's so slow and deliberate outside of scheme that strip sacks could be huge in this game:



If there's one player the Patriots have to take away, it's TE Zach Ertz. It seems that Foles looks to him first on every third down. But sometimes the Eagles are just going to just have really nice design, like they did here when Foles had his choice of options:



LT Halapoulivaati Vaitai had a tough time holding off Olivier Vernon in this game. Bodes well for James Harrison.

LG Stefen Wisniewski continues to be a physical force in the running game. Between Wisniewski, Kelce and RG Brandon Brooks, the Eagles have three nasty guys in the middle of that line. Very physical with attitude.

The Giants failed where the Patriots won't: being disciplined with their eyes and technique. The Giants had the Eagles but let them off the hook, which is why they went 3-13 this season.