| | | | | | | |  Friday, October 25, 2002
Giants hope to break loose
By Melissa Stark
Special to ABC Sports Online
Monday night's trip to Philadelphia is a make-or-break game for the Giants. In talking with Tiki Barber, he said that a Giants win would be the catalyst for the rest of their season.
The Giants-Eagles rivalry is as big as it gets. The Giants had won nine straight (including the playoffs) until the Eagles won both games last year by a combined four points. Andy Reid told me it was a big monkey off his back when they finally won last year. Jim Fassel said those two losses really got under his skin.
The Eagles come into Monday's game with a one-game lead over the Giants, but New York's offense is looking for a breakout game. The Giants only have two rushing touchdowns this season and are scoring just 14.3 points per game (only Dallas is worse in the NFC).
|  | | Tiki Barber has been held to 3.7 yards per carry this season. |
Barber said that a lot of it has been they are not running the ball in the red zone. Now that he says he is healthy again, he expects the offense to be more balanced. A healthy Jeremy Shockey gives them a different look in the red zone as well. But Shockey is still not fully ready because of turf toe. Fassel said he is going to be fine, but Shockey didn't return to practice until Thursday. When he was able to participate, he didn't look great. So even if he does play, it remains to be seen how effective he will be.
The biggest question mark for the Giants entering the season was their offensive line. With just two starters back from last year, Barber said they are improving each week, but they are still learning. The line will have to rise to the challenge this week. Philadelphia is second in the league with 22 sacks and 16 takeaways.
Darwin Walker, who leads the Eagles with 4.5 sacks, said the key for Philadelphia is getting pressure on Kerry Collins and playing sound defense.
Another obstacle for the Giants on Monday night is having to play at Veterans Stadium. The fans are tough. They are mean. The Eagles are 3-0 at home this season, and Michael Strahan told me that the difference between Philly fans and other fans around the league is that everywhere you go, fans put their thumbs down at you. In Philadelphia, they flip you the middle finger.
Whereas New York is struggling offensively, the Eagles are scoring 30.8 points per game, fifth best in the NFL and more than nine points per game than last year. Without question, the Eagles say the addition of Antonio Freeman has been the difference this year. It gives Donovan McNabb one more weapon to utilize.
In past years, everyone has called it the "Donovan McNabb Show" because he was 80 percent of the team's offense. But last week, the Eagles showed that Duce Staley is a weapon when he rushed for 152 yards against the Buccaneers.
Then there is James Thrash, who has historically killed the Giants. Last year, he had huge plays against Will Allen and Will Peterson (he finished with 13 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the two games). Add in Todd Pinkston and Freeman, and the Eagles three receivers have combined for 65 receptions 871 yards, and their nine touchdown receptions is tied for third best in the league.
McNabb's numbers are good, but he doesn't have to do it himself.
Nonetheless, Thrash told me the Eagles have to be careful. He said they can't turn the ball over, as the Giants pride themselves on ripping the ball away, and they must always know where Strahan is.
Strahan has sacked McNabb more than any other quarterback in the league, including a 3 ½ sack game last December. His matchup with Jon Runyan will be a fun one to watch. Strahan can't pinpoint one reason why he's been able to get to McNabb so much. He said maybe he's been lucky because he rates McNabb as the toughest quarterback to sack, but he also said if you put his mother back there, he'd hit her. That's how he approaches the game.
But it's not just McNabb anymore. Last year, you could say that, but now the Eagles are a more complete team. How New York is able to handle will likely determine if it can move into a tie with Philadelphia or will drop two games back in the NFC East.
Melissa Stark is Monday Night Football's sideline reporter and a regular contributor to ABC Sports Online.
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