The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Eagles-Giants preview: Five things to watch – PhillyVoice
One of the big stories heading into this matchup from a drama perspective will be Barkley’s return to MetLife Stadium, where he played for the Giants for the first six years of his career, and where there will be a whole lot of Giants fans who remain bitter toward him for signing in free agency with arguably their most hated rival. Barkley was bottled up in Week 6 against the Browns, but he is still ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards per game (96.4), and he is still averaging 5.3 yards per carry.In each of the last three full seasons during the Joe Schoen / Brian Daboll era, the Giants’ run defense has been trash. In 2024, the Giants are allowing 116.3 rushing yards per game, which is 15th best in the NFL. Progress! Well, sort of. They’re still allowing 5.24 yards per carry, which is second-worst. They’ve simply played four of the top seven most pass-happy teams in the NFL in the Seahawks (1), Cowboys (2), Browns (5), and Bengals (7). […] In conclusion, the Eagles should run the ball.

NFL Week 7 picks, schedule, odds, injuries, fantasy tips – ESPN
Giants storyline to watch: The Giants’ run defense has been a problem this season, allowing 5.2 yards per carry. Only the Bills have allowed more (5.3). Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen noted that with Barkley it’s about avoiding the home run. They’ll have their work cut out for them in this revenge game.

Eagles at Giants Game Preview: 5 questions and answers with the enemy – BGN
1 – Might as well get the obligatory Saquon Barkley question out of the way. Do you still think the Giants made the right call not to re-sign him? And are you more annoyed or more indifferent when it comes to how he’s played well for the Eagles? […] Yes, I think the Giants made the right call. There was always the possibility that in the short term Barkley would play really well and make the Giants look bad, and he’s playing well right now. Statistically, the Giants have gotten enough RB production that it hasn’t really mattered. The Giants used the Barkley money to sign two offensive linemen, and the line has been improved. Now with Andrew Thomas out for the year that will probably change. Also, rookie RB Tyrone Tracy has looked like a player who could turn out to be very good.Personally, I am indifferent. I know that isn’t true of everyone. And I know Giants co-owner John Mara will be breathing fire if Barkley has a big day in an Eagles victory on Sunday.

Giants-Eagles Week 7 staff picks, predictions: Does anyone believe the Giants can win? – Big Blue View
I have said for years that I stink at picking games, and I’m proving it this year. I haven’t gotten a Giants game right yet. So, what the heck! Since I also hate weeks when all six BBV writers pick the game the same way I am going to swim against the tide. Do I actually believe the Giants are going to defeat the Eagles on Sunday? I certainly believe they can. Then again, I thought the Giants could beat the Vikings, Commanders, Cowboys, and Bengals. And, they probably should have won a couple of those game. But, they won none of them. The Eagles have a big reputation, but are not a great team. The Giants are 2-4, but are not a terrible team. Can the Giants contain Saquon Barkley? Can they overcome the loss of Andrew Thomas? Can they force a couple of Philadelphia turnovers? Can Daniel Jones play well in front of Giants fans for a change? Can the Giants, 0-3 at MetLife Stadium, actually win a home game? I don’t know the answer to any of these questions. I’m going out on a limb, anyway. Pick: Giants.

Giants Eagles Crossover Preview | Valentine’s Views w/Brandon Lee Gowton – YouTube
I sat down with BBV’s Ed Valentine to talk about this week’s Eagles-Giants game.

Week 7 NFL picks: Who wins in London? Chiefs or 49ers in Super Bowl rematch? First loss for Vikings? – NFL.com
Why Tom picked the Eagles: Philadelphia has been confounding from a picks perspective. Even with a potent offense and talented defense, the Eagles tend to play at the level of whomever is on the other sideline, based on their slim advantage in yards gained (+25 per game) and disadvantage in points scored (-1.2 per game). It makes sense that they are just above .500 (and my personal record in their games is just below that mark, at 2-3). So why not give the scrappy Giants, who boast similarly narrow margins (+5.3 yards and -4.2 points per game), a chance to steal one from their divisional rivals at home? Simple: The Eagles have seduced me with their star power yet again. New York can play tough, but even if Malik Nabers returns to action, I just have faith that Philly’s collection of studs will overwhelm Big Blue. DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown are both healthy, and Saquon Barkley will surely be motivated to rack up the counting stats in his return to MetLife Stadium, especially against the Giants’ tough front.

Can the Eagles slow down the Giants’ top-ranked pass rush? – NBCSP
Remember how the Eagles’ pass rush was so devastating in 2022 because you never knew where the pressure was coming from? It could be Brandon Graham. Could be Josh Sweat. Could be Javon Hargrave or Haason Reddick. The 2022 Eagles remain the only team in NFL history that had four guys with double-digit sacks. And a fifth – Fletcher Cox – with seven. That team also happened to go 14-3 with the No. 2 defense in the league and went to the Super Bowl. Fast forward to the 2024 Giants. They’re not going to the Super Bowl, but they do lead the league with 26 sacks, and they’re sacking quarterbacks on an astounding 14.1 percent of their pass plays. Over a full year, that would be the highest by any NFL team since the Vikings’ 14.6 percent sack rate back in 1989 with Chris Doleman and Keith Millard. They’re the only NFL team that already has four guys with at least three sacks – edge Brian Burns, interior lineman Dexter Lawrence, rotational edge Azeez Ojulari and safety Jason Pinnock. (The Eagles have nobody with three sacks, for what it’s worth).

NFL Week 7 Preview: Schedule, storylines and matchups to watch – PFF
Storyline of the game: NFC East division rivals square off. Just as the Giants were expected to get back a key player this week in WR Malik Nabers, they received the news that they’d have to navigate without their starting LT Andrew Thomas, who was lost for the year. That’s an unfortunate development for a team looking to turn around an 0-3 record at home this season. Oddly enough, the Eagles find themselves in a similar situation, having just gotten back WR A.J. Brown just to lose LT Jordan Mailata for multiple weeks. This may prove to be a back-breaking loss given Jalen Hurts’ struggles against pressure this season, having earned just a 27.8 passing grade under pressure — which sits in the 12th percentile.

Still Learning – Iggles Blitz
The current team is a mystery to me. We’ve seen some really good stretches, but also some key mistakes. Can they build on the good stuff and eliminate the issues? It certainly is possible. There is enough talent that this team can get hot and go on a good run like that 2006 team. At the same time, there are some weird vibes with this team and things could go south. Nick Sirianni needs to push the right buttons. Key players need to make big plays. The defense needs to come up with more takeaways. The coordinators need to have better answers when things aren’t going well. The Eagles take on the Giants on Sunday. They need to win that game. They also need to play well. That doesn’t necessarily mean winning by 10 points or something like that, but they need to make more plays than mistakes. I still think this team has a lot of potential, but we need to see more production. At some point potential becomes a bad word. A college coach famously told one of his players “Son, your potential is going to get me fired.”

Grant Calcaterra: ‘I always try to be ready whenever my numbers called’ – PE.com
Grant Calcaterra is five games into his third year in the NFL, relishing his role to be ready whenever the team will need him – but he hasn’t had the most traditional route when it comes to playing football. After beginning his collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma and playing the 2019 season with Jalen Hurts, Calcaterra briefly retired from football after multiple head injuries. During his time away from the game, the Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, native decided to pursue a career as a firefighter while working in construction and attending Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes before getting a job. One day before Calcaterra was set to begin his new career as an EMT, he decided to return to the sport he loved after consulting with doctors that gave him the green light.

Eagles’ James Bradberry doesn’t have a time frame for return from his leg injury suffered 7 weeks ago – Inquirer
Regardless, Bradberry said he’s still trying to be a supportive teammate off the field. He likened his current role to that of a “player-coach” as he serves as a mentor to the young defensive backs. The group helps Bradberry keep his “head in the game” while watching film. Any time he sees something for them to correct in their technique, he gives them pointers. “Most of the guys that I was around when I was young, they were willing to help me out and willing to share advice,” Bradberry said. “So I try to do the same thing, ’cause that’s the nature of the game. It’s a young man’s sport, and you want to pass that knowledge forward so that they can play well, and that, hopefully, they can get to their second contract and then they can pass it on down to the next generation.”

Can Washington keep the Carolina Panthers run game under wraps? – Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders host the Carolina Panthers in their week seven matchup and are looking to improve to 5-2 following a tough loss against the Baltimore Ravens. We previewed the matchup against the Carolina Panthers in the latest Trap or Dive episode. One of the biggest questions heading into the game revolves around the defense’s ability to overcome its losses at the defensive line and control the line of scrimmage. The Carolina Panthers come into the game with one win on the year, but the team’s strength is undoubtedly in their offensive line, and rightfully so. The Panthers boast one of the lowest pressure and sack rates in the NFL, but they also have one of the better yards per-carry averages in the league. Carolina comes into this week’s matchup averaging 130 rushing yards per game over its last four games. This presents another opportunity for the Commanders’ defense to find answers to stopping the run.

3 things we have learned about the Cowboys during the first six games – Blogging The Boys

Both lines of scrimmage have to improve immediately. In football, it starts in the trenches. The Cowboys are failing miserably in both areas. Dallas is dead last in yards per game and yards per attempt when it comes to running the football. Everyone is having their struggles, especially when it comes to combo blocks and getting to the second level. The offensive line is having a hard time finding some semblance of continuity, and that needs to change before Prescott gets beaten to a pulp. The defensive line is battered with injuries. However, they weren’t good even when they were healthy. Dallas is allowing 143.2 yards per game on the ground. That allows teams to control the clock and wear the Cowboys out defensively and keep the offense on the sidelines. Dallas has to find a way to get the trenches figured out.

The Dallas Cowboys aren’t good enough to even be pretenders – SB Nation
Dallas’ offense ranks a pedestrian 25th in EPA/play, below the New York Giants and a far cry from perennial top 10 rankings in previous seasons. Only the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots have a worse red zone touchdown percentage. Their EPA/dropback is worse than the “sim to end” sadness that is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Newly minted $60 million/year quarterback and 2023 MVP runner-up Dak Prescott is tied with Daniel Jones for 23rd in EPA/play. He’s on pace for his worst completion percentage and adjusted net yards per attempt since his second season. Brandin Cooks’ knee infection means there is little depth at wide receiver outside of CeeDee Lamb. Ezekiel Elliott was brought back for… vibes? Nostalgia? It couldn’t have been to improve the rushing offense. In 38 carries, his longest gain is 9 yards and he only has 6 rushing first downs. Rico Dowdle is the new RB1 following the departure of Tony Pollard, and he leads a Cowboys rushing “attack” that’s 28th in success rate and last in total yards and yards per carry. What was once a great Dallas offensive line is experiencing life without Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz; it’s been mediocre at best with rookies Tyler Guyton (who was benched for the Lions game), Cooper Beebe, and second-year player Tyler Smith as starters.