By Carey Iona (The Flyin Hawaiian)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For a team still wearing the Super Bowl crown, the Philadelphia Eagles are currently looking more like a pretender than a contender. Thursday night’s 34-17 dismantling at the hands of the New York Giants was not just a loss; it was a resounding echo of concern, handing the Eagles (4-2) their second consecutive defeat and exposing deep flaws on both sides of the ball.
The “Mini-Bye” cannot come soon enough for an Eagles squad that looked exhausted and outmatched by a Giants team (2-4) playing with desperation and buoyed by sensational rookie performances.
The main culprits for the Giants’ surprise victory were a pair of first-year players. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, making his third NFL start, dazzled the Eagles’ defense with his mobility and poise, throwing for 195 yards and a touchdown while adding 58 crucial yards and a score on the ground. Next to him, fourth-round running back Cam Skattebo was a bulldozer, finishing with 98 rushing yards and a hat-trick of goal-line touchdowns.
The Eagles’ defensive unit, playing without injured tackle Jalen Carter, had no answer for the duo. The Giants’ offense, which has struggled all year, converted a staggering 11 of 16 third-down attempts, consistently extending drives and chewing clock. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit gave up 172 rushing yards, the kind of ground dominance that simply cannot happen against a division rival.
On offense, the struggles of the past two weeks continued for quarterback Jalen Hurts and the retooled system under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. While Hurts threw for 283 yards and found a rhythm with tight end Dallas Goedert (9 catches, 110 yards, TD), the overall execution was lacking. The running game, once a hallmark of the team, managed just 58 yards, and key mistakes in the fourth quarter sealed Philadelphia’s fate.
Trailing 20-17 in the final quarter, a potential Eagles go-ahead drive was wiped out when Hurts’ pass intended for Jahan Dotson was intercepted by Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, who returned it 68 yards to set up a New York touchdown. Just plays later, a fumble by running back A.J. Dillon ended another drive, leading to the Giants’ final score.
“Bad ball. Bad ball,” Hurts admitted postgame regarding the interception. “I didn’t execute well enough situationally. I got to be better.”
While the infamous “Tush Push” remained perfect, converting four straight attempts for a Hurts touchdown in the second quarter, it was the only consistently successful play for an offense that went 1-of-9 on third down and failed to capitalize on opportunities.
The Eagles now enter their short break at 4-2, tied with Washington atop the NFC East, but their confidence and identity have been severely shaken. The two-game skid marks their first back-to-back losses since the end of the 2023 season. Head Coach Nick Sirianni’s message was simple, yet telling: “Get up. We’re going to take some time off and just get up and keep fighting. We’ve got a lot of things to fix.”
For the Eagles, fixing “a lot of things” is now the top priority, as the championship swagger has been replaced by mounting questions. They’ll have 10 days to find answers before a pivotal home game that will determine if this losing streak is a minor blip or the start of a season-defining collapse.
