EAGLES TROUNCE NFC EAST RIVAL GIANTS

The Philadelphia Eagles jumped out to a 30-7 halftime lead and went on to brutalize the visiting New York Giants, eventually winning by a final score of 40-17.  Donovan McNabb passed for 240 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the victory.  Since opening the season 5-0 the Giants have now lost three straight games as quarterback Eli Manning has struggled.  Against the Eagles, Manning had 222 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.  The Giants dropped to 5-3 on the year while Philadelphia improved to 5-2.

The Eagles also obliterated the NFL pointspread easily covering as -3 home favorites.  Each team has covered in all of their victories, leaving Philadelphia at 5-2 against the spread while the Giants are 5-3 versus the money.  The 57 combined points went OVER the posted total of 43’.  The Eagles have gone OVER in six of their seven games this year, while the Giants have gone OVER in five of eight with one push.

With the lead in the NFC East, McNabb suggested that his team’s biggest problem could become overconfidence:

"The challenges are everyone has a big head and bouncing around like it's going to happen every week.”

After the contest, Eagles’ coach Andy Reid made reference to the atmosphere in the city with his team winning and the Phillies in the World Series:

"What a great day in Philadelphia today. Two games against the same city team. It's a great atmosphere for the fans of Philadelphia."

In the losing locker room, Eli Manning was at a loss for why his team has all of a sudden found itself in freefall after an undefeated start to the NFL season:

"You don't expect it when you win five straight. You're feeling good, you're feeling great and then, to lose three in a row especially, you just don't feel like you're playing your best."

Head coach Tom Coughlin expressed his displeasure in the recent swoon but offered few explanations:

"That's not the kind of football we teach and that's not what we're all about, but there it was again.”

The Giants will try to get back in gear this Sunday as they host the San Diego Chargers at The Meadowlands.  New York is a -4’ home favorite with the total set at 47’.  After a bye week they’ll return to action at home against the Atlanta Falcons on November 22 before heading to Denver for a Thanksgiving night contest against the Broncos.  Philadelphia will host the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday with the Eagles installed as -3 home favorites and the total set at 47’.  They’ll then play back to back road games against San Diego and Chicago.