Another ugly defeat: Philadelphia Eagles end regular season with loss vs. New York Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and a host of injured, ineffective Eagles can only hope they bottomed out Sunday night — a 1-5 finish headed into the postseason that could spark an offseason of upheaval — in a 27-10 loss to the New York Giants.

The Eagles (11-6) earned the No. 5 seed and will open the NFC playoffs next week at Tampa Bay.

If recent weeks are any indication, it could be a short playoff run for the NFC champions. The Eagles entered the game with an outside shot at the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. They didn't get the needed help in Washington, where the Dallas Cowboys won the game, the NFC East title and the second spot in the conference.

It didn't matter anyway.

The first blow came when injured starters DeVonta Smith, Darius Slay and D'Andre Swift were unable to play. Fletcher Cox also sat out.

Most of the rest of the Eagles took the game off, too.

How else to explain an embarrassment of effort and execution in easily the worst game in coach Nick Sirianni's three seasons? The Eagles had the dubious distinction of topping last week's 35-31 home loss to Arizona as the most inexcusable defeat in Sirianni's tenure.

With the No. 2 seed never really in reach — the Cowboys were 13½-point favorites — Sirianni could have rested his starters and played it safe for the fifth seed.

But out the starters came, and in they went to the sideline medical tent.

Hurts didn't seem too harmed when last season's NFL MVP runner-up took a hard hit to the right middle finger on his throwing hand. He was rattled on an incomplete pass attempt on fourth-and-3 from the Eagles' 48-yard line. Hurts got his finger taped and put on a glove for some warmup passes. He took off the glove and didn't miss a snap.

Hurts did extend his middle finger as he waited on the sideline — no doubt, Eagles fans everywhere were doing the same in the half to their televisions.

Hurts was 7 of 16 for 55 yards and one interception.

Brown's loss could be the big one if it's serious. With fellow 1,000-yard receiver Smith already out with an ankle injury, Brown crumpled to the ground and grabbed his right knee on the MetLife Stadium turf. The same turf where Jets QB Aaron Rodgers suffered torn a left Achilles tendon. The same turf other NFL players have trashed and urged for a change to natural grass.

That's an argument for another day.

This week, the talk radio hot takes and social media outrage in Philly will be focused solely on Sirianni's fate. A road playoff game. No division title. It was inconceivable after the Eagles followed a Super Bowl loss with a 10-1 start.

As the losses piled up, Sirianni stripped defensive coordinator Sean Desai of his play-calling duties. Matt Patricia wasn't the answer. The offensive line couldn't handle blitzes or any serious pressure. The Eagles tensed up — Brown, a co-captain, stopped talking to the media for two weeks — and they tried to put on a unified front in the locker room when pressed on dissension within the team.

But a win against the Giants could have settled nerves, soothed stomachs in Philly. After all, the Eagles had won five straight against New York and 13 of 15 overall (playoff included) and represented the only win in the December collapse.

Look up, though, and there was New York's Saquon Barkley running for one touchdown, then another. Hurts had a pass intercepted. Marcus Mariota replaced Hurts and promptly threw an interception. Tyrod Taylor threw for 229 yards in the first half, and the Giants led 24-0.

Sirianni waved the white flag and pulled his starters. The game was lost. The season could be next.

INJURIES

Eagles S Sydney Brown also left the game with a knee injury suffered on a tackle in the first quarter.

UP NEXT

Eagles: Hurts threw for a touchdown, ran for another and led the Eagles to a 25-11 win over Tampa Bay in September.

Giants: With another season out of the playoffs, the Giants can only look forward to the draft.. 

The Eagles finally found the end zone. 

In garbage time with the game out of reach, Quez Watkins hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to make the game, 24-10, with 10:15 left in the fourth quarter. 

It's too late, but the Eagles finally got on the board late in the third quarter. 

Jake Elliott booted in a 36-yard field goal to make it, 24-3, with 1:11 left in the third quarter after a 13 play drive by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. 

After suffering an injury early in the game, the Eagles ruled wideout A.J. Brown, Reed Blankenship and Cam Jurgens out with injuries. 

Brown suffered a knee injury, Blankenship is dealing with a groin injury and Jurgens hurt his eye. 

With the Eagles waving the white flag, Landon Dickerson started at center to start the second half. Jason Kelce and the rest of the starters are resting on the bench as the Giants lead. 

The Eagles' first drive of the second half went seven plays for 33 yards and ended in a punt. 

After an ugly injury-riddled half of football, the Giants lead the Eagles, 24-0. 

The Eagles haven't had any answers on either side of the football. 

And to top it off, the Eagles' best skill position player -- A.J. Brown -- went to the locker room with a knee injury. The Eagles were already without DeVonta Smith and D'Andre Swift in the regular season finale. 

As a result, the offense has struggled. Hurts only completed 7 of his 14 passes for 55 yards and one interception at the end of the half and he was pulled late in the second quarter. 

With the Eagles down by multiple scores and the playoffs looming, head coach Nick Sirianni waved the white flag and decided to rest his starters. 

Saquon Barkley scored rushing touchdowns for the Giants to go along with 29 rushing yards and two catches for 51 yards. 

Darius Slayton also hauled in a touchdown pass from Tyrod Taylor. 

Just like we all expected, the Giants are beating the Eagles by three scores -- and it's not even halftime. 

Saquon Barkley scored his second rushing touchdown of the game on a 3-yard score to give New York a 17-0 lead with 5:08 left in the second quarter. 

While the Eagles deal with injuries, the Giants built their lead. 

Running back Saquon Barkley punched in a 2-yard touchdown to give New York a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. 

A.J. Brown and Sydney Brown weren't the only Eagles to get injured on Sunday. 

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was in the medical tent to get his hand looked at. It appeared he injured his finger on a throw. 

After getting evaluated, Hurts warmed up on the sideline and it appears he's heading back in the game. 

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a knee injury against the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. 

Brown went down on the field grabbing his right knee after fumbling a pass he hauled in from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. He eventually limped off the field and went to the medical tent and locker room. 

The Eagles say Brown is questionable to return. 

Entering the game, Brown, a Pro Bowler for the second straight season, led the team in receiving with 105 catches for 1,447 yards and seven touchdowns.

Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown suffered an injury after he hauled in a pass from Jalen Hurts late in the first quarter. 

Brown fumbled the ball after making the catch and went down on the field grabbing his right leg. Eagles players were down on one knee after the play. 

Brown went to the medical tent after the play. 

In other injury news, Sydney Brown got ruled out and Giants backup quarterback Tommy DeVito replaced Tyrod Taylor. 

After limping off the field and heading to the medical tent, Eagles rookie safety Sydney Brown was taken to the locker room on a cart. heading to the locker room. 

The Giants are on the scoreboard. 

Kicker Mason Crosby booted in a 24-yard field goal to give the Giants a 3-0 lead with 6:54 left in the first quarter. 

New York went down the field on a nine play, 67 yard drive that lasted just over four minutes. 

Eagles rookie safety Sydney Brown was injured during a punt. 

Brown reportedly struggled to get off the field and got carried to the medical tent.  

The Giants gained 18-yards on the first play of the game on a Tyrod Taylor pass to Darius Slayton, but they punted three plays later. 

Haason Reddick came in unblocked on second down and forced a 5-yard loss on a rush to Saquon Barkley and Taylor's deep ball to Jalin Hyatt fell incomplete.  

The Eagles' defense didn't force a punt last week against the Cardinals.