Eagles Ready To Renew Rivalry With The Giants
By Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles and Giants have struggled in the early part of the season, but don't tell the Eagles the rivalry has lost any of its luster.
The Eagles and Giants will meet for the 163rd time on Sunday, with both teams needing to turn their season around. The Giants limp in at 0-4, while the Eagles will look to snap a three-game losing streak. This will be Chip Kelly's first game against the Giants, and Kelly knows it has a special place in football history.
"I'm very aware of the rivalry between the Giants and Eagles," said Kelly. "There's Herm Edwards picking up the fumble. There's DeSean Jackson's kick return. They're the closest opponent. They're right up the road. You're very aware of it."
The winless Giants have struggled on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is in shambles, so Quarterback Eli Manning has taking a beating in the first four games of the season. The Giants once formidable pass rush has also struggled, but Michael Vick believes the Giants' defensive line will be ready to play on Sunday.
"They have a good pass rush," Vick said. "They do a lot of good things up front. It's going to be up to us to try and counter that and do a good job of blocking."
The Eagles defense has struggled throughout the three-game losing streak, and the Giants still have plenty of weapons. Cornerback Brandon Boykin says it will be a challenge going against Manning and his teammates on Sunday.
"I think they'll stick to their game plan," said Boykin. "I don't think because they are losing, they are going to change their scheme. Their scheme is to run the ball, but they also throw the ball a lot."
Even with both teams struggling, there is still added excitement with another Eagles-Giants clash on the horizon. Rookie Safety Earl Wolff is well aware of what this game means to both the players and the fans.
"It is pretty big," Wolff said. "It's about an hour and a half away from here, which is not far at all. You have Giants and Eagles fans from New York to New Jersey to here."
Wolff will likely make his second straight start at safety as Patrick Chung continues to recover from a shoulder injury.
