The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Super Bowl championship Ravens 21-10.
I put that early season game score up there just in case someone thinks that anything is a lock in the NFL. Last year in the regular season games, the Giants went 12-4, and the Eagles 11-5. Both organizations made some good moves in the offseason to improve their respective teams. Now both teams are neck and neck again, leading the NFC East. It looks like the Giants have the Eagles number, having beaten them nine straight games, but as we said earlier. Nothing is a lock in the NFL, especially with division games.

Those division games.
No teams know how to play another better than a divisional rival. The game before last, the winless Redskins came to town, bringing with them their 31st-ranked defense and 31st-ranked offense. It should have been an easy game for the Giants especially when Bruce Smith dislocated his right shoulder on Washington's first defensive play of the game. Remember how it went?
It was tied 9-9 going into the fourth quarter, with all the scoring coming off field goals. The Giants finally pulled ahead 16-9, but the Redskins had a chance to tie it up when Collins threw an interception, and Washington had a first down at the Giants 33 with 4:49 left. They got nowhere and punted, but the Giants had to take over at their own 10, and then had to punt it away from the 9. Redskins quarterback Tony Banks' next pass was intercepted by Jason Sehorn and returned for a 34 yard touchdown to put the game out of reach.
At the same time the Giants were fighting off the Redskins, Jake Plummer with no timeouts, was driving his Cardinals 74 yards in just 1:04, for his fifth fourth-quarter comeback victory over the Eagles. Up to then, the Cards had lost nine straight, dating back to last season. That's how division games go.

The Eagles were hot.
Before that division game against the Cards, the Eagles were coming off two victories by a combined 46 points. They had their bye week and comfortably got to scout the Giants losing to the Rams. The Giants looked very impressive on defense in that loss, holding the explosive Rams to just 15 points, but their offense has yet to have a breakout game, and it will help to have Tiki Barber back. It should be pointed out that the Eagles also had a close game against the Rams, losing it 20-17 in overtime. The Eagles are 2-2, and the Giants are 3-2. Whoever wins this game becomes the top dog in the NFC East for the time being.

Motivation on both sides - The Eagles.
The Eagles haven't beaten the Giants since 1996, Dan Reeves' final season. Do the Giants have the Eagles number? Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb doesn't think so, but although McNabb accounted for 74.6% of the Eagles offense a year ago, in the three games against the Giants, (including the 20-10 loss in the playoffs) he was only 49-of-105 (47%) for 524 yards with 3 TDs and 2 INTs. The dropoff is not all McNabb's fault. The speedy 230 pound quarterback can beat you at any turn, but he shouldn't have to do it all by himself.
The Eagles dropped wide receivers Charles Johnson and Torrance Small, and brought in James Thrash (16 catches, 243 yards this season), a free agent from Washington. Thrash and new starter, Todd Pinkston (15 catches, 266 yards this season), give the Eagles deep threats they lacked last year. So this season McNabb has more weapons and more playmakers on the field, including running back Duce Staley who missed the last two Giants games with a foot injury. Even if the Duce can't go full bore, coming off a shoulder injury, his presence will help to keep the Giants from turning this game into the usual McNabb scramble-fest.
If the Eagles win this game, they get to stop all the talk about the long losing streak, and move ahead of the Giants. That's plenty of motivation enough, but the Eagles would also put an end to their Monday Night Football six game losing streak, which dates back to 1994.

Motivation on both sides - The Giants.
From day one, the Giants have heard that the Eagles are the "team to beat" in the NFC East. It didn't matter that the Giants won the Division and went to the Super Bowl, and that In their three victories last year over the Eagles, they outscored them 77-35. Even Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer was giving praise to the Eagles. The Giants know what they are capable of and are looking for league-wide respect. They had it in their grasp last week in that close loss to the Rams. Winning against the Eagles on Monday Night Football is not quite the same, but it will bring some measure of satisfaction. On the flipside, a loss to the Rams followed by a loss to the Eagles just confirms what everyone has been saying, that this year, the Eagles are the team to beat.
In any event, the next time the Giants and Eagles meet will be on the final Sunday of the season at the Vet. Neither team would like it to go that far; that the Dec 30 game will be the deciding one on who wins the NFC East Division title.

Giants tour the division.
After this Eagles game, the Giants play against Washington and Dallas the next two weeks and then meet up with Arizona. Then the Giants play away at Minnesota, a team that will certainly be looking to even the score in front of their fans. Although 41-0 is a tough score to even, we bet they'll be more than happy with any kind of a win over the Giants. The Giants would like to have a good division record going into that game, and we already told you how these division games go.
The Eagles go on to play Oakland, Arizona and Minnesota in their next three games.

Notes:
Michael Strahan has 8 1/2 in the last 3 games — the most sacks ever by a Giant in a 3 game span since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
No NFL player has had more sacks in 3 games since 1986, when the Eagles Reggie White had 9.

Giants have beaten the Eagles 9 straight times, including 3 times last season, once in the playoffs.

Last time Philadelphia beat the Giants was Dec. 1, 1996, and only Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Brian Dawkins, Hollis Thomas and Jermane Mayberry were on the active roster for that 24-0 victory.

Under head coach Andy Reid, the Eagles have averaged 13.4 points in 5 games against the Giants.

This will be Reid's first head-coaching appearance on Monday Night Football.

Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton was the Eagles quarterbacks coach in 1997-98.

Giants cornerback Will Allen played at Syracuse with Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Eagles punter Sean Landeta was a member of the Giants from 1985-1993.

Eagles tackle Jon Runyan played for the Titans along with Giants defensive end Kenny Holmes, and he also played at Michigan with the Amani Toomer.

Next Game
Oct 28, Giants at Washington 4PM.

For those very organized fans.
If you use a Palm Pilot and want to keep the Giants schedule, and actually the whole NFL schedule on it, there is a free download available here at PFL.

Last Week's review, game 5 - Giants 14 - Rams 15

Stop in and visit "Mike's Keys to the Internet" at  www.myhost.com/miked

Website by Mike