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LOVE LOST BETWEEN DIVISION-RIVALS EAGLES & GIANTS One of the NFL’s greatest rivalries comes to prime-time this week as the New York Giants head 97 miles south on the New Jersey Turnpike to face their longtime nemesis, the Philadelphia Eagles, on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football. Television’s longest-running prime-time entertainment series heads to the City of Brotherly Love for the first time since 1998. And are the Eagles glad, because they have had much success under the bright lights of prime-time in recent years. Philly has won seven consecutive prime-time contests, including six in a row in the ANDY REID-DONOVAN MC NABB era. The Giants, meanwhile, have struggled on Monday night, losing their past three contests and owning a 15-26-1 all-time mark on MNF. But the Giants are not without positive momentum in their series with the Eagles, which dates back to 1933. The New Yorkers lead 72-60-2 all-time and have won eight of their past 10 games against Philadelphia, including four of their past five at Veterans Stadium. “The Giants are a good football team and people counted them out early, which you should never do,” Reid says of the 3-3 club. “When you count them out, that’s when they get you. That’s what they’ve shown this year. They have come out and played very good, solid football.” The Eagles have done the same and sit atop the NFC East with a 4-2 record, one game ahead of the Giants in the NFC East. Philadelphia has averaged 30.8 points per game, and its 185 total points rank third in the conference. If the Eagles can score at least 20 points Monday night, it will be a good omen for Philly’s favorite sons, who are 25-4 (.862) under Reid when scoring at least 20 points. Spearheading the offensive attack is McNabb. In his fourth season, the quarterback is off to perhaps his best start. His 12 touchdown passes, 1,407 yards passing and 245 yards rushing are all career-highs through six games. In addition, with only four interceptions in 226 attempts, his 1.8 interception percentage is tied for fourth-best in the NFL. McNabb helped the Eagles to a 20-10 win over the NFC-rival Buccaneers last week. “The atmosphere against Tampa Bay was like it is in the playoffs,” McNabb says. “But that’s the way it usually is when we play against tough teams like the Giants and Dallas. That’s the atmosphere I’m expecting on Monday night and we just have to try to continue to be consistent and make plays.” Eagles running back DUCE STALEY is coming off a 152-yard rushing game against the Bucs, his best performance since September 3, 2000 when he ran for a career-high 201 yards against the Cowboys. The Eagles’ average 143.5 rushing yards per game, fourth-best in the NFL. Standing in their way will be the formidable Giants defense, which is ranked third in the league, holding opponents to 282.0 yards per game. Defensive end MICHAEL STRAHAN has been particularly potent against the Eagles, totaling 7.5 sacks in his past three games, including a divisional playoff win over the Eagles in 2000. Strahan was particularly dominant in his last game at the Vet, reeking havoc with 3.5 sacks, six tackles and one forced fumble in the Giants’ 24-21 loss last December 30. “We had our way with them for a while,” said Giants head coach JIM FASSEL. “They beat us twice last year in two very, very close games. Those two games still sit in my craw quite a bit. Michael played well in both, and in the last one, with his three-and-a-half sacks, he did a great job.” Philadelphia’s No. 2-ranked defense has been similarly effective in 2002, allowing only 169 yards passing and 85.5 yards rushing, ranking third and fourth in the NFL, respectively. The Eagles’ 21st round pick in the 1958 NFL Draft will be on hand, a former tackle from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, JOHN MADDEN. |