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Scouting the Giants

November 6, 2008

THE SKINNY

The defending Super Bowl-champion New York Giants (7-1) visit Lincoln Financial Field to take on NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) in a nationally televised game at 8:15 p.m. Sunday. Â The Giants have a 3-2 edge in the series at Lincoln Financial Field and a 78-66-2 advantage overall in the regular season, 2-1 in the playoffs. New York swept the series last season with wins of 16-3 (at Giants Stadium on Sept. 30) and 16-13 (at the Linc on Dec. 9.) Â The Eagles and Giants are on three-game winning streaks, but the Eagles are 21/2–point favorites. Eagles coach Andy Reid is 9-11 all-time vs. the Giants, 3-6 vs. Coughlin.

QUOTABLE

''We have a lot of drive in us. We know that we have a tough road ahead of us and we have to keep playing at a high level. Our focus is Philadelphia this week. It's going to be a loud atmosphere and we know it's going to be a tough battle all the way through the fourth quarter.''

-- GIANTS QUARTERBACK ELI MANNING, who, despite beating the Cowboys 35-14 last week, threw one interception for a TD and lost two fumbles.

KEY MATCHUP

GIANTS WR PLAXICO BURRESS

VS. EAGLES CB ASANTE SAMUEL

Samuel will get his first taste of this rivalry and undoubtedly will spend a great deal of time covering the Giants' big receiver, but Eagles coach Andy Reid downplayed the matchup Wednesday. The Giants also have receiving weapons in Amani Toomer and Steve Smith, as well as Derrick Ward swinging out of the backfield. The Eagles are ranked eighth in the NFL in pass defense; the Giants are 16th in passing offense, thanks in part to being the NFL's second-best rushing team.

''Asante is a good football player,'' Reid said Wednesday. ''They've got good receivers and a good quarterback. Â It should be a good competition between their receivers and our corners Â Plax is a heck of a player. He's always a challenge. Our secondary gets very excited to play against him.

Gary R. Blockus