New York Returns Home To Take On Division Rival Philadelphia

New York returns to East Rutherford New Jersey to host their NFC East rival Philadelphia where both teams will be looking to get back in the win column on Thursday night after suffering losses last week.

New York comes into the game with a record of 1-4 and is 0-2 in the division while Philadelphia comes into the game with a record of 2-3 while they’re 1-2 in the division. “according to http://www.espn.com/nfl/standings

As for New York’s previous game, they lost to Carolina.

Odell Beckham, Jr. displayed his immense talents as a receiver, passer and returner on Sunday, but he was a helpless spectator for the one play that will be seared into his memory. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

Beckham, who accounted for 229 total yards, could only stand on the sideline with his teammates and coaches and watch in agony as Carolina kicker Graham Gano kicked a 63-yard field goal with one second remaining to give the Panthers a 33-31 victory against the Giants in Bank of America Stadium. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

The Giants had taken a one-point lead on Saquon Barkley’s second touchdown reception with 1:08 remaining, but lost after the last of several disputable calls by the officials and the longest field goal ever kicked against the Giants. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“This is tough,” Beckham said. “There’s no worse position to be in than to be on the sideline and just have to watch the kick go up through the uprights. I guess the only worse position is if you’re back there to return a short field goal and it still goes through the uprights. Like I said, they put it together at the end, they came out with a win. But I’m proud of where we stand. Even though we’re 1-4, this game today is going to be monumental for our season and us.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

The Giants have little time to salve their wounds; they return to action at home Thursday night against 2-3 Philadelphia. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“Obviously, this was a tough one, just because I’m proud of the way our team fought back,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “There were calls and there were plays and a lot of things not going our way. … (We did) everything we could do to come back from some bad plays we had in the third and fourth quarter and to get the lead there. We probably felt like we deserved to win that game and obviously to lose on a 63-yarder is tough to swallow.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

The loss was reminiscent of the Giants’ defeat in Philadelphia on Sept. 24, 2017, when, as time expired, Jake Elliott kicked a 61-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 27-24 victory. That was the longest field goal ever kicked vs. the Giants until Sunday. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

The Giants were universal in their belief that the game should not have come down to Gano’s leg. They compiled season-high totals of 432 total yards and 382 net passing yards. Manning threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Saquon Barkley caught the first two touchdown passes of his career. Beckham caught eight passes for 131 yards, including a touchdown; threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Barkley; returned three punts; and fielded the kickoff after Gano’s game-winner. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

After trailing in the fourth quarter, 27-16, the Giants took a 31-30 lead on Manning touchdown passes of 33 yards to Beckham and 15 yards to Barkley (sandwiched around Gano’s 39-yard field goal) to take a 31-30 lead. The latter score was set up by Manning’s season-long 40-yard pass to Russell Shepard.

“We knew we needed a touchdown to go and win it and guys made some big plays,” Manning said. “Russell Shepard on the post route. Saquon Barkley on the final one. Line picking up things. Everything we could do to come back from some bad plays we had in the third and fourth quarter and to get the lead there.”

“At the moment, it felt great,” Barkley said of his late touchdown. “We wanted to go down and find a way to score and put seven on the board. We needed seven on the board. Coach (Pat Shurmur), the offensive coordinator and the whole offensive staff called great plays and put us in great positions to get into the end zone. We found a way to get into the end zone. Carolina came up with a 63-yard field goal. I don’t know what else you can say about that. We played our butt off and you have to give credit where credit is due. They made a 63-yard field goal and won the game.”

Barkley crossed the goal line with 1:08 remaining. On the Panthers’ ensuing possession, Cam Newton’s 20-yard pass to D.J. Moore helped advance the Panthers to the Giants’ 46-yard line, where, on third-and-one, coach Ron Rivera called his final timeout with 30 seconds remaining. When play resumed, Christian McCaffrey took a handoff and ran up the middle. It seemed questionable whether he got the first down, but the officials gave it to Carolina. Two plays later, Gano kicked the game-winner. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“I think they jumped the gun a bit,” defensive tackle Damon Harrison said. “From where I was, I don’t think it was a first down. It was short.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“There was nothing I could do at that point,” said Shurmur, who cannot challenge a call in the final two minutes. That’s up to the replay official, who did not stop play. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

Carolina scored on Newton touchdown passes of 25 yards to Curtis Samuel and 18 yards to McCaffrey, four Gano field goals and on a fumble recovery on a bizarre sequence of events on the second play of the second quarter that began with a Panthers’ punt.

Michael Palardy’s 51-yard kick veered toward the left sideline, where it caromed off the back off Beckham’s leg at the two-yard line (it was officially ruled a muff). The ball bounced into the hands of Janoris Jenkins, who lost possession when it was knocked from his hands by wide receiver Samuel, who was credited with a forced fumble. As Jenkins turned around to pick up the ball, Eli Apple approached and inadvertently kicked it into the end zone, where Colin Jones recovered it for the touchdown. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“He was trying to get away from it and signal to the gunner to get out of the way and you saw it,” Shurmur said. “It hit him on the leg.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

In addition to the spot on McCaffrey’s run, there were other critical calls that went against the Giants. A roughing the passer penalty on Kerry Wynn nullified a Panthers holding penalty. Early in the fourth quarter, Collins was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness for hitting Devin Funchess on what would have been an incomplete pass on third-and-13, which would have forced Carolina to punt. Given new life, McCaffrey scored four plays later to give the Panthers their 11-point lead. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“I hit the ball first,” Collins said. “I remember hitting the ball, and then someone hit me in the back. I went for the ball, my eyes were on the ball.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

Shurmur didn’t want to make a big issue about the officiating, but he seemed perplexed by the call on Collins. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“What I am going to say is what I saw was a guy going for the ball, making an effort,” Shurmur said. “I think he touched the ball, if I’m not mistaken. I saw that with my own eyes. So a guy is making a play on the ball with no attempt to target the receiver, so that’s how I saw it.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

In the end, what he saw was painful defeat. “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

“That was quite a game,” Shurmur said. “To play it, I meant there’s many things to talk about. Disappointed for our team, the way we played. We played hard. We played tough. We played the way that I know that our team is, so for the record, our team is tough, they play hard and I’ve got no issues with the way they play. Again, we’ve still got some things we’ve got to clean up and play better, but we’ll get that fixed as we go. We’ll deal with the disappointment quickly and then we’ll get right back to work, being we’ve got a game on Thursday.” “according to https://www.giants.com/news/giants-drop-heartbreaker-33-31-after-comeback

As for Philadelphia’s previous game, Like New York, They lost their previous game as they lost to Minnesota on Sunday.

In a game marred by missed opportunities, the Eagles fell to the Minnesota Vikings, 23-21, Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Quarterback Carson Wentz completed 24 of 35 passes for 311 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions, but lost a costly fumble that resulted in a touchdown for the visitors, ending a productive Eagles drive in the process. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Tight end Zach Ertz led the way receiving with 10 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. No Eagles running back gained more than 30 yards on the ground, but Wendell Smallwood added 44 receiving yards on three receptions and a key touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Vikings received the opening kickoff and methodically drove 65 yards in 11 plays. The defense bent but did not break and forced Vikings kicker Dan Bailey to attempt a 28-yard field goal. Unfortunately for the Vikings, Bailey missed. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles took over at their own 20-yard line, but went three-and-out. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Vikings took over at midfield and quickly moved inside the Eagles’ 25-yard line, helped by a 24-yard pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins to wide receiver Stefon Diggs. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles' defense forced the Vikings to attempt another field goal, which Bailey made good on from 37 yards out, giving the Vikings a 3-0 lead with 5:02 left in the first quarter. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles went three-and-out once again after failing to convert on third-and-short. A 57-yard punt by Cameron Johnston flipped the field and set the Vikings up at their own 10-yard line. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles were able to thwart the Vikings' offense again and get the ball back to the offense at their own 33-yard line. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Wentz went to the air right away and wide receiver Shelton Gibson came down with an acrobatic 48-yard catch. The Eagles’ drive stalled, but Jake Elliott hit a 30-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 with 12:24 left in the second. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Vikings again moved the ball well on their next drive, spurred by a 20-yard run by Diggs. But they had to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt from Bailey, who missed for the second time, as it went wide right. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

On the ensuing Eagles possession, they quickly moved the ball into Minnesota territory, but on first-and-10 at the 31, Wentz was stripped of the football from behind and the ball fell into the hands of Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who took the ball 64 yards the other way for a touchdown, giving the Vikings a 10-3 lead with 4:12 left in the second quarter. Stephen Weatherly beat Lane Johnson on the strip-sack. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Two false start penalties derailed the Eagles’ next drive in three plays and the Vikings took over at their own 44 with 2:56 to play in the half. It didn’t take long for the Vikings to move into Eagles territory. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Two plays after Michael Bennett was penalized for roughing the passer, a controversial call as Bennett was blocked into the quarterback by tight end Kyle Rudolph, Cousins found Diggs for a 3-yard touchdown, making the score 17-3 in favor of the visitors heading into intermission. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles' offense moved the ball efficiently to start the second half and converted on two third downs on their way into the red zone, but a Jay Ajayi fumble derailed yet another productive Eagles drive. The Vikings quickly pounced on the ball and took over at their own 5. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

It was the first Eagles trip to the red zone all season without points. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

It took one play for the Vikings to get out of their hole, as Cousins found wide receiver Adam Thielen for 68 yards. The Vikings got to the goal line with a 25-yard pass to Diggs but the Eagles' defense held strong and forced a 22-yard field goal, increasing the Vikings’ lead to 20-3 with 7:32 left in the third. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

The Eagles responded with an eight-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard Elliott field goal to make the score 20-6 with 2:57 left in the third. The defense got the stop it needed in three plays and gave the offense the ball back with less than a minute to go in the third. “according to https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-rally-fall-short-in-23-21-loss-to-vikings

Kick-off is set for 8:20pm from Metlife Stadium. The game will be televised on NFL Network and Fox. “according to https://www.giants.com/schedule/