As the playoffs are rapidly approaching, the New York Giants are seeking their first postseason appearance since 2016. The road to the playoffs is a rocky one, though, as the Giants will face their most difficult opponents on the schedule in the month of December. After tying with their division-rival Commanders last week, New York is preparing for another NFC East matchup. The 11-1 Philadelphia Eagles are coming to town as the favorites by a wide margin. The New York Giants will enter this game as underdogs, but if they want any chance of sneaking away with a win, they need to win the trenches. Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Javon Hargrave has been dominant this season. The New York Giants’ offensive line needs to slow him down and win the battle in the trenches.
The New York Giants need to slow down Javon Hargrave
The Philadelphia Eagles have a menacing defensive front that is bound to create problems for the Giants on Sunday. New York’s offensive line is coming off of a pitiful performance in Week 13. Daniel Jones was sacked 4 times in last Sunday’s matchup with the Commanders. Jones has been sacked at least once in every game this season. Big Blue is enjoying an All-Pro caliber season out of left tackle Andrew Thomas, however, the interior of the front line has been a liability all season long.
With the interior of the New York Giants’ offensive line continuously struggling, they have a tall task at hand entering Sunday’s Week 14 matchup with the Eagles. Philly’s defensive line is comprised of an elite pass-rushing group featuring Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Brandon Graham, and Javon Hargrave. This season, Javon Hargrave has been better than ever.
As an interior pass-rusher, Javon Hargrave is having a career year for the Eagles. He has already set a career-high with 8 sacks this season. According to Pro Football Focus, has 43 pressures and a 90.0-plus PFF pass-rushing grade this season. Hargrave has been dominant at times this season and creates a matchup disadvantage for any one of the Giants’ interior offensive linemen.
This season, the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has totaled 42 sacks through 13 weeks (2nd-best in the NFL). The Giants, however, have surrendered 37 sacks on the season (fifth-most in the NFL). After giving up four sacks to the Commanders in Week 13, the Giants’ offensive line needs to do a better job of keeping Daniel Jones upright if they want to stand any chance against the Eagles’ defense in Week 14.
The New York Giants’ interior offensive linemen have surrendered a combined 64 pressures and 10 sacks this season. The unit is at a severe disadvantage as it prepares to face the likes of Javon Hargrave. The Eagles are rolling while the Giants are looking to get their season back on track. If the New York Giants want to improve to 8 wins on the season, slowing down Javon Hargrave and winning the battle in the trenches is critical.