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THEIR QB is washed-up; their head coach (Ben McAdoo) has yet to do more than look like a pedophile

;and their GM (Jerry Reese) has spent a lot of money on basically a large bowl of air. The giants are above .500 today, but there’s a seething sense that they’re 2 or 3 losses away from the franchise going into an absolute tailspin. I for one, would love for the Eagles to contribute to a division rival essentially having a nervous breakdown in the middle of a season:

From the blame game in the locker room…

to players, coaches, and the owner sacrificing a body (Jerry Reese) to the fans…

I can’t wait for ALL OF IT.

The giants are the ultimate .500 ball club. Even when their record isn’t .500, they’re never scary or reliably inept. They just exist in this never-ending state of “Meh”. This is good for us, because it means they can be used as a measuring stick. Sort of a, “You Are Here” sign, made out of living people. Win or lose this week, the results will be good for telling us specifically what needs work and how.

That being said, there still is the matter of playing the game, and trying to actually win a game on the road. Every opponent is different and so every opponent requires different methods to beat them.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to look for, Week 9 versus the giants :

1) Rush five regularly. QB Eli Manning is a statue, and the giants are the worst rushing team in the NFL. OLB Mychal Kendricks has proven to be a liability in coverage this year, but he still has an ability to take on blockers and create hurries. Manning will throw picks if he gets pressured, but he can pick you apart if he gets time. So don’t give him time.

2) Avoid throwing Screen passes. Half the time, even when they work, they don’t work. When they really don’t work, it essentially becomes a sack. Worse still, on downs when we commit a penalty, it gives the opponent the option of declining it, so we end up screwed out of the yards AND a down. Let’s not be the 46^th giant.

3) Some 3-TE formation would be nice. The giants DT’s are 320 and 350. At 93 yards allowed per game, their run defense is ranked 10^th in the NFL. Seems like this is one of those cases where on third and short, we have to be able to meet force with force. (OR, we could get cute, line up in the Shotgun, and throw more Screens on 3^rd and 2.)

4) Do the unexpected. For example, throw a deep ball to a WR NOT named Nelson Agholor. Another idea would be using TE Zach Ertz like a TE and not a WR. By that I mean, run him on shorter routes. Also, please run the play away from the fake. Last week I nearly had an aneurysm watching QB Carson Wentz fake a hand-off to RB Darren Sproles, who ran to the the right. Instead of bootlegging left, Wentz ALSO headed right. Behind Sproles! I could hear Benny Hill music playing in my head as watched that play unfold. Let’s be a little more strategic with our strategy.

Basically the call for this week is: Do not to help the giants beat us. The giants suck too much to win if we don’t help them do so. However, given our penchant for penalties, passes that travel in the wrong direction, and WR’s who bat down as many balls as they catch, New York may very well have a friend in Pennsylvania.