We haven’t seen the Eagles, Giants both make the playoffs in a while
Believe it or not, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants haven’t earned postseason berths in the same season since the 2008-2009 campaign. Might that change this season? It’s been 14 years since both parties in this feud punched tickets to the same playoff dance. Neither side probably cared about the other’s absence, but you have to admit it’s interesting. Their next meeting has postseason implications and is crucial for both sides. Philly looks to hang on to the number one seed in the NFC, and the Giants want to continue to hang in for a Wild Card spot.
Since the 2008 season, Philly has earned more playoff appearances, earning their way into the dance seven times. The Giants have only made the playoffs twice during that same stretch.
Both won a Super Bowl it that period. New York hoisted the Lombardi Trophy to close the 2011 season. The Eagles doing so in February of 2018 as the champs of the 2017 campaign.
Let’s take a little walk down memory lane and revisit 2008 when Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb were under center for their respective teams.
The Giants take the #1 seed in the NFC with a 12-4 record as they grab one win versus the Eagles.
New York would start the season by flying off to an 11-1 record, but they hit a brick wall in Week 14, as Philly would defeat them at Giants Stadium by a score of 20-14.
After that loss, the Giants would end the season by losing two of their next three games, but they still earned home-field advantage, a bye, and the number-one seed in the NFC with their 34-28 overtime win versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 16.
The G-Men knew how to score some points this season, notching 30 points or more in five games and exceeding the 40-point threshold on two other occasions.
Quarterback Eli Manning had decent numbers in 2008 (3,239 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and ten interceptions), but the real stars of the Giants’ offense were all part of their running game.
Running backs Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward busted through defenses as they combined for 2,114 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. One of their stalwarts on the defense that year was defensive Justin Tuck, who collected 65 tackles, one interception (one he returned for a touchdown), and 12 sacks.
The Eagles’ late season run helps the team clinch a wild card spot in the NFC.
Unlike the Giants, it took a while for Philadelphia to warm up as they limped to a 5-5-1 record by Week 12. The Birds didn’t stay cold for long as they caught fire in Week 13, beating down the Arizona Cardinals by a 48-20 margin.
Philadelphia would go on to win three of their next four games, clinching a Wild Card berth thanks to a 9-6-1 record. Donovan McNabb’s stats were almost identical to Eli’s: 3,916 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
The Eagles didn’t field a 1,000-yard rusher that season. They did have Brian Westbrook though, and that’s all you need. By season’s end, he tallied 936 yards with nine touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, middle linebacker Stewart Bradley was a tackling machine with 108 stops on the campaign. Defensive end Darren Howard was the Birds’ sack leader that year with ten quarterback takedowns.
The two rivals meet in the Divisional playoffs, with the Eagles taking home the win.
Philly’s post-season run began with a 26-14 upset win over the Minnesota Vikings 26-14 in the Wild Card Round. In the Divisional Round, they traveled to New York to face their hated rival.
Fans looking for a high-scoring playoff game were disappointed as this one was a festival of field goals. Both sides combined for six on the afternoon.
This one was a pretty tight matchup. The Eagles led by two points at halftime and by a 13-11 score at the end of the third quarter but broke the game open when McNabb found tight end Brent Celek for a one-yard touchdown in the early moments of the final quarter to push their lead to 20-11.
David Akers converted a 20-yard field goal in the late minutes of the fourth quarter to seal a 23-11 win as Philadelphia vanquished their nemesis (they were coming off of a bye by the way). and advanced to the NFC Championship Game. They wouldn’t get the result they wanted as they fell to the Arizona Cardinals.
Will the Eagles see the Giants in this year’s post-season?
There is a chance that New York and Philadelphia could meet in the playoffs. You never know, but if that were to happen, both teams have to get there.
The Eagles are on fire, but the Giants seemed to have cooled. There’s no guarantee that they will make the postseason. They had lost three of four before tying with the Washington Commanders in Week 13.
There is still a lot of football left to be played, but these are two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. Sunday’s game approaches. Expect both sides to bring their best in Week 14.