Eagles-Giants scouting report

Recent history: The Eagles defeated the Giants on Nov. 1 at the Linc, 40-17. New York leads the series, 82-71-2.

OFFENSE

Eagles: 359 yards per game (11th)

Giants: 371.6 yards per game (8th)

Quarterback

Eagles: Donovan McNabb had a big game against the Giants on Nov. 1. He threw just six incompletions, had three TD passes and spread 17 completions around to eight receivers. The key will be for McNabb to improve his red-zone play. He's completed just 15 of 37 passes inside the enemy 20 this season.

Giants: Take away the dump-off pass to Brandon Jacobs that Jacobs turned into a 74-yard TD and Eli Manning completed 10 of 24 passes for 167 yards vs. Dallas. In his last four starts against the Eagles, he's got a .516 completion percentage, has averaged 5.6 yards per attempt and has thrown four TDs and five INTs.

PICK: EAGLES

Running back

Eagles: LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver combined for 157 rushing yards in first game vs. Giants. Weaver's primary role remains blocking but he's been effective as a runner out of one-back, two-tight end sets and as a receiver. He is averaging 7.54 yards per touch in the last six games.

Giants: Brandon Jacobs' yards-per-carry average has plummeted from 5.0 last season to 3.9. The blocking from his line hasn't been nearly as good, but he hasn't been the same punishing runner he was in '08. Despite decent speed, if you can get penetration and force him to run east-west, he's just another guy.

PICK: GIANTS

Receiver

Eagles: The Eagles are expected to get big-play wide receiver DeSean Jackson back, but look for Donovan McNabb to attack the Giants' poor-covering safeties and inexperienced MLB via TE Brent Celek and slot receiver Jason Avant. Avant has caught 35 of the 47 passes thrown to him, including 22 for first downs.

Giants: WR Steve Smith is averaging 6.5 catches per game. He is sure-handed and is one of the league's better yards-after-the-catch receivers. Rookie Hakeem Nicks has at least one 20-plus-yard reception in each of the last seven games. TE Kevin Boss has averaged 20.3 yards per catch in his last two games vs. Eagles.

PICK: EAGLES

Offensive line

Eagles: LT Jason Peters' inability to stay on the field is the biggest concern for a unit that is playing better every week. They haven't given up more than three sacks in any of their last seven games and have spearheaded a rejuvenated ground game that has averaged 4.5 yards per carry in the last three games.