The Philadelphia Eagles brought joy to their fans by securing a Christmas Day victory against the New York Giants. The City of Brotherly Love is celebrating this festive win.
The Eagles secured a Christmas Day win, defeating the New York Giants 33-25 and maintaining their perfect 3-0 record on Christmas. With this victory, the Eagles now stand at 11-4 for the season, holding a one-game lead over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.
Standout performances included running back D’Andre Swift, who scored after rushing for 92 yards, and quarterback Jalen Hurts, amassing an impressive 335 total yards of offense. The game’s outcome was solidified by rookie cornerback Kelee Ringo, who made his first career interception as time expired.
First Quarter Highlights:
Britain Covey showcased an impressive 54-yard punt return, positioning the Eagles well on the New York 13-yard line.
In an exciting moment, Jalen Hurts scored a touchdown known as the Brotherly Shove with a 12-yard run. D’Andre Swift’s earlier 12-yard run set the stage on the 1-yard line. Hurts pushed through for the touchdown, setting a new record with his 15th rushing touchdown this season. This broke Cam Newton’s previous record of 14 rushing touchdowns in a single season back in 2011. The score is now Eagles 7 – Giants 0.
Mason Crosby contributed points with a successful 52-yard field goal, bringing the score to Eagles 7 – Giants 3 with 8:04 left in the first quarter.
Second Quarter Highlights:
The Eagles added points with a 28-yard field goal by Elliott, bringing the score to 10-3 with 14:53 remaining. The 18-play drive included a crucial fourth-down conversion by Goedert and a remarkable catch by Calcaterra following a challenging snap. Despite their efforts, the Eagles settled for three points, facing challenges in the red zone. Swift’s touchdown was nullified as his knee touched the ground before reaching the end zone.
Touchdown! Hurts connected with DeVonta Smith for a 36-yard score at 11:44. Smith’s speed and a great block by Zaccheaus on Jackson allowed him to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive season. The score increased to Eagles 17 – Giants 3.
Defensive Play! Reddick made a crucial tackle on Saquon Barkley on fourth-and-1, a significant moment after the Giants converted two fourth-and-1 plays. An offside penalty on Carter during a punt extended the Giants’ drive.
Another Field Goal! Elliott closed the half with a 21-yard field goal as time expired, making it Eagles 20 – Giants 3. The Eagles were driving, but a delay of game penalty on the Giants stopped the clock with 10 seconds left and no timeouts remaining.
The Eagles had a positive turn of events after a challenging month. During a difficult moment, Hurts faced a high snap, requiring him to sprint and recover about 6 yards before making a successful throw to Calcaterra for a first down. Although they initially scored a touchdown, it was overturned after a replay, leading to settling for Elliott’s 28-yard field goal and a 10-3 lead.
However, another setback occurred as Scott fumbled the second-half kickoff, giving the Giants a favorable position. Barkley seized the opportunity, scoring with a 7-yard run and narrowing the score to 20-10.
Defense Highlights:
Despite uncertainty about injuries, both Dexter Lawrence and A’Shawn Robinson played for the Eagles against the Giants. Unfortunately, Rakeem Nunez-Roches couldn’t participate due to a knee injury.
The Giants’ defense performed admirably, registering six tackles for loss, with Dexter Lawrence contributing two and a shared sack by Jihad Ward and Xavier McKinney.
The Eagles, renowned for their proficiency on fourth downs, lived up to expectations by converting both attempts in this game. They also displayed efficiency on third downs, with a success rate of seven out of 12.
In the early stages of the game, the Eagles scored points with a field goal and two touchdowns, including an impressive 37-yard catch-and-run by DeVonta Smith from Jalen Hurts.
The Giants had a strong third quarter, accumulating 15 points and narrowing the gap to 20-18, courtesy of a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown by Adoree’ Jackson, along with a successful two-point conversion.
However, the Eagles promptly responded in the fourth quarter with a well-executed drive, scoring a touchdown and extending their lead.
The Giants also made a roster move, promoting outside linebacker Tomon Fox from the practice squad.
During the Game:
New York Giants: CB Deonte Banke suffered a shoulder injury.
Not Playing:
New York Giants
WR Parris Campbell
S Gervarrius Owens
OLB Boogie Basham
OLB Benton Whitley
C Sean Harlow
TE Lawrence Cager (groin)
NT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee)
Philadelphia Eagles
CB Darius Slay (knee)
RB Rashaad Penny
ILB Zach Cunningham (knee)
OLB Nicholas Morrow (abdomen)
G Landon Dickerson (thumb)
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
QB (3rd) Tanner McKee