Fresh off a bye, the New York Giants will get the first crack at the Joe Milton III-led Philadelphia Eagles. The mobile quarterback will make his 2026 debut — and maiden NFL start — after Tanner McKee's failed relief stint for Jalen Hurts.
The 2-6 Eagles, losers of six straight matches, are throwing anything at the wall and seeing what sticks. It's desperation time for them, and that apparently includes benching McKee. Milton getting the nod when the Giants come to town as road favorites opens up a Pandora's box of possibilities.
Things can get wacky with Milton under center. One way or another, we haven't seen enough of him to draw any conclusions. His promotion brings another layer of unpredictability to the upcoming New York-Philadelphia NFC East showdown, but let's take a few shots in the dark.
Let's take a look at three bold predictions for the battle between divisional foes trending in polar opposite directions.
3 bold predictions for Giants' clash vs. reeling Eagles
1. Giants' defense keeps Saquon Barkley out of the end zone
Call it a Barkley anti-revenge game, despite his near-even odds of scoring a touchdown, per DraftKings Sportsbook, and New York struggles against the run. He's also found pay dirt in back-to-back outings and torched Big Blue in two of three head-to-head meetings since their well-chronicled breakup. Moreover, Philly figures to try to ground and pound to hide Milton; everything is falling into place for the ex-Giants star to erupt, sort of.
Barkley has been dealing with hamstring/back issues that have limited his usage over the past couple of contests. Not to mention, the Eagles' once-great offensive line is undergoing significant change and remains a work in progress. An anemic passing attack will also allow the G-Men to sell out to keep the workhorse running back from crossing the goal line.
2. Giants force (at least) two Joe Milton turnovers
Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has been blitzing relentlessly. That's rung especially true once star outside linebacker Brian Burns went down with a torn right ACL and lateral meniscus on Sept. 27. Only the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers have sent five or more pass rushers at a higher clip than New York since Week 4 (47.1 percent).
Expect Wilson and his pack of wolves to feast on the fresh meat. They'll have Milton, who joined the Eagles' practice squad less than a month ago before getting called up, in a blender.
In our incredibly limited sample size of Milton, he's been loose with the football. A 3.8 percent turnover-worthy throw rate on 57 career dropbacks, which is above the league average since 2024, is Exhibit A. The 2024 fourth-round pick has also lost both fumbles; Exhibit B.
3. Isaiah Likely scores two TDs
Philadelphia ranks in the bottom 10 in receptions and receiving yards allowed to tight ends. Here's the catch: Likely mans the position in name only, and he's emerged as New York's go-to guy inside the 20.
Likely has served as the Giants' de facto slot receiver. He's lined up inside for 81.4 percent of his routes this season, and that's where the Eagles' defense is most vulnerable. Look for him to exploit inferior safeties and linebackers and do serious damage across the middle of the field.
However, Likely was visibly hobbled by an undisclosed injury in his last outing, an exciting 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans. He's gone on record to downplay the issue and has had extra time to get right, so hopefully it isn't a problem. Health (or lack thereof) might be the only thing stopping him from shredding Philadelphia.
Note: Advanced metrics courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($).
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