When the schedule for the 2023 campaign came out, a lot of people expected the Week 18 showdown between the Eagles and NY Giants to be an electric one with plenty on the line. Instead, both of these teams basically have nothing to play for.
For the Giants, the team is 5-11 on the year, fresh off their heartbreaking 26-25 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Meanwhile for Philly, they choked at home against the Cardinals and they appear to be locked in with the No. 5 seed in the NFC. Because of this, we may not see their starters in the season-finale.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said sitting key players on Sunday is "a consideration" since they're locked into the 5 seed unless the Cowboys lose in Washington.
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 1, 2024
"I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no. I'm saying everything's discussed."
The Eagles may bench their starters for the season-finale vs. the Giants
Philly head coach Nick Sirianni is really keeping things up in the air, but there's no question people all over town are pretty upset with him. This team has lost four of their last five games, with the only victory in that stretch coming against the Giants in Week 16.
This was a squad ready to try and fight for the No. 1 seed and potential home-field advantage throughout the postseason, but they've totally dropped the ball over the past month or so. It's gotten to the point where some folks are even wondering if Sirianni is the right man for the job moving forward.
This comes after Sirianni and Co. won the NFC last season and almost took down the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. The start of the season was brilliant and the Eagles were looking like a powerhouse once again - the wheels have fallen off, though.
If the Eagles lose to the Giants this weekend, Philly will enter the playoffs with no momentum and zero confidence. This could lead to Sirianni having his stars play against the G-Men, but no one knows what will happen. If Sirianni does sit his starters, then maybe, just maybe, the Giants can finally post a win against their rivals. We just wish it'd come in a contest that actually meant something.