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Records: Giants 5-2; Eagles 4-2

Line: Giants by 1. Over/under: 44½.

TV announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa (FOX)

Radio: 103.7, 94.1 FM, 610 AM

Forecast: Partly cloudy, 57 degrees at kickoff. Wind from the north at 5 mph (weather.com)

David Weinberg's pick: Eagles 20, Giants 17 (season record: 3-3)

Last time met: The Eagles advanced to the NFC championship game last season with a 23-11 upset over the Giants at Giants Stadium on Jan. 11, 2009. Quarterback Donovan McNabb ran for a touchdown and threw a 1-yard TD pass to tight end Brent Celek. The Eagles' defense forced three turnovers and held the Giants without a touchdown.

Eagles' best-case scenario: The Eagles take over at least a share of first place in the NFC East with a victory. McNabb regains his form and throws a pair of touchdown passes to hand the Giants their third straight loss. Running back Brian Westbrook plays and plays well, rushing for 100 yards. Cornerback Asante Samuel returns an interception for a touchdown.

Eagles' worst-case scenario: They deliver an inconsistent performance that enables the Giants to snap their two-game losing streak. McNabb throws two interceptions and struggles with accuracy. Westbrook doesn't play and rookie LeSean McCoy fumbles twice. Giants quarterback Eli Manning throws a pair of TD passes to wide receiver Steve Smith. Giants running back Brandon Jacobs runs for 100 yards.

Keep an eye on: Smith (No. 12). He has emerged as Manning's favorite receiver, with a league-high 45 receptions for 594 yards. He also tops the NFL with 17 third-down receptions.

Notable numbers: Giants lead series 81-69-2, but Eagles have won last two meetings. ... Eagles coach Andy Reid is 10-12 against the Giants, including 4-6 at home. ... Reid is 6-7 vs. Giants coach Tom Coughlin. ... Eagles are 36-25 vs. NFC East under Reid. ... McNabb is 9-9 vs. the Giants with 22 TD passes and eight interceptions. ... Westbrook has scored 14 TDs vs. the Giants in 14 games. ... Giants are 24-18 vs. NFC East since 2002 and 12-9 on the road. ... Giants are 18-12 vs. NFC East under Coughlin.

Assessing the offenses

Eagles: Wide receiver DeSean Jackson was the offense against the Redskins. The rest of the unit, including McNabb, had a so-so performance. Westbrook is hoping to play after suffering a concussion Monday night. Rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is getting better each game. Tight end Brent Celek is McNabb's most reliable target. Right tackle Winston Justice has been their best lineman.

Giants: Manning completed less than 50 percent of his passes in losses to New Orleans and Arizona. Smith, Mario Manningham and rookie Hakeem Nicks form a solid corps of wide receivers. Running backs Jacobs (464 yards) and Ahmad Bradshaw (455) are both dangerous, mainly because of their solid offensive line.

EDGE TO GIANTS

Assessing the defenses

Eagles: They have allowed 17 points or less in five of their six games. They are tied for first in the NFL with 18 takeaways and are third with 12 interceptions. Their 21 sacks are tied for second in the NFL. Middle linebacker Will Witherspoon had a terrific debut against the Redskins. Defensive end Trent Cole (6 sacks) leads a deep and talented front four.

Giants: They did not play well in losses to the Saints (48-27) and Cardinals (24-17). Their 13 takeaways are tied for 12th in the NFL. A unit known for its pass rush has just 16 sacks. End Justin Tuck tops the team with 3 sacks. End Osi Umenyiora has three, but none in the last three games. Linebacker Antonio Pierce is their leader. The secondary is a weakness.

EDGE TO EAGLES

Assessing the coaches

Eagles: Reid needs the offense to develop consistency.

Giants: Coughlin has to find a way to get the team rolling again.

EDGE TO GIANTS

Intangibles

Eagles: They can take control of the division with a win.

Giants: They haven't lost three straight since 2006.

EDGE TO EAGLES

Other views

Ralph Vacchiano, New York Daily News: "The Giants desperately need a win to stop their little slump from turning into a full-blown crisis. But that's not the only reason they want it. The truth is they've been looking forward to giving the Philadelphia Eagles a little payback for a while."

Key matchup

Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter (No. 54) vs. Jacobs (No. 27). If Trotter is ever going to have an impact on the Eagles' defense, this is the game. At 260 pounds, he is one of the few NFL linebackers big enough to take on Jacobs, who uses his 264 pounds to run over defenders.

Contact David Weinberg:

609-272-7186

DWeinberg@pressofac.com

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