It’s Week Six and the Giants are boarding a bus -- old school! -- to travel the 100 miles down the New Jersey Turnpike to punch the Eagles and their fans in the mouth. OK, fine, they won’t be punching any fans (we think), but one of the best rivalries in football usually produces something memorable -- like the Miracle at the Meadowlands, which the Vatican has since declared “a stupid play by the Giants and nothing more,” or DeSean Jackson’s walkoff punt return touchdown to seal a comeback win for the Eagles in 2010, which readers on NFL.com voted the greatest play of all time in 2013.
Fact: It was not the greatest play of all time.
Fiction: My opinion is more important than yours.
Yup, let’s face it, it’s never easy to sift through the blather in a heated rivalry and arrive at some incontestable truths. But we did it, and here’s the proof.
Fact: Jason Pierre-Paul said this week, “The Eagles, yeah, they’re 4-1, but just watching their games, you see they could have easily been 0-4.”
Fiction: Pierre-Paul was a math major.
Fact: The Giants’ defense has a league-high eight interceptions.
Fiction: The defense has taken to calling themselves The Non-Virgins.
Fact: The Giants have missed the playoffs four of the last five seasons.
Fiction: Jets fans never let Giants fans forget this.
Fact: The Eagles have only scored two offensive touchdowns in the last two games.
Fiction: You’ll never hear an Eagles fan blame the team’s offensive troubles on injuries to the offensive line.
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Fact: The Eagles are going to be wearing an all-black uniform for the first time Sunday night.
Fiction: Quirky uniform tricks accompanied a lot of national championships while Chip Kelly was at Oregon.
Fact: Boyz II Men is playing at halftime.
Fiction: You didn’t just start humming “End of the Road.”
Fact: The Eagles have scored seven touchdowns on defense and special teams this season.
Fiction: They can keep up that pace.
Fact: The Eagles have won seven straight home games.
Fiction: They beat the Giants the last time they played at the Linc.
Fact: The Giants next six games are: @Eagles, @Cowboys, Colts, @Seahawks, 49ers, Cowboys.
Fiction: The Giants have no chance of being 3-8 on Thanksgiving.
Fact: The Giants might increase the role of rookie Odell Beckham Jr. on special teams.
Fiction: They have good special teams.
Fact: The Giants’ leading receiver is second-year tight end Larry Donnell.
Fiction: You would recognize Donnell if you ran over him on the street.
Fact: Donnell is a big boy.
Fiction: You would be able to run over him.
Fact: The Giants have won four Super Bowls.
Fiction: The Eagles have won a Super Bowl.
Fact: Picking up Darren Sproles was a savvy move by the Eagles.
Fiction: So was dumping DeSean Jackson.
Fact: Mark Sanchez is the backup quarterback for the Eagles.
Fiction: Sanchez will be less prepared than Michael Vick if he has to go into the game.
Fact: The Giants’ new West Coast offense was implemented by new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.
Fiction: Ben is the son of former Knicks star Bob McAdoo.
Fact: Eli Manning has started in a league-high 167 straight games.
Fiction: The Giants could easily have gone 0-168 in those games.
