Thirteen games are on the NFL schedule on Sunday, with two of them standing out because of their direct significance for the seasons of the participating teams. The New York Giants will visit the Philadelphia Eagles, while the Dallas Cowboys will face the Indianapolis Colts. Both games kick off at 20:00 Bulgarian time and will be broadcast on FOX.
Giants enter as division leaders
The New York Giants lead the NFC East with a 4-2-1 record. The team returns from its bye in Week 8, while its last game ended in a 27-21 overtime victory over the Houston Texans. For J.J. McCarthy, this will be his second start as the Giants’ quarterback.
Philadelphia sit bottom of the division at 2-6 and have lost six straight games. The Eagles fell to Dallas in Week 7, and a week later also lost to the Washington Commanders. Despite their poor record, the hosts will rely on a new starter in the most important position.
Joe Milton will make his first NFL start after coach Nick Sirianni decided to choose him over Tanner McKee. “He is very talented, has a very strong arm and is very mobile. He can process information and make decisions,” Sirianni said.
The game is also an opportunity for the Giants to end a long negative run. New York have not won in Philadelphia in their last 12 visits. Coach John Harbaugh, however, stressed that what matters most to the team is the game’s significance for the standings, not the history of the rivalry.
Cowboys seek a response against Colts
The Dallas Cowboys enter their visit to Indianapolis with a 3-5 record, while the Colts are 2-6 and have suffered four straight defeats. The hosts lost their last game 10-16 to the Minnesota Vikings, while Dallas fell at home to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cowboys will rely on Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in an attempt to stabilize their offense. Indianapolis remain dangerous with Jonathan Taylor in the running game, as well as veteran Keenan Allen and Josh Downs in the passing game.
According to the NFL, the main question for Dallas is whether its defense will be able to turn pressure on the Colts’ offense into takeaways. Indianapolis are last in the league in turnover differential at minus 11.
The winner of the game will receive an important boost at a time when both teams are trying not to let their seasons slip away. After facing the Eagles, the Giants will host Washington on November 12, while the Cowboys will play the San Francisco 49ers on November 15.
Sources: nfl.com, tomsguide.com