Eagles considering resting key players vs. Giants with NFC East still up for grabs

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will have a bit of a balancing act to contend with going into Sunday’s season finale against the Giants. 

He’ll need to decide whether he wants to sit key players in preparation for a run in the postseason or risk injuries and fatigue with a slim hope of winning the NFC East — and potentially heading into the playoffs on a more positive note. 

Sirianni told reporters on Monday that resting some of his guys when the Eagles visit MetLife Stadium was on the table. 

“Obviously, we always try to think through everything at all times and we are always thinking about those things,” he said. “We’re going to do whatever we need to do to win this game. But still, that’s a consideration, what you’re saying, because we think through all those different things. So, we understand we are at the mercy of another team to win the division, all those different things. But we still know that we’ve got to — like you can’t control that (Commanders-Cowboys) game, right. 

“There are so many different things that you can’t control in there, so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to win this game.”

While Sirianni is correct that the Eagles still have a shot at the division, it is a very slim one at this point.

Philly would need to beat the Giants and the Commanders to defeat the Cowboys, which is unlikely to happen, to win the division.

The most likely outcome at this point is the Eagles finishing the year as the No. 5 seed heading into the playoffs.  

But even then there could be another factor at play, and that has been the team’s struggles over the previous weeks. 

The Eagles have dropped four of their last five games, including a loss last week to the Arizona Cardinals, and Sirianni is aware the team needs to get out of the funk they’ve been in. 

“Hey, we’ve also got to get out of the rut that we’re in, and so I’m not saying to you yes, I’m not saying to you no,” Sirianni said regarding whether or not he’ll rest players. “I’m saying to you that everything is discussed but there are some unknowns about the game, Dallas and Washington. And we’ve got to start — we’ve got to play and coach good football, too. And to be able to go into the playoffs, again, I’m just answering your question, not that I’m thinking too far ahead, but to go into the playoffs not in a rut.

“Everything is on the table. We’ll think through everything on that. We are preparing right now to play the Giants, and that’s been our big conversation so far. Later this evening, tomorrow, we’ll discuss more about playing and who is up and who is down, so we’ll see.”

The Eagles have gone 14-3 against the Giants dating back to 2014, which includes last season’s 38-7 beating in the playoffs against New York and this season’s 33-25 victory on Christmas Day.