Eagles' Joe Milton vs. Giants' JJ McCarthy. Our experts predict game

PHILADELPHIA − It’s interesting to see how the Giants are doing what the Eagles have done so well in the past, a sign of two franchises headed in opposite directions.

When Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury, the Giants, unwilling to give up on the season, traded for J.J. McCarthy, the former first-round pick who was languishing on the Vikings‘ bench as the No. 3 QB.

The Giants were buyers, and they still might be as they’re rumored to be in the running for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor by the Nov. 10 deadline.

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Contrast that to when Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was presumably lost for the season due to blood clots. The Eagles turned the position over to their No. 3 QB (at the start of the season) in Tanner McKee, who went 0-3. And now they’re benching McKee in favor of Joe Milton, who was on the Cowboys’ practice squad three weeks ago.

The Eagles are clearly sellers at the deadline after already trading A.J. Brown and Cam Jurgens for future draft picks.

As for the Giants, who are in first place in the NFC East at 4-2-1, McCarthy has shined in his five quarters of action. He threw for 252 yards in a 27-21 overtime win over the Texans in Houston on Oct. 25. The week before, McCarthy nearly led a comeback against the Saints when he replaced Jameis Winston and threw for 243 yards in the fourth quarter.

McCarthy has thrown for 495 yards, completed 63.3% of his passes and has a passer rating of 95.2. McKee threw for 638 yards, completed 63.2% of his passes and has a rating of 76.6. But he’s been sacked 10 times. So the Eagles switched to the more mobile Milton, who also has a “cannon” for an arm, as more than a few teammates have described.

Here’s another difference: McCarthy has a star receiver to throw to in Malik Nabers, who has 608 yards receiving through seven games and four straight games with at least 100 yards. Milton, meanwhile, won’t have the Eagles’ top two receivers in DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, who are each missing a third straight game with hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively.

“They’ve got a really good offense,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said about the Giants. “They’ve got it going right now. They’ve got good wideouts, good tight ends, two good backs. The quarterback has come in, in a short period of time, and really done a nice job. For them to get him for a sixth-round pick is a steal.”

Here’s how we see the game going:

Our prognosticators are Martin Frank (Eagles beat writer/columnist, Delawareonline.com), Greg Giesen (sports strategist, Delawareonline.com), Tom McGurk (sports editor, Courierpostonline.com), Tom Moore (sports columnist, Phillyburbs.com), Bob Jordan (sports editor, app.com), Bert Bainbridge (sports trending reporter & columnist, Northjersey.com), Tom Haines (Pennsylvania state planning), Kevin Tresolini, (college sports reporter, Delawareonline.com), Michelle Ganassi (audience director & die-hard Steelers fan, Delawareonline.com), Tom Rimback (sports writer, Courierpostonline.com), Brandon Holveck (high school sports reporter, Delawareonline.com)

Martin Frank

The Eagles’ plan for the season is clear now after their sixth straight loss − play the young guys, take their lumps and get the best draft pick possible. As of right now, the Eagles have the No. 5 pick. Why stop there? The Giants haven’t won at the Linc since 2013, and John Harbaugh is 15-3 coming off a bye from his years with the Ravens.

The pick: Giants 29, Eagles 17

Greg Giesen

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Those were the words on the Gate of Hell in Dante’s poem “The Divine Comedy.” One could easily say those words should be etched on Lincoln Financial Field. I wrote earlier in this losing streak that the Eagles may not win another game this season, and the Birds are making me look like Nostradamus. Without a functioning offense, the defense will get gassed. Those elements will make the Giants look like the G-Men of the 1980s and early 1990s.

The pick: Giants 27, Eagles 12

Tom Moore

The Giants come into the Linc and hand the Birds their seventh straight setback.

The pick: Giants 27, Eagles 13

Kevin Tresolini

The Giants’ offense now coordinated by former University of Delaware QB Matt Nagy benefitted from his switch to recently acquired J.J. McCarthy at quarterback while the Eagles’ offense appears quite limited.

The pick: Giants 20, Eagles 13

Tom McGurk

Believe the Eagles aren’t thinking about the bye week ahead? Fuhgeddaboudit! Get ready for a big beatdown by Big Blue with the hope that things may rebound for the Birds after a week away from football.

The pick: Giants 28, Eagles 12

Tom Haines

John Harbaugh is making good in his inaugural season heading up the first-place Giants, but are the G-Men really that good? They have a plus-2 point differential and recently promoted J.J. McCarthy to starter in a quarterback shuffle after losing Jaxon Dart for the season. You might expect the Eagles to roll over once again after consecutive 17-point losses to division foes. But I’m calling for a defensive battle with a heartbreak ending for the hometown team.

The pick: Giants 16, Eagles 13

Tom Rimback

Barring any huge trades, the Eagles should be able to get back onto the winning track against the resurgent Giants. Sadly, for our North Jersey brethren, Bill Parcells isn’t walking through the stadium doors anytime soon.

The pick: Giants 23, Eagles 22

Bert Bainbridge

No one thought this would be the reality at the midway point of the season with the Giants in the driver seat in the NFC East and the Eagles in free fall mode. Fresh off a bye, the G-Men defeat the Birds at Lincoln Financial Field for the first time in 13 years.

The pick: Giants 30, Eagles 17

Bob Jordan

J.J. McCarthy may not be Y.A. Tittle but doesn’t have to be with Harbaugh’s spiffy after-a-bye record (15-3, best among modern era head coaches with at least 10 games).

The pick: Giants 22, Eagles 19

Michelle Ganassi

This one is painful. I don’t think the Eagles can win this rivalry game. The Giants are coming off their bye, while Philadelphia’s offense has been struggling.

The pick: Giants 14, Eagles 3

Brandon Holveck

The Eagles entered the season rostering four quarterbacks. None of them will start this Week 9 game against the Giants. After seeing Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee in the preseason, maybe a trade for J.J. McCarthy would have been prudent.

The pick: Giants 21, Eagles 17

Overall records

8-0: Bainbridge

7-1: Giesen, McGurk,

6-2: Moore, Tresolini

5-3: Haines, Holveck

4-4: Frank, Rimback

3-3: Ganassi

3-5: Jordan

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Sign up for the “Eye On The Eagles” newsletter, emailed to your inbox every Friday morning. Read his coverage of the Eagles‘ championship season in “Flying High,” a hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles’ Joe Milton vs. Giants’ JJ McCarthy. Our experts predict game

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