The NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, have opened Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season. The Birds entered the game without their star defensive tackle, Jalen Carter, and the result at MetLife Stadium showed why his presence matters for Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Giants seem sorted with their starting QB, Jaxson Dart, who had another remarkable game.

Now, as the NY Giants hand the defending champions their consecutive defeat, here are the 5 takeaways from the highly anticipated TNF clash.

1> Eagles need a better offensive line

Jalen Hurts usually doesn’t have over-the-top numbers, but he carries his team pretty well. This year, however, the Eagles have failed to protect their signal-caller. Even in the Week 6 game, the Giants sacked Hurts 3 times for 17 yards, while the rookie Giants QB Jaxson Dart was sacked twice for a 1-yard loss. The New York team even recorded an interception, which turned the game in their favor.

Until Week 5, the rivals have sacked Hurts 15 times for 80 yards. But the Birds have only sacked their opponent’s QB 7 times for 45 yards. On the other hand, the Giants have lost 81 yards to 14 sacks, while sacking their rivals 10 times for 79 yards.

2> Rushing game difference surprises the NFL

The Eagles carry a well-rounded rushing offense with Saquon Barkley, while Hurts also chips in at crucial moments. But in this game, the Giants’ RB Cam Skattebo came with a better rushing average (3.8 in 63 rushes for 240 yards and 2 scores) than Barkley (3.2 in 83 carries for 267 yards and 3 TDs). Sirianni ignored the rookie’s threat level and paid the price. Skattebo finished the game with 19 carries for 98 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Barkley’s struggles continued with another lackluster game, logging only 12 rushes for 58 yards and no scores. He hasn’t played a 100-yard game yet. Skattebo became the first Giants rookie since Charlie Evans in 1971 to have 3 rush TD in a game.

Overall, the Eagles’ rushing corps recorded only 20 rushes for 73 yards and 1 TD, while the Giants recorded 39 carries for 172 yards and 4 scores.

3> Giants completed more chances

The Eagles created chances, but they lost momentum as the plays moved forward. The Birds recorded 20 first downs, but in the end, they only had 11% 3rd down efficiency, completing 1 of 9 3rd downs. On the other hand, the Big Blue had a better conversion rate of 68.8% in 11 of 16 third downs.

The Giants came into the Week 6 matchup as 16th among 32 teams in receiving yards (1099), while the Eagles rank 30th (889 yards).

4> Jaxson Dart is ready for the NFL

Jaxson Dart stepped up when Russell Wilson failed to win a game. Boy oh boy, he won his first NFL game. Though they lost the Week 5 game, the rookie QB made sure they were always one step ahead of the Eagles in the Week 6 matchup. The Giants scored more than seven points in the first quarter for the first time in 81 regular-season games. It’s the second-longest streak in NFL history.

Dart also became the first rookie with a pass TD and rush TD of 20+ yards in the same quarter since Josh Allen in 2018. He is ready for Primetime now, finishing the game with more than 250 yards combined and 2 touchdowns.

5> Injuries are becoming a crucial factor

The Birds already had defensive worries coming to the MetLife Stadium as their DT Jalen Carter dealt with heel issues. LB Jihaad Campbell recorded 7 tackles (4 solo) also didn’t look his best. The Birds rested their hopes on CB Quinyon Mitchell, who also injured his hamstring and was out of the game. So, the Eagles failed to manage their injury chart.

Even their receiver, AJ Brown, who has openly wanted more ball, sat out because of mental health issues. On the other hand, even the Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll was furious when Dart went to the medical tent at the end of 3rd quarter. He wanted the trainer to send the rookie out at the earliest.

However, Wilson held on to the lead, and the New York team won 34-17. It was the Birds’ worst loss since Arizona in 2023. As the scoreboard reflected, they lost in every department.