On Pattison Picks: Can Eagles' Backups Beat Giants?

The Eagles (13-3) will take on the Giants (3-13) at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, in a season finale neither team is particularly interested in winning.

The Birds are locked into the NFC's second seed for playoffs purposes regardless of the outcome, while the Giants— in the back of their minds, if not spoken aloud — would probably prefer a loss to help their positioning in the next NFL draft.

Here's what our On Pattison staffers believe will happen in the least exciting game of the year:

Tim Kelly

Score: Eagles 24 - Giants 10

Game MVP: Grant Calcaterra

Brian Daboll will do well in his second head coaching job. His first will end in unceremonious fashion, though, with the B and C teamers of the Eagles — led by Tanner McKee — handing the Giants their 14th loss of the season.

SINGLE ticket price for the #Eagles final regular season home game against the New York Football Giants (plus fees) 🏈💪 #sp

TickPick: $50
StubHub: $58
SeatGeek: $58
Gametime: $70#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/9xKX3StXuX

— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) January 4, 2025

Anthony SanFilippo

Score: Giants 19 - Eagles 18

Game MVP: Jake Elliott

I know, I’m picking an MVP from the losing team, but follow my logic. Nobody is playing in this game except the backups. The game doesn’t matter, at all. To anyone. Neither team really cares about winning - including the Giants, who could take themselves out of a draft spot to select a top QB in the draft. But Elliott can quell some simmering concerns that the Eagles kicker is not as reliable as he once was by kicking a bunch of field goals as the offense struggles to punch in touchdowns as second and third stringer’s dot the lineup. So, let’s give him six. Yeah, it’s a ridiculous number, but why the hell not? Even if he goes 4-for-4 or 3-for-3 fans will start to feel better. Gotta root for something, no?

“Super excited. Feel very ready and very prepared”

Big week for Tanner McKee as he prepares to make his first NFL start: pic.twitter.com/4P1X38pZvj

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) January 3, 2025

John Foley

Score: Giants 20 - Eagles 16

Game MVP: Malik Nabers

The Giants already screwed up their shot at the No. 1 pick in the draft by beating the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. And the players on the field for New York will want to perform well regardless of a win's effect on draft positioning.

For example, here's what Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson said about the draft pick after the win over Indy: "That's not talked about with us. Guys are out here playing for their livelihoods. This is their job. A lot of guys, they might not be on this team next year."

Now, the Birds certainly have enough depth to compete with the Giants even while resting starters. But in the end, I think pride kicks in for the New Yorkers when they step between the lines.

This is a quote from John Mara in the offseason on the win over Philly in last season's finale. People were trying to tell me that he would green light a tank:

"If you think I didn't want to beat Philadelphia the last game of the season after the history we've had against them,…

— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) January 3, 2025

Austin Krell

Score: Eagles 28 - Giants 7

Game MVP: Tanner McKee

You could do a ‘Who he play for?’ on this game and I’d maybe get two right. Still, why would the Giants risk pushing their pick back any further than they already have? Tankathon it is.

“The Eagles have a long and storied history of doing things like this to the New York Giants.”@PaulHembo thinks Philly will purposefully lose on Sunday so their division rival has a lower draft pick in 2025 🧐 pic.twitter.com/wBAyHT9wFC

— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) January 2, 2025