Eagles Vs. Giants Week 6 NFL Pregame Predictions and Betting Picks 

Birds Bruised, Giants Battered: An NFC East Gut Check

The Philadelphia Eagles are no longer perfect, and the football world is watching to see how they handle a little adversity. After a 4-0 start that felt more gritty than dominant, the Birds finally got grounded in a bizarre and controversial 21-17 home loss to the Denver Broncos.

Philly lost a 14-point second-half lead in a second-half meltdown that left people angry in the stands. The implosion was facilitated with the help of some confusing officiating, such as a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty on linebacker Zack Baun, which prolonged a key Broncos drive.

Afterwards, on a play that was on the line, the refs held their flags inside on what appeared to be a certain pass interference on tight end Dallas Goedert at the end zone, pushing a last, unsuccessful Hail Mary.

The loss puts boiling offensive irritations into a boil. Wideout A.J. Brown had been visibly disappointed with his utilization, although he has since reclaimed loyalty towards the team. Quarterback Jalen Hurts shouldered full blame for the "lack of execution," but the offense undeniably misses the explosive pace from a year ago.

To make matters worse, they lost starting guard Landon Dickerson to an ankle injury in the defeat. Now, they limp into a Thursday night divisional clash against a New York Giants team dealing with its own profound mix of triumph and tragedy.

The Giants finally got their first win, but it came at a devastating cost. Sensational rookie receiver Malik Nabers, who was on a record-setting pace, saw his season end abruptly with a torn ACL. The injury is a gut punch to the franchise and places the entire offensive burden on the shoulders of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.

While the Giants' pass rush, led by a recovering Dexter Lawrence, has shown signs of life, the team and the entire organization were hit with the somber news that co-owner John Mara has been diagnosed with cancer. This NFC East showdown - with the Eagles commanding the set and the Giants in last - is suddenly a massive gut-check for both squads. 

It's a battle of a bruised favorite trying to silence the doubters against a battered underdog playing with heavy hearts and nothing to lose. Which way will it go? The bruised Eagles won't let last week's loss keep them from taking flight and running away with the win.