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Grading the Eagles in the aftermath of Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Giants

So much for the benefit of coming off the bye week. This was just an awful effort by the Eagles.

It was that kind of day for the Eagles Sunday. Here, Miles Sanders (26) tries to pick up a fumbled snap by Jalen Hurts (2) in loss to the Giants.
It was that kind of day for the Eagles Sunday. Here, Miles Sanders (26) tries to pick up a fumbled snap by Jalen Hurts (2) in loss to the Giants.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

If you’re counting, the Eagles now are 1-4 in games after the bye week under Doug Pederson after Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Giants. Even with the return of running back Miles Sanders, right tackle Lane Johnson, and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, they equaled their lowest point total of the season. The defense gave up 151 rushing yards and made Daniel Jones look like a Pro Bowler.

And now, the grades:

Rushing offense

Eagles running backs averaged 8.0 yards per carry but ran the ball just 19 times. Five of Miles Sanders' 15 runs gained 9 yards or more. Boston Scott had a 56-yard TD run early in the second half behind a spectacular block by Jason Kelce, then never carried the ball again.

Grade: A-minus

» READ MORE: The Eagles’ loss to the Giants shows, again, that their season is amounting to nothing | Mike Sielski

Passing offense

The good news: Carson Wentz didn’t turn the ball over. The bad news: He also didn’t throw any TD passes and had just one pass longer than 16 yards (22 yards to tight end Richard Rodgers). Wentz averaged just 5.6 yards per attempt and didn’t complete any of his seven third-down pass attempts.

Grade: C-minus

Rushing defense

The Eagles continued to have problems dealing with running quarterbacks, giving up a 34-yard first-quarter TD run to Daniel Jones. But they also struggled early against Giants running backs Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris, who combined for 63 first-half yards. Gallman had 6- and 17-yard runs on the Giants' game-opening TD drive. The Giants had three rushing TDs. That makes 14 that the Eagles have given up, or one more than last season.

Grade: C-minus

» READ MORE: Doug Pederson still angry at himself and his Eagles team, the day after losing to the Giants

Passing defense

Daniel Jones, who came into the game with the sixth-lowest completion percentage in the league, had just seven incompletions in 28 attempts. He had back-to-back 27- and 38-yard completions to Sterling Shepard (against Avante Maddox) and Golden Tate (against Nickell Robey-Coleman) after the Eagles had closed to within three early in the second half. Darius Slay might have had his poorest game as an Eagle. He struggled with Giants speedster Darius Slayton.

Grade: C

Special teams

Punter Cam Johnston had his second-lowest net average of the season thanks to a punt coverage unit that gave up 16- and 21-yard returns to Jabrill Peppers. The 21-yarder gave the Giants the ball at the Philadelphia 39 and set up a Graham Gano field goal. The Eagles' own return game was nonexistent. Jake Elliott made his only field goal attempt, a 40-yarder.

Grade: C-minus

» READ MORE: Eagles’ loss to the Giants underscored by a comedy of unforced errors

Overall

So much for the benefit of getting healthier. This was just an awful effort by the Eagles. It started with an inexcusable third-down offside penalty on Malik Jackson on the Giants' first TD drive and never stopped, whether it was the defense’s giving up another touchdown run to quarterback, Carson Wentz’s tripping over one of his lineman’s legs on an important third-and-1 in Giants territory, or the offense’s failing to convert a single third down — they were 0-for-9 — for the first time since 2004.

Grade: D