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Giants are trying to stay focused with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley’s homecoming on Sunday

Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen knows the team has a lot to handle with the Eagles featuring Barkley and A.J. Brown on offense.

Saquon Barkley spent six seasons with the Giants and became the franchise's fourth all-time leading rusher.
Saquon Barkley spent six seasons with the Giants and became the franchise's fourth all-time leading rusher.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

The 3-2 Eagles will take a trip to North Jersey to face their first NFC East rival of the season, the 2-4 New York Giants. The matchup will mark Saquon Barkley’s return to MetLife Stadium since signing a three-year deal with the Eagles during the offseason.

After a 17-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Giants will look to pick up their third win of the season despite sitting at the bottom of the division.

» READ MORE: Saquon Barkley enters other side of Eagles-Giants rivalry with ‘no hate,’ but a growing impact on his new team

With all the noise surrounding Barkley’s return, Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen wants his team to look at this matchup as just another week.

“It’s status quo for us,” Bowen told reporters on Thursday. “It’s week to week. It’s another good player that we’re playing. They got good receivers on the outside. Another team. Another big challenge for us. We got to be ready to go regardless of who it is. Obviously, they got their history with him here. I’m trying to do my best to keep them focused, keep us focused on the job at hand, and us worrying about us and doing our job and being prepared and ready to go.”

» READ MORE: Ahead of their matchup with the Giants, Eagles players reflect on their own personal football rivalries

Bowen is focused on every offensive aspect of the Eagles game. In fact, the former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator is quite familiar with A.J. Brown from his time with the Titans.

“He’s strong,” Bowen told reporters. “He’s really, really good with the ball in his hand. He’s tough to bring down. Probably one of the better catch-and-run guys in the league. If he has space, then he’s full steam ahead.

“Just from Year 1 to Year 2 down there [Tennessee], he took some major strides in becoming who he is today. And he’s obviously progressed even more in his time in Philly.”

The Eagles play in Week 7 against the New York Giants. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from MetLife Stadium.