Giants defeat Eagles, 27-10, in season finale

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

Center John Michael Schmitz, the Giants’ second selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, missed the finale due to a shin injury. He ends his rookie season having started all 13 games in which he played. The Minnesota product missed Weeks 5-7 with a shoulder injury.

Ben Bredeson moved over to center from right guard, where Mark Glowinski made his sixth start of the season.

Matt Peart made his first start since 2021 at right tackle after Tyre Phillips tore a quad tendon in Week 17. Phillips was placed on injured reserve and will require surgery.

Tyrod Taylor was limited in practice this week but made his second consecutive start at quarterback and his fifth of the season. However, he suffered a thumb injury early in the game and was replaced by Tommy DeVito for the third drive. Taylor then returned to start the second quarter. Overall, Taylor completed 23 of 32 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Taylor’s touchdown came on a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton, who found the end zone in three consecutive games to end the season.

Wan’Dale Robinson’s rookie season ended with a torn ACL in a game where he posted his first – and only – 100-yard game of his career. Now healthy, the young wide receiver has shown down the stretch why the Giants drafted him in the second round. On Sunday, he had receptions of 33, 26 and 19 yards, which led to 17 points on two Saquon Barkley touchdowns and a short Mason Crosby field goal.

Sunday was the fifth multi-touchdown game of Barkley’s career on the ground, including last year’s Wild Card victory in Minnesota.

On Saturday, the Giants signed quarterback Jacob Eason and tight end Tyree Jackson to the active roster from the practice squad, but both were inactive for the game.

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who spoke this week about the possibility of Sunday being his last appearance in a Giants uniform, was the last Giants player announced during pregame introductions. Shepard was also an honorary game captain and participated in the opening coin toss.

Entering Sunday, Shepard (369) was three catches away from surpassing Jeremy Shockey (371) for fifth-most in Giants history. The top four, in order, are Amani Toomer (668), Tiki Barber (586), Joe Morrison (395), and Odell Beckham Jr. (390). The Giants made sure to get him into the select group as Shepard finished with three catches for 18 yards.