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2023 Playoffs

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'Philly is Philly': Giants ready for raucous crowd

SAQUON-BARKLEY

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The city of Philadelphia has never shown the Giants any brotherly love.

The teams' annual game in Lincoln Financial Field is an opportunity for Eagles fans to vocalize their extreme dislike for their closest geographic division rivals. They display clever and colorfully worded signs, greet players with hand gestures and use language banned in schools and houses of worship.

This season, the Giants get to make a bonus appearance at the Linc. On Saturday night, they will play there for the second time in 14 days when the longtime NFC East foes meet in a divisional playoff game.

"It's a divisional game, I think that brings some intensity to it," quarterback Daniel Jones said. "They're known for having a good crowd to support their team. We're prepared for it; we've played there before."

"I told my mom she can't come to the game because she'll go back at them," defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence said. "It should be fun and I'm excited."

View photos from practice as the Giants get ready for the Divisional Round matchup.

What kind of atmosphere does Saquon Barkley expect?

"Pretty much the same, but my mom and dad are definitely going to show up to that game," said Barkley, who was raised in central Pennsylvania. "I'm not going to say it's going to be the same, but Philly is Philly. Their fan base is crazy. They're going to be loud, there's going to be cheers, there's going to be boos. There might be some double birds. That's Philly, you know?"

On Jan. 8, Barkley was among the 17 key Giants regulars who did not play. The Eagles' starters defeated the Giants' reserves, 22-16, to clinch the division title and a first-round playoff bye for Philadelphia. While the Eagles rested last week, the Giants topped the Vikings in Minnesota, 31-24, in an NFC Wild Card Game.

"It's funny, when we were coming into the game last time, there was a little kid and his parent," Barkley said. "I was just staring, and I was like, 'I'm going to see if he's going to flip us off.' He didn't, he just gave us a thumbs down and I was like, 'Okay, we're going in the right direction here.' I expect it to be a hostile environment. It's the playoffs. That's how it's going to be. You know how Philly fans are. Growing up in Pennsylvania, obviously I wasn't a Philly fan growing up, but had a lot of Philly fans – I know how passionate they are. It's going to be fun. This is the stuff that you dream about as a kid. That's what the atmosphere was like in Minnesota. Another great atmosphere going to Philadelphia."

The Giants would like to silence those Eagles fan for a change. They have lost nine consecutive games in Lincoln Financial Field, the longest road losing streak in a stadium they've ever had. The Giants last won in Philadelphia on Oct. 27, 2013, when Josh Brown kicked five field goals in a 15-7 victory. They lost their only previous postseason contest there in a 2006 wild card game.

Jones has played just once in the Linc, in 2020. He missed the games in 2019 and 2021 with injuries and was one of the starters who got the day off two weeks ago.

"I think every game is different," he said. "I think we'll approach this like we would any other game, but they're a good team, it's a good environment, they bring a lot of energy, fans are passionate. Like any road game we'll prepare for that and be able to handle that as part of the game."

"I'm expecting a great environment," said cornerback Adoree' Jackson, who played almost every snap against the Vikings after missing seven games with a knee injury. "Obviously, going down there, it's a division opponent but it's a playoff game so I expect them to be fired up and rowdy like I'd expect any team at home to be. Even when we were in Minnesota, they were out there. You know the white-out game we had before Christmas was loud, but this game was different.

Even when we were there (in Philadelphia) two weeks ago, when we went down there it was loud then, but I expect it to be louder. Just expecting a great environment, something that you dream of playing in and having that moment."

*Jackson was a full practice participant Wednesday after being limited with a back issue.

Five players were limited: wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins (ankle), linebacker Azeez Ojulari (quad), and defensive backs Julian Love (hamstring), Fabian Moreau (hip) and Landon Collins (ankle).

View rare photos of the historic rivalry between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

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