Thursday Night Football on October 9, 2025, delivered one of the season’s most shocking upsets when the New York Giants demolished the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 at MetLife Stadium. What makes this victory remarkable isn’t just the final score—it’s how dramatically the player statistics defied every projection, expert prediction, and season-long trend. The Eagles entered as 7.5-point favorites with championship aspirations, while the Giants limped in with a struggling 1-4 record and one of the NFL’s worst-ranked passing offenses.

Yet when the final whistle blew, the stat sheet told a completely different story. This comprehensive analysis breaks down the Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants match player stats to reveal how an underdog team rewrote the narrative in a single electrifying performance.

Game Overview: When the Favorites Fall

The final scoreboard read Giants 34, Eagles 17, but the underlying statistics paint an even more dramatic picture of dominance. New York rushed for 172 yards and four touchdowns—a feat the franchise hadn’t accomplished since December 5, 2010. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s vaunted offense, which had been projected to control the game through their running attack, managed just 71 total rushing yards.

Jaxson Dart’s Breakout Performance: Defying the Projections

Perhaps no player statistics tell a more compelling story than those of Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Entering the game, Dart ranked among the NFL’s worst passers with just 85 adjusted passing yards per game—placing him in the 8th percentile league-wide. Analysts projected him for a mere 32 pass attempts with minimal impact.

Instead, Dart orchestrated a masterclass in dual-threat quarterback play:

• Passing efficiency: Completed 24-of-33 attempts for 283 yards and 1 touchdown
• Rushing impact: Multiple scrambles that kept drives alive, including a 20-yard rushing touchdown
• Third down mastery: Led the Giants to an exceptional 68% conversion rate
• Decision-making: Zero interceptions against a defense that ranked #1 in adjusted completion percentage allowed

What made Dart’s performance particularly impressive was his ability to use his legs effectively. The scouting report suggested he averaged just 5.65 adjusted yards-per-target—among the league’s worst. On Thursday night, he completely rewrote that narrative by extending plays with his mobility and making smart decisions under pressure.

Jalen Hurts Struggles Against Unexpected Defensive Pressure

On the opposite sideline, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts experienced one of his most frustrating outings of the season. His stat line reveals the struggles:

• Passing: 24-of-33 for 283 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
• Rushing: 7 carries for only 13 yards and 1 touchdown
• First interception of the season: Picked off by Cor’Dale Flott in the fourth quarter
• Third down efficiency: Completed passes on just 1-of-9 third down attempts

The most telling statistic? Hurts’ rushing yards were nearly 70% below his season average. The Giants’ defensive front neutralized his mobility, forcing him into uncomfortable pocket situations where Philadelphia’s third-down game plan collapsed.

Cam Skattebo’s Triple-Touchdown Explosion

Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo delivered a career-defining performance that will be remembered as one of the season’s breakout moments. His three rushing touchdowns—all from inside the five-yard line—showcased the physical, punishing running style that New York desperately needed.

Skattebo’s Statistical Impact:

Skattebo became the first Giants running back since 2010 to rush for three touchdowns in a single game against a divisional opponent. His bruising style provided the perfect complement to Dart’s mobility, giving the Giants a multi-dimensional offensive attack that Philadelphia couldn’t solve.

The Saquon Barkley Revenge Game That Wasn’t

One of the most anticipated storylines heading into this matchup was Saquon Barkley facing his former team for the first time as a Philadelphia Eagle. The narrative wrote itself: the star running back returning to MetLife Stadium, eager to punish the organization that let him walk in free agency.

Instead, the statistics tell a story of containment and frustration:

• Rushing yards: 58 yards on 12 carries (4.8 yards per attempt)
• Touchdowns: 0
• Big plays: Longest run of just 18 yards
• Impact plays: Failed to convert crucial third downs

The Giants’ defensive game plan specifically targeted Barkley, holding him well below his projected 19.8 carries and limiting Philadelphia’s ability to establish the ground game. This represented a dramatic decline from Barkley’s performances earlier in the season and highlighted how the Giants’ defense had clearly studied their former star’s tendencies.

The Three Statistics That Decided Everything

1. Third Down Domination: 68% vs 11%

The most glaring statistical disparity came on third down conversions. The Giants converted 11-of-16 attempts (68%), while the Eagles managed a catastrophic 1-of-9 (11%)—their worst performance of the season. This single category essentially decided the game’s outcome.

Why it mattered:

• Giants controlled possession for the final 6:50 of the game
• Eagles’ offense never found rhythm or momentum
• Philadelphia’s vaunted rushing attack averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, crippling their third-down strategy

2. Red Zone Perfection: 100% Efficiency

The Giants entered the game with a dismal 6-of-19 red zone touchdown rate this season. Against Philadelphia, they went 3-for-3 with three touchdowns—becoming the first team all year to achieve perfect red zone efficiency against the Eagles.

This statistical turnaround demonstrated how Skattebo’s power running gave the Giants a reliable short-yardage weapon they’d been missing all season.

3. Turnover Battle: 2-0 Advantage

Just seven days after losing the turnover battle 5-0 to the Saints, the Giants won it 2-0 against Philadelphia. Both takeaways came in the fourth quarter when the Eagles were mounting comeback attempts:

• Cor’Dale Flott’s interception: Returned 68 yards to the Eagles’ 23-yard line, leading directly to a Skattebo touchdown
• Dane Belton’s forced fumble: Punched the ball away from AJ Dillon, recovered by Dru Phillips

These turnovers marked the first time any opponent had won the turnover battle against the Eagles this season, and Hurts’ interception was his first of the year.

Defensive Player Statistics: Giants’ Second-Half Shutout

The Giants’ defense delivered a second-half shutout that completely stifled Philadelphia’s offensive weapons. Key defensive statistics included:

• Cor’Dale Flott: 1 interception, 68-yard return, multiple pass breakups
• Dane Belton: 1 forced fumble, 6 tackles
• Bobby Okereke: 8 tackles, critical containment of Barkley
• Tyler Nubin: 7 tackles, strong run defense
• Pass rush unit: 3 sacks, consistent quarterback pressure

The defensive line’s ability to limit Philadelphia to 3.7 yards per carry was the foundation for the Giants’ third-down success. Without an effective running game, the Eagles became predictable and one-dimensional.

Receiving Corps Performance: Brown and Goedert Contained

Philadelphia’s passing attack featured strong individual performances from their top receivers, but the overall offensive execution faltered:

Eagles Receiving Leaders:

• Dallas Goedert: 26 fantasy points, multiple receptions, team’s most consistent target
• A.J. Brown: Solid yardage but failed to produce explosive plays that typically define his performances
• DeVonta Smith: Limited targets, unable to create separation

Giants Receiving Contributors:

• Wan’Dale Robinson: Key third-down receptions, 8+ targets as projected
• Darius Slayton: Vertical threat that kept Eagles’ defense honest
• Multiple contributors: Spread-offense approach that prevented Philadelphia from keying on any single receiver

What These Player Stats Reveal About Both Teams’ Futures

The Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants match player stats from October 9, 2025, offer crucial insights into both franchises moving forward:

For the Giants:

• The rookie duo of Dart and Skattebo provides a legitimate foundation for offensive success
• Red zone efficiency can be solved with physical running backs
• The defense has the talent to compete when the offense controls possession
• Third-down conversions were the key—maintaining that 68% rate would make them playoff contenders

For the Eagles:

• Heavy favorite status doesn’t guarantee victory—complacency may have set in
• When the running game fails, Hurts struggles to carry the offense alone
• Third-down offense needs immediate scheme adjustments
• Defensive vulnerabilities exist despite strong season-long statistics

Conclusion: When Statistics Defy Expectations

The Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants player stats from Week 6 of the 2025 season will be studied for years as an example of how dramatically a single game can shift narratives. The Giants entered with the NFL’s 8th-worst passing attack and left having dominated in every statistical category that matters: third downs, red zone efficiency, and turnovers.

Jaxson Dart evolved from a bottom-tier quarterback into a dual-threat playmaker. Cam Skattebo announced his arrival with three touchdowns. The Giants’ defense held one of the league’s most explosive offenses to zero second-half points. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley’s revenge game never materialized, and Jalen Hurts threw his first interception of the season at the worst possible moment.

These statistics tell us that in the NFL, projections mean nothing once the game begins. The Giants didn’t just win—they dominated in every measurable way, producing a performance that will define their season regardless of what comes next. For Eagles fans, this game serves as a harsh reminder that even the best teams can be humbled when they fail to execute in critical statistical categories.