Eagles resting players gives Giants better chance to win finale

For almost this entire season, it was exceedingly difficult for the Giants to find ways to win games, which is why heading into Week 17 they owned the worst record in the league and were in possession of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That possession was temporary.

Beating the Colts 45-33 in the season’s penultimate game dropped the Giants into the No. 4 spot in the draft.

Saquon Barkley is all smiles as he walks off the field after the Eagles' Week 17 win over the Cowboys. — Saquon Barkley is all smiles as he walks off the field after the Eagles’ Week 17 win over the Cowboys. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

And now, with the Eagles — locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFL for the playoffs — opting to rest Saquon Barkley and most or all of their top players for Sunday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field, the Giants will go against predominantly backups, increasing the likelihood that they claim their fourth win.

If they do, they could drop even deeper into the first round, possibly falling as far down as the No. 9 overall pick.

Starters vs. backups this weekend.

“It’s the NFL … a lot of guys are starters,’’ quarterback Drew Lock said. “Backups are still really good players. Whether it’s a mix of them, it doesn’t matter. Those are great players, best in the world. You’ve got to treat them as such.’’

Barkley will end his first season with the Eagles with 2,005 rushing yards, 101 away from Eric Dickerson’s single-season NFL record.

His most productive rushing season for the Giants was 1,312 yards in 2022.

The Eagles are 13-3 with Barkley. The Giants are 3-13 without him.

“I’d say they’ve got a good football team, and Saquon’s a good football player,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “Got a lot of wins, productive, good team.”

Asked if the Eagles have a more run-heavy approach with Barkley, Daboll said, “I mean, he’s got 2,000 yards, so yeah.’’

The Giants signed Ihmir Smith-Marsette after their season-opening loss to the Vikings, a pickup made necessary when the primary kick and punt returner, Gunner Olszewski, reinjured his groin.

Smith-Marsette stabilized the return game and this week he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Colts

Giants wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87) reacts as he leaves the field after the Giants beat the Indianapolis Colts 45-33 in East Rutherford, N.J. — Giants wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87) reacts as he leaves the field after the Giants beat the Indianapolis Colts. Bill Kostroun/New York Post

Smith-Marsette, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick of the Vikings, was also with the Bears, Chiefs and Panthers before hooking on with the Giants.

He is a native of Newark who starred at Weequahic High School. He is averaging 34.6 yards on kickoffs and 7.5 yards on punt returns.

“He’s a pretty good returner,” Daboll said. “He’s done a nice job. He had the one against the Saints that got called back. It was a punt return. Obviously, he had this one. He made some other good ones in Dallas. He’s done a nice job of handling the ball. Good teammate. He’s got a great personality about him. Happy we have him.”

Four players did not practice: ILB Micah McFadden (neck), C John Michael Schmitz (ankle), RT Evan Neal (rib/hip) and DT Armon Watts, who went down versus the Colts and underwent season-ending knee surgery.