Slowly but surely the Giants have climbed back into the NFC East race.

After an 0-2 start featuring some of the strangest faces ever made by Eli Manning, who was seriously doubting Ben McAdoo's new no-huddle offense, the Giants won three straight games.

The offensive line is much improved as is the ground game that had been missing since their last Super Bowl victory in the 2011 season.

Which is why the Eagles need middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans and his sore groin - at least the right side - more than ever.

Ryans sat out his second straight practice Wednesday with a groin strain. He exited the Eagles' last game in the third quarter. Head coach Chip Kelly is hopeful Ryans can play this weekend.

"But I don't know," Kelly said. "If there's one guy I wouldn't count out of anything it's DeMeco. It sounds like he's progressing. we're hopeful for that."

The Giants punched the Falcons right in the mouth with their between the tackles ground game last week.  Andre Williams (5-11, 230) was credited with 20 rushes for 65 yards. Several runs came late when the Giants were killing the clock and everyone from East Rutherford to Jersey City knew his number would be called. The Falcons had 11 guys in the box.

Always shows up for Eagles-Giants games.

Williams ran over 230-pound Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow on a three-yard touchdown run giving the Giants the lead for good in their 27-20 victory at MetLife Stadium.

The Eagles almost certainly will be without inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks for the fourth straight week. Kendricks is able to run but not participate in drills per Kelly.

Casey Matthews is coming off his best game. Emmanuel Acho has played solidly.

If premier tackler Ryans, the quarterback of the defense, cannot hold up physically the Eagles will need a little luck to beat the Giants. Luck and a couple of return touchdowns.

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