Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The (5-11) New York Giants’ disappointing 2023 season will come to an end this Sunday when they host the (11-5) Philadelphia Eagles.

These two teams met just two weeks ago on Christmas Day, where the Eagles were victorious 33-25 and are favored to win again on Sunday.

Despite losing four out of their last five games, Philadelphia still has an outside chance of winning the NFC East title. If they beat New York on Sunday and the Commanders upset the Cowboys, the Eagles would be crowned division champs for the second year in a row.

New York, on the other hand, is about to enter the offseason with a ton of uncertainties regarding their roster and coordinators.

Although this isn’t one of the marquee matchups of Week 18, it’s always interesting when these two teams meet. Here are four bold predictions for the game.

The biggest question for New York this offseason is whether or not Saquon Barkley will be back next season. The 26-year-old running back expressed his desire to remain with the Giants, but he knows the NFL is a business and that Sunday could be his final with New York.

“A lot of that’s out of my control. So, for me, I kind of just try to keep the main thing, the main thing. Like I said, the biggest thing is this locker room, and this team is going to be completely different next year. So, cherish the moments and go out there and try to go off on a high note.” Barkley said when asked this week about the possibility of Sunday being his last game with the Giants.

Despite playing behind a porous offensive line and dealing with a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss three games this season, he is only 84 yards shy of the fourth 1,000-yard rushing season of his career.

The Eagles have struggled mightily at stopping the run, as they’ve given up an average of 142 yards on the ground over the last five games.

Not only will Barkley reach the 1,000-yard plateau, but he will have his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.

One of the reasons for the Eagles’ recent slide has been the play of their quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts has committed five turnovers in the last four games and has thrown 14 interceptions this season as opposed to six all of last year. This is one of the reasons why the Eagles are minus seven in turnover differential.

He knows if the Eagles have any hopes of making a long playoff run, he has to do a better job of not committing turnovers.

Even though the forecast calls for adverse weather conditions and New York has forced 27 takeaways on the season, expect the 25-year-old quarterback to have an efficient game on Sunday and not commit a turnover.

While Saquon Barkley’s Giants career is up in the air, all signs point to Sunday being Sterling Shepard’s last game with Big Blue. The eight-year veteran has played sparingly this season, catching just seven passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

“It is what it is. I think this point in time comes for everybody at some point throughout their career. I just look at how blessed I’ve been to be in the same spot for eight years, it’s been a blessing.” Shepard said when asked if he’s come to terms with this being his final game as a Giant.

The 30-year-old receiver has been a fan favorite due to his hard work and enthusiasm he’s shown. But injuries over the past few years have derailed his career, which is why Sunday will be his swan song with New York.

Look for Brian Daboll to give Shepard significant playing time against the Eagles, which will result in him catching his last touchdown as a member of the Giants.

Surprisingly, in their first matchup this season, the Eagles’ defense was unable to sack Tyrod Taylor when he replaced Tommy DeVito in the second half. The Eagles have not been nearly as effective at sacking opposing quarterbacks as they were last season, as their sack total has dipped from 70 in 2022 to 41 this season.

After giving up the game-winning touchdown in the final moments of their 35-31 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, you can bet that Philadelphia’s defense will look to redeem themselves.

Their front seven, led by Haason Reddick, will get the better this time around against a Giants offensive line that has allowed their quarterbacks to get sacked 83 times this season. Look for the Eagles to take down Taylor six times on Sunday.

Prediction: The Eagles are free-falling as they head toward the playoffs, and they’ll be without wide receiver DeVonta Smith. The Giants, meanwhile have nothing to lose and should make bold and daring decisions on Sunday. Look for the Giants to pull off the upset.