5 things we learned about Joe Milton, Eagles bad offense in Giants loss

PHILADELPHIA − Joe Milton wasn't the answer either for the moribund Eagles offense. Milton provided an early spark, leading the Eagles to a touchdown in the first quarter both by using his arm and his legs. And the defense made the lead stand up well into the third quarter. But it was only a matter of time. The Eagles didn't score again until the final minutes of the game, and the Giants eventually took the lead and added to it, sending the Eagles to a 19-11 loss on Nov. 8. Buy Philadelphia Eagles tickets The Eagles lost their seventh straight game and fell to 2-7. They head into their bye week one loss short of the 2012 team's mark of futility. That team lost eight straight. The Eagles return on Nov. 22 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Giants are 5-2-1, light years ahead of the Eagles in the NFC East. The Eagles' seventh straight loss fit the same pattern as previous defeats, no matter who the quarterback was. Milton was replacing the benched Tanner McKee even though Milton was on the Cowboys' practice squad when the Eagles signed him on Oct. 16. Yet it was more of the same, as in terrible offense. The Eagles had just 131 yards through three quarters and finished with 220, the sixth time in the seven losses they failed to get as much as 300 yards of offense. But Milton kept throwing, much like McKee did the past two weeks. Milton finished 18-for-34 for 169 yards. He also ran 9 times for 64 yards. Milton was sacked 7 times. Milton's best series came in the first quarter. He ran for 19 yards and a first down on 3rd-and-16, getting the ball down to the Giants' 35. Then he threw to Darius Cooper in the end zone. The pass was incomplete, but Giants CB Deonte Banks was called for pass interference, giving the Eagles a first down at the Giants' 3. They scored on Saquon Barkley's run. The Eagles went for the 2-point conversion after the Giants were called for offsides on the extra-point attempt. The Eagles converted and led 8-6 with 2:09 left in the first quarter. That lead held up because the defense shut down the Giants and sacked QB J.J. McCarthy five times in the first half and six times overall. But once again, the offense couldn't sustain a drive, the defense was on the field too long in the second half. And it was only a matter of time for the Eagles' defeat to be secured. Here are four other takeaways: Eagles 2nd-half struggles continue For the second straight week, the Eagles didn't score a touchdown in the second half after leading in the first half. Against Washington on Nov. 1, the Eagles lead 10-0 in the first quarter. They didn't score again and lost 27-10. Against the Giants, the Eagles led 8-6 when they scored late in the first quarter. They added just a field goal with 1:56 left and lost again. Tough sledding for Saquon Barkley For the second straight game, it appears as if the opponent is keying on Barkley whenever he's in the game. Barkley is playing despite hamstring and back injuries that have limited him for a third straight game. He has been on a pitch count the last two games, although it did appear as if he played more against the Giants than the previous two games. Still, Barkley had 12 carries for 19 yards through three quarters. Last week against the Commanders, Barkley had 13 carries for 30 yards. The bye is coming at a good time for Barkley, not to mention injured Eagles wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Jonathan Greenard and Eagles' sack party During the past week, Eagles offensive coordinator Vic Fangio made it a point to say that edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was off to a disappointingly slow start to his Eagles career not only because he's been injured, but because those injuries have kept him from practicing. Greenard, whom the Eagles traded for, then signed to a four-year deal worth as much as $100 million, missed all of training camp with a pectoral muscle injury. He missed the first two games, then hurt his ankle, causing him to miss two more. He played after that despite being limited in practice. So it took until Week 9 for Greenard to get his first sack when he got McCarthy in the first quarter. That started the Eagles on their way to 5 in the first half. Zack Baun had two of them. The Eagles came into the game with 10 sacks in 8 games. Braden Mann is the man, until his negative punt Not only did Mann hit an 86-yard punt, the second longest in Eagles' history to Randall Cunningham, who had a 91-yarder in 1989. But Mann also had two more that went for 60 yards or more. Through three quarters, Mann had 7 punts for an average of 55 yards, with two of them landing inside the Giants' 20. His eighth punt, early in the fourth quarter, didn't go nearly as well. He bobbled the snap, then picked it up and started running to his left. Mann punted on the run and the ball went out of bounds. He was credited with a punt of minus-2 yards. That brought his average down to 48 yards per punt. Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Sign up for the " Eye On The Eagles" newsletter , emailed to your inbox every Friday morning. Read his coverage of the  Eagles ’ championship season in “Flying High,” a hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal.  Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.