Milton starts, Eagles lose again

The Philadelphia Eagles lost their seventh consecutive game on Sunday, falling 19-11 to the New York Giants in a contest that offered few offensive answers. The defeat leaves the team with a 2-7 record and marks their first seven-game losing streak since 2012.

Joe Milton made his first career NFL start for the Eagles, replacing Tanner McKee after the latter lost three straight starts. Milton signed with the team just three weeks ago and took over the quarterback role on Wednesday. He finished the game with 169 passing yards on 18 of 34 attempts and a quarterback rating of 17.1. He also rushed for 64 yards, the team's best performance on the ground.

The offense showed moments of promise but struggled with consistency throughout the contest. Milton gained 19 yards on the second series, a drive that ended in the Eagles' only touchdown of the game. He also found rookie wideout Makai Lemon for a 15-yard pass in the second quarter. Lemon was facing tight man coverage during that play, yet Milton completed the throw for a chunk gain.

Milton also faced clear issues on the field, including a false start on his first play and a fumble caused by a hit from Giants rookie Arvell Reese. The Eagles' offensive line provided limited protection, a factor Milton cited in his postgame comments. He described his performance as decent for a debut, noting that he felt blessed to play alongside teammates he had been training with for the past three weeks.

Head coach Nick Sirianni characterized the performance as a mixed bag, acknowledging that Milton made good plays but also had moments he would want back. Sirianni praised Milton's ability to make plays with his feet and his execution in play-action situations. The coach noted that the team needs to improve its complementary football to help the run game coincide with the play actions they are running.

Milton, who is 26 years old, described his adjustment period as a daily process of learning and physical preparation. He said he is overworking his body to reach the level required by the team. The Eagles appear ready to continue using Milton as their starting quarterback, viewing him as the latest fill-in for Jalen Hurts while the offense searches for stability under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.