Eagles suffer seventh straight defeat to Giants as Sirianni denies obscene gesture toward fans

The Philadelphia Eagles’ collapse deepened on Sunday as they lost 19-11 to the New York Giants at home, their seventh straight defeat. The loss left the Eagles with a 2-7 record for the season.

The win carried special significance for the Giants. It was their first victory in South Philadelphia since 2013, and it strengthened their position in the NFC East race.

A separate controversy erupted right after the final whistle. Cameras appeared to catch head coach Nick Sirianni raising his right middle finger toward booing home fans as he walked off the field with security chief Big Dom. The clip spread quickly on social media.

Asked about it on Monday, Sirianni flatly denied the accusation. “Absolutely not,” he said, adding that the suggestion came as a surprise to him. He completely rejected the idea that he had made such a gesture toward his own supporters.

Sirianni’s sideline behaviour has drawn criticism before. During wins he has shouted at road crowds and cupped his ear at the Linc. But with the team losing week after week, many see turning on the home crowd as self-defeating.

On the field, the Eagles’ offence looked spent. It has been weakened by the retirement of Lane Johnson, and quarterback Jalen Hurts is sidelined after blood clots were found in his lungs. He is reportedly expected to miss the rest of the season.

Interim quarterback Joe Milton had a difficult afternoon in Hurts’ place. He completed 18 of 34 passes for 169 yards, lost a fumble and was sacked seven times, including three by Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese.

The Giants, by contrast, played a physical game. They used J.J. McCarthy on the ground to move the chains, and Jameis Winston scored the go-ahead touchdown. The Harbaugh-led Giants look ready to contend in the NFC East.

After the defeat, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman moved quickly to rebuild. On Monday he traded defensive tackle Jordan Davis to Jacksonville for first- and second-round draft picks.

The deal leaves Philadelphia with 10 selections in the top two rounds over the next three drafts. The future draft capital is loaded, but the present state of the Eagles is a complete disaster.

After seven straight losses, the Eagles’ season is effectively over. With a coach under fire, a star quarterback absent and a broken offence, the only question in Philadelphia now is when this team will turn around.