A few days after millions of Americans gave thanks for good health and good friends and family, the Eagles gave thanks for still having a shot at the post-season. But first they had to play the visiting New York Giants Sunday afternoon in an NFC clash in front of 69,696 onlookers.

For the second year in a row,  kicker Jake Elliott came through with a game-winning field goal and the Eagles won in a comeback, 25-22. This time the kick didn’t come from 61 yards away and with a second left. This time Elliott booted the game-winner from 43 yards  away with 22 seconds remaining to end their two-game losing streak and set up their pivotal East Division game with visiting Washington (6-5, tied for first with Dallas) on Monday Night Football. It will be their second consecutive divisional game that will culminate against Dallas the following Sunday.

After the opening drive, it didn’t look like the Eagles would be playing a game on Monday night that would be even close to being pivotal. The Giants scored a touchdown in a little more than four minutes to go up, 6-0. Sensational rookie Saquon Barkley caught a pass from quarterback Eli Manning and made a few stutter-step moves and scored with only barely being touched.

He sidestepped defensive back Chandon Sullivan on a 25-yard run a couple of plays previous to the touchdown. From the looks of things, it didn’t start out well for the Eagles (5-6). Down 19-3 late in the first half, the Eagles were desperate to keep the Giants (3-8) from running away with the game. With a player of Barkley’s ability, that was possible. Taking over on their 25-yard-line, the Eagles finally started to move the football.

On the sixth play of the drive, quarterback Carson Wentz dropped back to pass at the 15. He looked and saw tight end Zach Ertz alone at the 10. He threw a dart and Ertz did the rest. The big, burly Ertz – one of the league’s top receivers – caught the pass and bowled overt a couple of defenders for a touchdown with 1:04 to go before the intermission. Corey Clement ran for the two-point conversion and it was a football game.

But not so fast. The Giants received the ensuing kickoff and with the first half running down were in field goal position. But Manning took a shot at the end zone and was intercepted by safety Malcolm Jenkins to keep the Birds within 8 at the break.

The interception was the turning point in the game and maybe the turning point in the season. After allowing the Giants to gain 346 total offensive yards in the first half, the Eagles defense tightened up and gave up only 56 yards in the second half.

They finally took the lead in the fourth quarter when running back Josh Adams barreled over from a yard with a little than 10 minutes left in regulation. Adams ran for the two-point conversion and the Eagles were ahead, 22-19. After the Giants made a field goal to tie, the heroics by Elliott were to follow.

The game was an important one on so many levels. The Eagles beat a divisional opponent. The tiebreaker for making the playoffs could come down to a team’s divisional record. The Eagles and Washington are 2-1 in the division and Dallas is 3-1.

After the Dallas game, they play two of the better teams in the league. The L.A. Rams welcome them to the L.A. Coliseum and the Houston Texans visit Lincoln Financial Field the following Sunday. Both lead their divisions. The Rams are led by quarterback Jared Goff and are 10-1  atop the NFC West. The Texans are led by quarterback DeShaun Watson and are 8-3 atop the AFC South. The Eagles travel to Washington for the season finale.