The New York Giants had their brightest moment in several years when they defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 in a nationally televised Week 6 game. The performance marked a coming out party for a pair of rookies in quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo.

The performance was overwhelming and gave both the team and its long-suffering fans the idea that the Giants were primed for a significant turnaround. That continued for more than three quarters in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos as New York built a 19-0 lead after three quarters in the Mile High City and led 26-8 with slightly more than 10 minutes to play.

The last 10-plus minutes turned into a nightmare and the Giants suffered a mind-numbing 33-32 defeat.

If any team needs a reset and perhaps a timeout, it's the Giants. But the NFL doesn't work that way as they will be back in the NFL tornado Sunday against an Eagles team that is bent on revenge.

While the assignment will be a difficult one and it will be tough to match the success they had at MetLife Stadium when the play at Lincoln Financial Field, the Giants got some good news at Thursday's practice. Center John Michael Schmitz, one of Dart's key protectors, was a full participant in practice and has been cleared out of concussion protocol.

Giants need to put nightmarish loss behind them

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Head coach Brian Daboll needs his team to focus on the positive developments that allowed the team to beat the Eagles two weeks ago and build a significant lead over the Broncos. If they can match that and avoid the major mistakes that cost them in the final quarter against the Broncos, the Giants could be competitive in this game.

Dart has been impressive since being named the starting quarterback. He has completed 71 of 118 passes for 791 yards with 7 touchdown passes and 3 interception. He has also rushed for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Skattebo has emerged as the team's leading running back. He has 98 carries for 398 yards and 5 touchdowns for an average of 4.06 yards per carry. Skattebo runs with power and an enthusiasm that has helped the team play with energy and growing confidence.

The Giants need that to continue in Week 8 and beyond.