PHILADELPHIA — Evan Neal’s miserable second season with the Giants is officially over and done with, as the oft-struggling right tackle on Sunday was placed on injured reserve.
Neal, 23, played in only seven games this season.
He started the first six at right tackle before a sprained right ankle put him out for two games.
He returned to start in Las Vegas but came out of that game with a sprained left ankle and did not make it back to the field.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Neal arrived as a massive (6-foot-7, 340-pound) prospect with impressive credentials based on his college production at Alabama.
He started 13 games as a rookie and was a disappointment, certainly a work in progress.
There was no discernible improvement in Year No. 2.
In Neal’s seven starts, he was often a weak link on the offensive line.
He graded out as the 82nd offensive tackle in the league by Pro Football Focus.
He also lambasted Giants fans after a 24-3 loss to the Seahawks for booing the team and later apologized for the remarks.
Another offensive tackle, Matt Peart, was activated off injured reserve.
Peart has not played since he hurt his shoulder in Week 5 against the Dolphins.
The Giants also elevated K Mason Crosby and LB Tomon Fox from their practice squad for Monday afternoon’s game against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Jalen Hurts is second in the NFL in rushing touchdowns this season with 14, an incredibly prolific number for a quarterback.
Only Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, with 18 entering Sunday, has more rushing touchdowns.
No quarterback in NFL history has ever run for 15 touchdowns in a season.
Hurts visits the end zone so frequently because the Eagles have nearly perfected the success rate on their version of the quarterback sneak, referred to as the Tush Push or the Brotherly Shove.
With future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce burrowing under defensive linemen, Hurts using his powerful legs — he can squat 600 pounds — and his teammates pushing from behind, the Eagles at the goal line and in short-yardage situations are nearly unstoppable.
They converted 93.5 of them in 2022 and this season the Eagles’ fourth-down success rate of 72.7 percent leads the league.
“As a defense, I think that you have to just look at every down, every first down, it’s not first and 10, it’s first and nine,’’ defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said. “So, I mean if you just look at it that way, you just got to give it your best shot when they get in those situations.’’
Other teams have tried to replicate what looks more like a rugby scrum than an NFL play, but no team can match the Eagles’ prowess.
The Giants do not seem keen on knowing a way to stop it.
“Because it’s just one yard,’’ outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said, “and if I played offense it would be easier for me to get one yard than the defense stopping me from getting one yard.’’
For the first time in the 99-year history of the franchise, the Giants will use four placekickers in a season, as Crosby will make his Giants debut Monday.
Crosby, 39, was signed after 22-year old Cade York, set to make his Giants debut, hurt his quad during practice this past Thursday and was placed on practice squad injured reserve.
York was going to be summoned to replace veteran Randy Bullock, who strained a hamstring in the 24-6 loss in New Orleans.
Bullock was signed in November after Graham Gano was lost to a knee injury.
Punter Jamie Gillan in an emergency situation kicked a 40-yard field goal last week against the Saints.
Crosby in 16 years with the Packers had 395 made field goals and a success rate of 81.4 percent. He is the career scoring leader in Green Bay with 1,918 points.
He has not played in 2023 before coming to the Giants to close out their season.
After achieving an NFL-best record of 10-1, the Eagles (10-4) are no longer the top seed in the NFC, falling behind the 49ers (11-3).
“Guys are in a good spot and we want to obviously get out of this skid we’re in,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “I just think the guys are hungry to get out there and coaches are ready to get out there and show what we’re capable of and what we can be as a football team.’’
The Eagles will be without LB Zach Cunningham (knee), CB Darius Slay (knee), CB Avonte Maddox (pectoral) and G Landon Dickerson (thumb).
For the Giants, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee) is out and, in a late addition to the injury report, WR Isaiah Hodgins (illness) is questionable.
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