John Harbaugh isn’t easing his way into the NFC East - he’s charging in with a mission. And that mission, as he made abundantly clear in a recent conversation with Howard Eskin, revolves around one team: the Philadelphia Eagles.
“You got to build a team to beat the Eagles,” Harbaugh said, cutting straight to the point. “Yeah, you got to beat the Commanders, you got to beat the Cowboys, but the Eagles are the champs, you know. So we have to build a team to beat the Eagles.”
That’s not just coach-speak. It’s a blueprint. Every practice, every film session, every personnel decision - all of it, Harbaugh says, will be made with one goal in mind: taking down the reigning kings of the division.
It’s a mindset rooted in his football DNA. Harbaugh invoked a piece of family history to drive the point home, referencing the legendary Bo Schembechler’s arrival at Michigan in 1969 - a moment his father, Jack Harbaugh, witnessed firsthand.
At the time, Ohio State was the gold standard, the reigning national champions. Michigan’s response?
Build a team to beat them.
“They ended up building a team like Ohio State is what we did. And they beat it the very first year,” Harbaugh recalled.
That kind of singular focus is now being imported to East Rutherford. And Harbaugh isn’t shy about where the Giants need to start if they want to compete with - and eventually surpass - the Eagles.
“It starts up front,” he said. “They’re so good up front on both sides.
You better build an offensive line all across the board - especially the interior - that can handle those monsters they have playing up front. That’s where it starts.”
He’s not wrong. The Eagles have built one of the most physically dominant lines in football, and it’s been a cornerstone of their success. Harbaugh knows that if the Giants can’t match that level of play in the trenches, the rest won’t matter.
And it’s not just about protecting the quarterback - it’s about disrupting the other one, too.
“On defense, it starts with your defensive line,” Harbaugh continued. “They have had one of, if not the best, offensive lines in football.
That’s the key to their success. That’s where it starts.
It always has. It always will.”
This isn’t just lip service to the old cliché about games being won in the trenches. Harbaugh’s philosophy is built around the idea that if you can control the line of scrimmage - especially against a team like Philly - you give yourself a fighting chance. Without that, you’re just hoping for a miracle.
But let’s not forget the most important position on the field. When Eskin asked how much the quarterback situation factored into Harbaugh’s decision to take the Giants job, the coach didn’t need words.
He stretched his arms out wide and said, “That much? As wide as you can.”
That tells you everything you need to know. Harbaugh understands that in today’s NFL, you can build all the lines you want - but if you don’t have a quarterback who can make plays, extend drives, and win games late, you're not going far. His commitment to building around that position is clear.
For Giants fans, this is the kind of clarity and conviction that’s been missing for years. A coach who doesn’t just talk about winning - but talks about how to win. A coach who’s not afraid to name names, circle dates, and set targets.
For Eagles fans, it’s a shot across the bow. The Giants aren’t coming to admire the division leaders - they’re coming to knock them off the throne.
And for the rest of us? It sets the stage for what could become one of the league’s most fascinating rivalries.
Harbaugh has never been one to back down from a challenge. He’s leaning into this one with full force.
“How hard is it going to be? It’s going to be really hard,” Harbaugh admitted.
“But it’s going to be hard for them to beat us, too. We’re gonna be really tough to beat.
So, good luck with that - and we’ll see how that plays out.”
The NFC East just got a whole lot more interesting.