Giants looking to end Eagles curse — they refuse to talk about

Not acknowledging the facts does not make the facts cease to exist.

Bobby Okereke, starting inside linebacker, is 1-3 against the Eagles in his relatively brief time with the Giants. Is he sick of losing to them?

“Obviously excited for the opportunity on Thursday night to get a win in front of our fans,’’ Okereke told The Post, clearly not answering the question.

Another try: Does a rivalry have to be earned? If it is so one-sided, is it actually a rivalry?

“I feel like our focus is on this Thursday, short week, we’re extremely excited for the matchup,’’ Okereke said, smiling, because he knew he was dodging the query.

Move down a few lockers, to Dexter Lawrence. The massive nose tackle is closer to being an expert on this than any other Giants defensive player. He is 3-10 against the Eagles. He is asked if it is mentally grinding to lose so often to a division opponent.

“I don’t know,’’ Lawrence said.

How could he not know? He could write a book entitled “This Series Is for the Birds.’’

You don’t know?

“I don’t feed into that,’’ Lawrence said. “Those plays can’t win you the next game this game.’’

True enough. What trended so strongly in the past does not necessarily have to continue in the future, and that future arrives Thursday night, when the Eagles come to MetLife Stadium fresh off their first loss of the season, aiming to take all that frustration out on the wounded and wobbled home team.

With all the talk about what they have not done this season, you would think the defending Super Bowl champions are 1-4 instead of 4-1 and alone in first place in the NFC East. It is the Giants sitting at 1-4, alone in last place, canceling out any good vibes from beating the previously unbeaten Chargers in Week 4 with a ridiculous five-turnover meltdown in losing in Week 5 to the previously winless Saints.

Here we are at yet another crossroads of Success and Failure, with the Eagles on one path and the Giants again on the other. Since 2014, this series has been Eagles 19, Giants 4. In the last eight meetings, the Giants are 1-7 and the only victory came in the 2023 season finale, when the Giants raced to a 24-point lead and the playoff-bound Eagles played the second half with their starters on the bench.

Thrust right into the middle of this is Jaxson Dart. In a rookie season filled with firsts, here is another. Actually two. This is his first encounter with an NFC East opponent, and the fervor in those affairs is often ratcheted up. This is also Dart’s first prime-time, nationally televised game with the Giants.

“Obviously, divisional games hold a little more weight,’’ Dart said. “Obviously, understanding the history of this matchup and the intensity of it carries weight as well.’’

As much as Dart has embraced the Giants as a franchise, there is no way he actually understands the history of this matchup.

“I don’t know a ton,’’ Dart admitted. “I’m a little naive to it, being from the West Coast and whatnot. Obviously, you understand growing up what rivalries are in the National Football League. At the same time, you hear New York, New Jersey people and how they feel about Philadelphia people and vice versa. I definitely have gotten more accustomed to that from my time being here.’’

He will know soon enough, as there figures to be plenty of Eagles green mixed in with the Giants blue filling the seats. The last time he played at home, Dart delighted and energized the paying customers with his passing and running in a 21-18 upset of the Chargers. That was win No. 1 for him. A week later came loss No. 1.

“For just being realistic, it’s not going to be my last,’’ Dart said. “Obviously, you don’t want those things to happen, but it’s just part of the game. So, just trying to come back, identify the things I need to work on, at the same time being able to say things I did well, and then try to carry those over to the next week.’’