Anthony DiBona
Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles came out flat on the offensive end to start a game. Luckily they were playing the Washington Redskins with Kirk Cousins running the show. That combined with the Eagles defense playing out of it’s mind kept the game close until the Redskins pulled away at the end.
But this week, coming out flat on offense won’t cut it. Not against the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Although they’re 1-3 just like the Eagles, the Saints are young and hungry. If the Eagles think this game will be an easy one, they’re sadly mistaken. Sean Payton is still a phenomenal head coach and the Saints have always presented a problem for the Eagles.
That being said, let’s get right into this week’s preview for Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Saints at Lincoln Financial Field!
Three Storylines To Watch For
1) Has Sam Bradford finally figured it out?
We finally saw glimpses of what we all were hoping to see. Chip Kelly was finally dialing up some deep passes for Sam Bradford and he executed them perfectly, for the most part. The Saints have a penalty prone secondary and the Eagles should try and beat their big, physical cornerbacks for some long plays. Bradford looked comfortable slinging the ball down the field but he’ll need time in the pocket to do so. That brings me to my second storyline to watch out for.
2) How effective can the Eagles battered offensive line truly be?
I know that Jason Peters, Allen Barbre and Lane Johnson are all supposedly playing. But how effective will they really be? Johnson is basically playing on a leg and a half, Peters already was struggling before his injury and the same goes for Barbre. It’s not like the Saints don’t have pass rushers either, rookie outside linebacker Hau’oli Kakaha looks like the fearsome rusher he was in college. Cameron Jordan is obviously still a force to worry about up-front as well.
3) Can the Eagles defense keep playing at a high level?
It’s been the surprise of the season to some. Many thought the Eagles defense would be improved from last season…but not this good. They have looked downright dominant at times, especially up-front with players such as Fletcher Cox and Bennie Logan setting the tone. But will the gas tank run out for them considering they’ve had to carry the team for the first quarter of the regular season. They’ll certainly have their hands full with Drew Brees and his plethora of young weapons around him.
Key Matchup To Watch For
Eagles pass rush vs. Drew Brees
It’s hard to shake the unshakable but that’s exactly what the Eagles will try to do against Drew Brees this Sunday. Throughout his career, Brees has appeared unfazed by blitzes but that may be the Eagles only chance at slowing him down. The Eagles are struggling to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks when they send just four rushers so it’ll be up to defensive coordinator Bill Davis to get creative with some blitzes.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Davis try and attack the Saints right side of their offensive line as right tackle Zach Strief has already given up four sacks in just four games. That’s tied for most sacks allowed in the NFL among offensive tackles and he’s second in the NFL among offensive tackles in penalties as well, according to Pro Football Focus. But on the other side, left tackle Terron Armstead has been a beast and has yet to give up a single sack this season. It would certainly make sense for Davis to attack the right side of New Orleans’ offensive line but as we know all too well, he doesn’t always go with what makes sense.
Bettor’s Odds
According to Bovada, the Philadelphia Eagles are somehow 5 point favorites over the New Orleans Saints this weekend. I’m not sure how that’s possible considering the Eagles have struggled quite a bit to start the season. Personally, I think it would make more sense if they got the standard 3 point favorite line for a home team but maybe it’s just me. The over/under seems fair at 49 points though, I definitely would take the over on that one.
My Prediction
Although the New Orleans Saints are coming off a much needed overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys, their fun stops this weekend. It’ll be a back and forth game between the Saints and our beloved Philadelphia Eagles but the defense will make the clutch stop this week that they couldn’t get done last week. It seems like the Eagles are getting some much needed depth back along their defensive front and that should help them over the course of the game. Look for Sam Bradford to continue to air it out against a sketchy Saints secondary, that’s penalty prone as well.
Final Score Prediction: Eagles 31, Saints 27
That’s all for my Eagles vs. Saints preview, be sure to check back here at PhillyInfluencer.com for all of the latest news regarding your beloved Birds and everything else happening in Philadelphia!