Question Marks Heading Into Week 3
Now that we are two weeks through the NFL Season. Now is the time to properly start judging teams in the NFL. Sure, you can come out a little flat in the first game and then look like a playoff team in the second week of the season so that is why I say that once the NFL season turns to Week 2 that is the correct time to start evaluating teams.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, the first few drives of their Thursday Night matchup last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings fans started to get unsettled with their team. The Eagles expectations are to go back to a second straight Super Bowl but the team still has a way to go.
Play Calling :
Photo Credit: The Inquirer
New offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has heard it from the Philadelphia media as well as the fans for his play calling. Against the New England Patriots, the play calling seemed like on every snap quarterback Jalen Hurts first read was to go deep. Against Minnesota, that was the case again but this time the Eagles started to run the ball more to set up the deep pass. Whereas against the Patriots the run game never planted itself to set up other plays against the Vikings the Eagles forced the Viking’s defense to come up and stack the box so Hurts could set up for passes downfield.
Utilizing the run :
Photo Credit: Bleacher Report
It is unlikely that with a healthy running back Kenneth Gainwell running back D’Andre Swift will get close to 28 carries in a game. That is just not how this Eagles offense is set up; they are set up to be a rotating backfield. So any hopes of seeing the Eagles becoming a one-man show in the backfield are very unlikely. However, last Thursday provided Eagles fans with an exciting look at how the Eagles can use the running game to their advantage. Leaning against the big and veteran offensive line the Eagle’s offense moved up and down the field at will on the Minnesota defense. This led to big plays from the pass at times and set up Jalen Hurts for a couple of QB sneaks from the one and a rushing touchdown for Swift.
Allow the big boys to hunt :
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Drafting two defensive tackles in the first round in back-to-back drafts by selecting Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter both out of Georgia one would think a majority of the time they would both be on the field together. Both have wreaked havoc in the New England and Minnesota backfield with numerous knockdowns of Mac Jones and Kirk Cousins. The two have not consistently been seen on the field at the same time and if they were one would assume this would have meant Kirk Cousins and Mac Jones would not have thrown for over 300 yards between the both of them.
Staying healthy on the field :
Photo Credit: Bleeding Green Nation
So far throughout the first two games the Eagle’s injuries have begun to pile up. Guys need to remain on the field in order to have a fighting chance against some of the best teams that the Eagles will be facing this year. The Eagles were lucky to have not had the absence of James Bradberry and Reed Blankenship impact them as much as it could have against the Vikings but that may not be the case moving forward. Now with cornerback Avonte Maddox missing what could be the rest of the season, the Eagles will be calling upon young cornerback Josh Jobe to take his place.
If the Eagles manage to fix all of the little issues that have been plaguing this team so far to become the team that many expected them to be I have no doubt that this will be another deep run into the playoffs, but time will tell.
