Eagles vs Saints Preview
After back-to-back late afternoon kickoffs, the Eagles are back to the ever so loved 1:00 PM kickoff time in Philly. Jalen Hurts and the birds will be wearing their all-black uniforms at home, as they try to pick up their first home win of the season against a banged-up Saints team that has dropped their last two.
New Orleans Saints Injury Report:
Sean Payton and the Saints gotten bad news this week as they ruled out All-Pro running back Alvin Kamara (knee), and Pro-Bowl tackles Terron Armstead (knee/shoulder) and Ryan Ramczyk (knee). The Saints have also ruled out backup defensive lineman Malcolm Roach (knee) and Tanoh Kpassagnon (knee), along with backup wideout Ty Montgomery (hand). The Saints will still be without Jamies Winston, as Trevor Siemian is expected to get the start at quarterback.
Philadelphia Eagles Injury Report:
The Eagles injury report was a lot more positive than the Saints this week, as the only player ruled out was backup guard Jack Anderson (hamstring). Edge rusher Derek Barnett (neck) and linebacker Davion Taylor (knee) are also questionable for this week’s game. Tight end Dallas Goedert was also from concussion protocol, and Miles Sanders was activated off IR and is expected to play.
Key Matchups
Defense:
Landon Young vs Josh Sweat
Marquez Callaway vs Darius Slay
Erik McCoy vs Javon Hargrave
Despite the Saints loss of Ramczyk, Kamara, and Armstead, who are their three best offensive players, they have plenty of weapons on the outside. Marquez Callaway is a dangerous deep threat that can take the top off a defense, and Deonte Harris is one of the most electrifying players with the ball in his hands who can also take the top off a defense. However, the Eagles defense has been one of the best in the league at taking away deep balls with their double high safety look, and with New Orleans missing their two Pro-Bowl tackles, expect Sean Payton to call a more conservative game. This could play into the favor of the veteran back Mark Ingram who shows no signs of slowing down. The Saints will need Ingram to be the feature back this week with Kamara ruled out, and Ingram has shown that he can be a reliable option for Siemian out of the backfield, hauling in 9 catches for 82 yards over the last two weeks. Wideout Tre'Quan Smith has also started to find his footing with the new man under center, as he has turned into a prime red zone target, catching 2 touchdowns over the last three weeks. We should also expect to see some Taysom Hill packages in the red zone and on third and short situations. The biggest concern for the Eagles will need to be getting the Saints off the field on third and short. With all the injuries, Sean Payton will likely prefer a time-of-possession style game, and Jonathan Gannon’s defense allows teams to live in third and short yardage situations, which is exactly what Payton wants to do.
Offense:
Marshon Lattimore vs DeVonta Smith
Cameron Jordan vs Lane Johnson
Demario Davis vs Dallas Goedert
Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts have started to find their rhythm as the Eagles offense has erupted over the last three weeks, but they will be going up against the league’s top defense led by multiple All-Pro players. The Saints have been historically good against the run over the past few years, but in Jalen Hurts' first career start almost one year ago, both he and Miles Sanders eclipsed 100 yards on the ground as the Eagles upset the Saints in the Linc. I'm sure the Saints defense led by Cameron Jordan will remember that game and come out with a little extra fire, but they will be facing a much more polished Jalen Hurts than that of a year ago. DeVonta Smith is one of the best young receivers in the NFL, but he will likely be shadowed by Marshon Lattimore, who is the best corner Smith will have faced to this point of his career. Lattimore is elite in man coverage, but because he is left on an island with no help over the top on most occasions, he can get beat deep. However, the Saints defense will live with a team hitting the occasional deep ball on Lattimore, as he is spectacular with the ball in the air and can come up with big momentum changing plays. Even though the Saints defense has been elite all year, they can allow quarterbacks to come up with explosive plays downfield, which is exactly what this Eagles offense is notorious for under Nick Sirianni, as they are top five in explosive plays this year. With Miles Sanders back, many fans expect the Eagles running game to take it to another level, but this may not be the week for that to happen. Sirianni must stay committed to the ground attack, but this game will rely on the arm of Jalen Hurts. With Lattimore covering Smith, Dallas Goedert will need to step up and play an outstanding game, and it would help to get some production on chunk plays from Reagor and Watkins.