SUNDAY 8:30 Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
OUR place atop the division is by no means secure, as it’s really only by the slightest of technicalities (head to head tie breaker), that we even have the spot. This week however we can show the world that we’re a team to be taken seriously, IF we beat the 5-0 Panthers and look good while doing so. Having beaten this team 45 – 21 last year in their own home means that us simply escaping with a win, will do nothing to help the perception of our team.
EAGLES
Defense
The climb to the top of the division was done without big splashes coming from our 2014 offseason Free Agent acquisitions, instead the boost has come from guys like DE Fletcher Cox, rookie ILB Jordan Hicks, and CB Nolan Carroll. No one could argue that this is a top 10 defense, but beating this unit is by no means an automatic. If they don’t have to carry the team, if they keep playing at their recent level, the Eagles could be better than a mere playoff qualifier.
And yes, I just dropped the “P” word. Division leader comes with certain perks.
Offense
Power running, power running, power running. None of that zone shit. Getting cute last year saw us run for fewer than 40 yards. Mostly what happened during last year’s blowout, was we capitalized on 3 interceptions (by Nate Allen, Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher) and some smart, TURNOVER FREE football played by QB Mark Sanchez. We likely won’t get the breaks we got last year, so why do what didn’t work last year?
Also the more we run the cleaner and more upright QB Sam Bradford stays. Considering how erratic he’s been with his play this year, it would be wise to not put this game on his shoulders. Feeding the rock to RB DeMarco Murray is not only good for my fantasy football team, but also the Eagles. We would be wise to make sure to do so this week.
Panthers
Defense
This unit has a few guys who I’ve lusted for in prior Drafts and so it’s hard not to look at it’s performance and feel pride in my ability to spot talent, but bitterness that it’s not here. They get pass rush and sack production from different players, from different positions in their defense. So there is no “one guy” to stop.
What’s freaky is them also finding a way to mine value out of S Kurt Coleman. I think that’s to be commended but if there’s away to attack this team, I’d say it’s by targeting him with the the long ball. (Isolating him against a second slot reciever will get him out of the box. At which point you switch over to power running, power running, power running.)
Offense
Cam Newton. This unit is joke if he goes down.
If we cut off the head, the body dies.
Bottom Line
Stop Newton and we stop Carolina. It’s one-stop shopping. Newton threw for over 300 yard and 3 TD’s against us last year. Then again, we sacked him 9 times and hit him a lot more; so he also threw 3 interceptions. (When I said he threw 3 TD’s I didn’t mention that one of them was to CB Bradley Fletcher.) So the Rx is simple. Beat on him. A lot. And then beat him some more. This is real simple stuff folks. You walk Jordan Hicks up to the line of scrimmage and have him holler “COLLARBONE!” and then send the house a couple times early. Make no mistake, he remembers the ass whipping we put on him last year. So this year you bring it all back. You harrass him. You intimidate him. And then you break him. This game is ours if we’re willing to push down the accelerator with both feet.
Prediction
Eagles 26 – Carolina 19
