NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles will do battle against the Jacksonville Jaguars this coming Sunday. The Eagles are coming off an impressive win against the Cincinnati Bengals while the Jaguars are coming off a tough loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. This is still a must-win for both teams but for different reasons. The Eagles are riding a 3-game winning streak while the Jags are still searching for an identity.
Has Jalen Hurts and the offense found their groove after a rough start to the season? The defense, led by Vic Fangio have found their identity and the game against the Bengals was the first where all phases came together. Can they continue this trend or will Eagles fans be in store for a letdown against a team they should dominate?
Here are 3 keys to victory for the Phialehia Eagles against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Continue To Put Pressure On The QB
The Philadelphia Eagles struggled early on with putting pressure on the opposing QB. Lately, they have been one of the best teams in the NFL in terms of pressure and sacks. Trevor Lawrence has been saved 16 times this season and with the Eagles firmly understanding Vic Fangio’s defensive schemes, they are now thriving. It doesn’t matter who gets the sacks, the defense as a unit must continue their recent trend of blowing up the offensive line.
The Jaguars may be without a few of their top playmakers on the outside. This means that Lawrence may hold on to the ball a little longer as inexperienced WRs take time for a route to develop. This should have Fangio foaming at the mouth. He should blitz early and often. With the Eagles’ secondary playing much better as a unit over the last few games, CBs going one-on-one should not be a problem. This will open the door for blitz packages that should be successful.
Use The Middle Of The Field
As deadly as the Philadelphia Eagles offense is at times, they will be even better when Dallas Goedert returns. However, Jalen Hurts has placed some trust in backup TE Grant Calcaterra. Last week against the Bengals, Calcaterra hauled in 3 passes for 58 yards. This is the area where the Eagles need to exploit the LBs of the Jaguars. The middle of the field seems to be the dark abyss for this Eagles offense and it’s time Kellen Moore starts utilizing his player’s skill set.
This is an area where the TEs could blossom and where AJ Brown thrives. Why hasn’t Moore dialed up more plays in the middle for Brown? Brown has the speed and the big body to attack defenses there. Or, he can draw up plays where Saquon Barkley or Kenneth Gainwell can find a soft spot and do damage after the catch.
Stop The Run
Remember the first few games of the season where the Philadelphia Eagles could not stop any running back? Well, those times have changed. In the last 4 games, the Eagles have not allowed a 100-yard rusher. While teams still have achieved that 100-yard goal, that’s been done by a committee. Last week against the Bengals, the Eagles defense surrendered just 58 yards on 20 carries. While the Jaguars have Tank Bigsby, they must continue to play the lanes with purpose. The defense cannot allow Bigsby to run free. He cannot reach the sending wave of defenders.
A good running game can do wonders for Lawrence. But if the Eagles can clog the lane early, that will make the Jags’ offseason one-dimensional. Lawrence throwing for 30+ times is what they want. He’s prone to make mistakes when putting the ball in that air that many times. The Jags’ ground attack has taken a few lumps with the injury to Travis Etienne. Nakobe Dean and Nolan Smith are playing with great intensity and with the push that Jordan Davis and the rest of the mine are getting consistently, the Jags ground game should not be a problem.
