NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) will battle the New York Jets (2-3) this Sunday in their Week 6 showdown. The Eagles are coming off a win against the Los Angeles Rams where the offense put on a remarkable show as they held the ball for almost 38 minutes. The Jets are coming off an impressive win against the Denver Broncos.
All eyes will be on the Eagles defense and how well Zach Wilson handles the pressure. While the Eagles have tailed off a bit in the sack department, they are still one of the top teams in QB pressure. If they can rattle Wilson, this game could be over by halftime.
Here are 3 keys to victory for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New York Jets.
Don’t Feel Sorry For Zach Wilson
Around the league, players must see and hear things being said regarding players on other teams. In the case of the Jets and Zach Wilson, he’s been dragged through the mud ever since he put on the uniform. But this is where the opposition must throw all that out the window. The Eagles can still respect Wilson but not feel sorry for him. Yes, another bad week may signal the end of his time in NY but why should the Eagles care for 60 minutes?
Coming into the game, Wilson has been up and down. One week he shows why he was a high draft pick and the following week, he shows why he’s been benched a few times during his short career. The Eagles need to attack Wilson early and often. They cannot allow him time to find Garrett Wilson or Allen Lazrad deep. The Eagles are weak in the secondary and there is no reason to give Wilson any type of confidence this game.
Philadelphia Eagles Must Control the Clock
The name of the game in any NFL contest is ball control. The Eagles held the ball for almost 38 minutes against the Rams last week and will need to do more of the same against the Jets. Their offense is not as high-powered as the Eagles but make no mistakes about it, the Jets are well-respected on the defensive side of the field. If Jalen Hurts, D’Andre Swift, and Kenneth Gainwell can move the chains, this will be a long day for the Jets.
Will The Philadelphia Eagles Beat The Jets in Week 6
While fans want the Philadelphia Eagles to put up 50 points, that is not their game. They have the ground attack to put pressure on a defense and a QB and receiver core to take things over the top. Wear down that New York Jets defense and keep them on the field. The longer Wilson and the offense sit, the better it is for the Eagles defense. Ball control wins games.
Continue To Convert 3rd Downs
For most of the early season, the Philadelphia Eagles have struggled on 3rd down. However, against the Rams, they came out firing on all cylinders. For a team who went just 4-12 in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders, the Eagles offense followed that performance up with a 13-18 output in Week 5. Can they continue that climb?
With a ground game and offensive line as potent as theirs, there is no reason to think otherwise. The Jets surrender 146 rushing yards per game. This is not how you stop the Eagles. running the ball is what they do best. If the backs and Hurts can get rolling, 3rd and short would be easy to achieve. The Eagles must avoid the 3rd and longs and be smart with their playcaling. The Jets are allowing 206 yards per game through the air so the Eagles may face a lot of short-yardage situations on 3rd downs. They must execute the same way they did against the Rams last week.
