Only injuries could likely derail the Eagles

by Marc Narduccu | Oct 3, 2022
Only injuries could likely derail the Eagles
It’s become clear that the only thing that can seemingly derail the Eagle's Super Bowl quest is injuries. At the nearly quarter pole of the NFL season, the Eagles (4-0) are the league’s only unbeaten team.

There are plenty of skeptics who point out that the Eagles haven’t played a difficult schedule.

The counter to that is what teams, especially in the NFC, are to be feared?

Maybe the Green Bay Packers, but they needed overtime at home to defeat the now 1-3 New England Patriots, who were playing most of the game with a third-string quarterback.

Tampa Bay is 2-2 and a team with a sterling defensive reputation just surrendered 41 points to Kansas City. The offense looks like it has aged, beginning with 45-year-old icon quarterback Tom Brady.

The defending champion Los Angeles Rams don’t look anywhere near as dominating as last year.

Wasn’t that the team the Eagles beat 24-7 and it appeared much worse?
How about the Dallas Cowboys, who are 3-1, including 3-0 with Cooper Rush as the starting quarterback?

Even when Dak Prescott returns at quarterback, the Cowboys have too many holes.

They could give the Eagles a competitive game and might even win one of the two contests between the two, but this is a team that has a questionable offensive line and looks what the Eagles did the last two weeks against teams that are hurting up front.

They got nine sacks against Washington and four more against Jacksonville.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t play like Superman, throwing a pick-six and having just a 72.8 passer rating and the Eagles still won against Jacksonville, 29-21. Receiver A.J. Brown continued his excellent play with five receptions for 95 yards. He has opened up so much for the offense with his presence. 

The Eagles overcame a 14-point deficit in lousy weather against a Jacksonville Jaguars team, that appears ready to compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.

And speaking of the AFC, there is this thought, and it may be more than that, suggesting the AFC is a level higher than the NFC. Yet, while the AFC is deeper, is there any team there that the Eagles can’t beat?

Sure Buffalo looks great on both sides of the ball, but if they keep running quarterback Josh Allen this much, one has to wonder how effective he will become in the postseason.

Kansas City will be a major contender and any team with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback should be feared, but does that defense scare anybody?

The Los Angeles Chargers got a lot of preseason mention and remember, they lost at home by 28 points the week before to Jacksonville.

The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals are 2-2, has won two in a row, but have an offensive line that still is below average and while quarterback Joe Burrow is an excellent player, his penchant for holding onto the ball too long has had him take too many hits.

What shape will he be in by January? So we get back to the Eagles.

They didn’t even play their best game and still beat a good Jacksonville team. Jacksonville entered the game allowing 55 yards rushing per contest. The Eagles rushed for 210 yards (4.2 avg.) and four touchdowns.

Miles Sanders had a career day, rushing for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries (5.0 avg.).

So again it comes back to injuries. Against the Jags, offensive linemen Jordan Mailata and Isaac Seumalo and cornerback Darius Slay left the game with injuries. The Eagles can withstand some injuries, but like most NFL teams, there is an eventual breaking point.

Things could change since there are 13 more regular season games left and we will revisit this topic, but right now, the Eagles have the best record in the NFL and it appears on merit.

Image Courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles


Author: Marc Narduccu

Archives

Who’s Who in Health Care

Ahead of the Curve

Money Matters

Going Greener and Cleaner

Self-Made Man

Building Toward the Future

On The Move

Firing Up

Drinking it All In

Caring for One Another

What’s the Big Idea?

Making Connections

Up to the Challenge

Today’s Pupils, Tomorrow’s Professionals

Best of Home & Garden 2024


More...