Game Preview – PHI at BAL

Last week the Eagles had to deal with a high powered offense. This time out they face a top flight defense. The Ravens come into the game 21st in scoring so their offense is nothing to write home about. They are 4th in both points and yards allowed so they can play some serious defense, which is what you expect of a Ravens team.

This feels like a bad week for the Eagles. They are banged up, with Darren Sproles out and Allen Barbre not sounding likely to play. The Eagles have lost 4 games in a row and haven’t won on the road since they beat the Hessians at Trenton in 1776. Or at least it seems that long. The Ravens have won 4 of their last 6 games and they are fighting for a playoff berth. They have the veteran QB and the Eagles rookie is going to face a tough, veteran defense.

The very fact this feels so one-sided is what makes me wonder if this won’t be a game the Eagles end up winning. I wrote a game preview for PE.com. I detailed some legitimate reasons the Eagles can be optimistic.

I also wrote about Isaac Seumalo, who will start at RT if Barbre is out. Part of me does want Barbre to miss the game so we can see if Seumalo can play there. RT isn’t his spot long term, but it would be good to know if he can fill in there if needed in the future. He did play some OT a couple of times in college. The big downside is that you don’t want him getting beat on a play and the rusher possibly hurting Carson Wentz.

Someone asked Doug Pederson about shutting Wentz down to keep him healthy rather than risking him behind a patchwork OL. Pederson said he wanted to keep his QB on the field. I completely agree with that. There is risk, but at the end of the day this is football and you need your best players on the field if there is something for them to gain. Wentz is going to get an independent study course today called Facing the Ravens Defense. He might struggle. He might succeed. But he will learn a thing or two that can help him down the road.

Will this be the game where the Eagles defense has a breakout performance? Joe Flacco is a big target and isn’t the athlete he used to be. He’s been sacked 25 times this year. You can bet the Eagles will go after him aggressively. It would be so nice to see a QB go down 5 or 6 times in a game. It’s been way too long since that happened. The Ravens don’t run the ball much at all so the defense should have plenty of chances to get after Flacco.

The Eagles win, no matter what happens. If they lose the game, they have better draft position. If they win the game, the players get to feel good about themselves for winning on the road, beating a good team and ending their losing streak.

Just keep Wentz healthy and whatever else happens, happens.

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