Opportunity Knocks

There is a lot on the line in every playoff game. Win or go home. Sometimes legacies are involved. Sometimes job status is at stake. The Eagles want to win to keep their season going. A win would stop some of the bleeding from the miserable 6-game stretch (5 losses). A win would also help Nick Sirianni’s case to keep his job.

Things just got tougher.

Nick Sirianni confirms AJ Brown is out for Monday. Says Brown did everything he could to be able to play but it was always going to be a stretch.

Says it’ll be a bunch of players filling that void in this game.

— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) January 13, 2024

The Eagles are going to play a good defense and won’t have their top offensive weapon. Not awesome.

This situation does provide opportunities for some guys. Sirianni gets to show that he can coach. Some of his critics think he wins strictly because of talent. Well, he will be missing a key piece in a key game. Show what you can do.

Quez Watkins has been desperate to show he’s a good player for a while now. Most of us know the answer to that. But he did just have the best game of his NFL career last week. If there was ever a time for him to step up, this is it.

Brian Johnson has gotten a ton of flak this year. He now gets a chance to show that he can be creative and come up with a gameplan that makes the most out the players he does have.

Opportunities.

The Eagles still have plenty of talent. Jalen Hurts is a star QB. DeVonta Smith is a stud receiver. Dallas Goedert is a stud TE. D’Andre Swift is a gifted RB who went for more than 1,000 yards this season. And the Eagles have one of the best OLs in the league. That is more than enough for Sirianni and Johnson to work with.

In terms of replacing Brown, the Eagles will need a group effort. Watkins had a very disappointing season, but played well last week. That might earn him a chance to show what he can do. I know a lot of you are rolling your eyes and I get that. Watkins struggled all year long. But you need someone to step up and he is coming off a good game. Maybe the light came on for him. Maybe it is just an anomaly.

This version of Quez Watkins better show up on Monday. All I’m saying. pic.twitter.com/pfnqWNo8MY

— Conor Myles (@SnipeMyles) January 13, 2024

Julio Jones will have a chance to show his value. He’s not a playmaker anymore, but can help to move the chains. Olamide Zaccheaus will get mixed in. I’m curious to see if Britain Covey gets more snaps. He’s not 100 percent so they may have him focus on being the PR.

The real key to this game is Hurts. He’s not 100 percent because of his finger injury, but he’s healthy enough that he can play well and lead the Eagles to a win. Hurts won’t have his safety blanket and that might be a good thing in its own way. Spread the ball around. Don’t force it downfield. That’s the optimistic view. There is always the possibility that Hurts will struggle without his favorite target.

More than anything, Hurts has to protect the ball. He hasn’t done that during the Eagles bad stretch. Tampa isn’t an explosive offense so you don’t want to help them out. Make them drive the long field.

I mentioned what an opportunity this game is for the others. Hurts is in that same category. He was amazing in 2022 and at times in 2023. Unfortunately Hurts hasn’t played well enough when the Eagles needed him most. Well, the Eagles sure need him on Monday night. At his best, Hurts makes plays with his arm, legs and brain. He will need to rely on all three against the Bucs.

The defense could be without Reed Blankenship. He hasn’t practiced, but Sirianni said that there is a chance he’ll play. Blankenship will likely be a gametime decision. If he doesn’t play, Avonte Maddox will move to safety. He’s been practicing there this week.

The Eagles will get Darius Slay back. They’ll certainly need him to help slow down Mike Evans.

Nothing has been simple or easy for this Eagles team and Monday night won’t be any different.

*****

AJ Brown has a good chance to play next week, if the Eagles can get by Tampa.

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