After a highly disappointing Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Eagles look to rebound, and get their first win of the season against their arch nemesis….the Dallas Cowboys.
The Eagles are opening their stadium up against Dallas, the lone leader of the NFC East. That should be pressure enough, especially after last year’s home game in which Dez Bryant made it his own personal highlight tape.
Bryant burned the Eagles for three touchdowns, and after what Julio Jones did to this Eagles secondary on Monday, I would have to say Byron Maxwell and the secondary are under immense pressure to step it up.
Yes, they did mange to intercept Matt Ryan twice, but on the contrary, they allowed five plays of twenty yards or more. That can’t happen if you want to win on the NFL.
Although, this Dallas team won’t have Bryant, who is sidelined with a foot injury, they still will be a serviceable opponent.
Last year’s leading rusher DeMarco Murray was anything but spectacular against the Falcons. He managed eight carries for nine yards, just down-right awful for a guy who ran for 1,800 yards, and had ten straight 100-yard games to start last season.
Sunday, Murray will line up against his former team wearing enemy colors. He will have to be the Murray of old if the Eagles want to win. I fully expect him to get at least 17-22 carries this game. Murray will want to make a considerable statement, and bring some excitement back to the Eagles rushing attack.
This offseason was filled with immense excitement, with a plethora of roster moves, and solid draft choices. Rookie wideout Nelson Agholor, who looked impressive in the preseason, managed just one catch for five yards in his debut.
Agholor also looked a step behind with Sam Bradford on a key third down play when he reacted too late to make the catch. He will get a pass because he is a rookie, but if you’re drafted in the first round, you’re expected to produce at a high level.
Look for Bradford to target Agholor a little more this week, especially since Cowboys defensive back Orlando Scandrick is out, and they may not have the speed to keep up with Agholor.
The Cowboys will also be missing second round draft pick Randy Gregory, who has been considered the best pass rusher in the draft. That will help the Eagles offensive line focus on other pass rushers such as LB Sean Lee.
Scandrick and Gregory missing this game could work in the Eagles favor, and they will surely need to capitalize on this handicapped defense.
All in all, the Eagles still have a lot to prove now that have joined the elite category of the NFL. Chip Kelly has assembled the best 53-man roster he could possibly build in the off-season.
Can the team finally take that next step ? Can the secondary no longer be a laughing stock and return to the “no fly zone” standard? Will Murray return to the human plow we all know he can be?
Only time will tell, and there is still a very long season ahead. Give this team time to gel, and hopefully the pressure won’t be to huge of a hurdle to get over.
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