We’re just two hours away from the Eagles showdown at the Linc with the Miami Dolphins and excitement levels might be at a season high. The Eagles will be looking to go out and dominate, here’s how they could do just that.
DeMarco Dominance
The Dolphins allow 4.5 yards per rush and rank 26th in the league when it comes to stopping the run. The three headed monster will be high on confidence coming off of their dominant display against Dallas which saw the Defense falter, tire out and give up huge yards on several plays. Each of the Eagles running backs averaged over 4.6 yards per carry against the Cowboys with the M&M combo averaging over 6. This is an Offense that as we have learned, can really take off if the run game is established. With Bradford heating up and his receivers beginning to finally become dependable, the 1-2 punch is the perfect way to set an early tone, pick up some first downs and take some pressure off of the Passing side of things. If the birds can run for 200+ yards overall then this should be a very one sided affair.
Sack Sack Sack!
The Dolphins will be missing their starting right tackle today which is a huge blow for a team who have already given up 23 sacks this season. Connor Barwin is looking to re-emerge as a sack artist after some powerful tackles against the Cowboys whilst the return of Kiko Alonso is surely only going to make life miserable for the Offensive Line. The loss of Jordan Hicks is a big one, but this unit is still one of the strongest in the NFL. Some early hits and a display of huge pressure coming off the edge will make a game that’s already set to be problematic for the Dolphins become a nightmare.
Secondary Shootout
We have already written an article detailing just how much pressure this Eagles Secondary is under today, but stopping Landry and Matthews cannot be overlooked. Over 1,000 yards between the two have seen Secondaries ruptured all season long and with a 70% completion rate things could get tough. But this could be the game that highlights just how much progress has been made under Bill Davis. If the Eagles can take Landry and Matthews out of the equation then not only will the Dolphins be forced to become a one dimensional team against a solid run defense, but it will show a significant improvement compared to what we saw in week one where they faced a similarly intimidating tandem.
