Week 5 – Pittsburgh Steelers
The Eagles come back East for a road game in their home state.
2019 Ranks:
- Yards per game: 276.8 (30th)
- Passing yards per game: 186.3 (31st)
- Rushing yards per game: 90.4 (29th)
- Points per game: 18.1 (27th)
- Yards allowed per game: 304.1 (5th)
- Passing yards allowed per game: 194.6 (3rd)
- Rushing yards allowed per game: 109.6 (14th)
- Points allowed per game: 18.9 (T-5th)
- Turnover differential: +8 (T-7th)
Key additions:
QB Ben Roethlisberger (return from injury), TE Eric Ebron (free agency), WR Chase Claypool (draft)
Key departures:
DT Javon Hargrave (free agency), G Ramon Foster (retirement), CB Artie Burns (free agency), LB Mark Barron (free agency)
Quick analysis
The Steelers were very, very, very bad on offense last year but made up for it with a Steel Curtain-esque defense. The addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick to the secondary vaulted the defense from great to elite. DPOY nominee T.J. Watt is an animal and will terrorize any offense.
The Steelers offense will be much improved with the return of Big Ben and the addition of Eric Ebron. If Roethlisberger is anything like his old self, then this will be a loss. However, coming back from an elbow injury at his age may prove difficult for the 38-year-old. I’m going to bet that the Eagles hold off James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster while doing just enough on offense to squeak out a low scoring game.
Week 6 – Baltimore Ravens
The final game of the first trifecta gauntlet of the season.
2019 Ranks:
- Yards per game: 407.6 (2nd)
- Passing yards per game: 201.6 (27th)
- Rushing yards per game: 206.0 (1st)
- Points per game: 33.2 (1st)
- Yards allowed per game: 300.6 (4th)
- Passing yards allowed per game: 207.2 (6th)
- Rushing yards allowed per game: 93.4
- Points allowed per game: 17.6 (3rd)
- Turnover differential: +10 (6th)
Key arrivals:
DE Calais Campbell (trade), DE Derek Wolfe (free agency), G D.J. Fluker (free agency), RB J.K. Dobbins (draft), LB Patrick Queen (draft)
Key departures:
LB Patrick Onwuasor (free agency), TE Hayden Hurst (trade), DT Michael Pierce (free agency), CB Brandon Carr (free agency), S Earl Thomas (released)
Quick analysis
You saw those stats from 2019? Now picture those stats with the added players above. An offense like that adding Dobbins? A defense like that adding Campbell and Queen? C’mon. Even without Thomas, it’s still elite.
I know it’s “any given Sunday” but I find it hard to convince myself that the Eagles will win this game. The Ravens are simply way too dominant on both sides of the ball. Eagles lose a home game.
Week 7 – New York Giants
Well, this is a much-needed break from the gauntlet.
2019 Ranks:
- Yards per game: 338.5 (23rd)
- Passing yards per game: 233.2 (18th)
- Rushing yards per game: 105.3 (19th)
- Points per game: 21.3 (T-18th)
- Yards allowed per game: 377.3 (25th)
- Passing yards allowed per game: 264.1 (28th)
- Rushing yards allowed per game: 113.3 (20th)
- Points allowed per game: 28.2 (30th)
- Turnover differential: -17 (T-32nd)
Key arrivals:
HC Joe Judge, OC Jason Garrett, T Andrew Thomas (draft), S Xavier McKinney (draft), S Logan Ryan (free agency), CB James Bradberry (free agency), LB Blake Martinez (free agency), RB Dion Lewis (free agency), K Graham Gano (free agency)
Key departures:
CB DeAndre Baker (released because he’s a felon), K Aldrick Rosas (see Baker), S Antoine Bethea (released), LB Alec Ogletree (released)
Quick analysis
The Eagles have owned the Giants since 2000, going 24-14 since then. The Eagles are on a 7 game win streak.
The Giants have definitely improved since last year, as evident by their additions. But I do not think they are that much improved to beat an Eagles team looking to rebound from a rare home loss. The Eagles win their 8th straight versus the G-Men.
Week 8 – Dallas Cowboys
F*** Dallas Week. This will be a good one.
2019 Ranks:
- Yards per game: 431.5 (1st)
- Passing yards per game: 296.9 (2nd)
- Rushing yards per game: 134.6 (5th)
- Points per game: 27.1 (6th)
- Yards allowed per game: 327.0 (9th)
- Passing yards allowed per game: 223.5 (10th)
- Rushing yards allowed per game: 103.5 (11th)
- Turnover differential: 20.1 (11th)
Key additions:
K Greg Zuerlein (free agency), DT Dontari Poe (free agency), LB Aldon Smith (reinstatement from suspension), CB Daryl Worley (free agency), QB Andy Dalton (free agency), DE Randy Gregory (reinstatement from suspension), WR CeeDee Lamb (draft), HC Mike McCarthy
Key departures:
WR Randall Cobb (free agency), TE Jason Witten (free agency), C Travis Frederick (retirement), G Xavier Su’a-Filo (free agency), T Cam Fleming (free agency), DT Maliek Collins (free agency), DT Christian Covington (free agency), CB Byron Jones (free agency), DE Robert Quinn (free agency), S Jeff Heath (free agency)
Quick analysis
By this time, the Cowboys could very well be deploying Earl Thomas in the secondary. But until that happens, if it does, we focus on what they have now.
This Dallas team has some serious issues in the secondary with the departure of Jones. Even with the draft picks spent on the secondary, you cannot expect them to keep offenses at bay. They do boast an above-average defensive line and an elite linebacker corps (if healthy) but quarterbacks should be able to quick pass their way to victory. If Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory turn back the clocks and perform the way they have in the past, then the Eagles offensive line will have fits.
On the flip side, the Cowboys boast a tremendous offense, especially after the addition of CeeDee Lamb. Despite that, I think the loss of Frederick and Collins (IR) will bite them and the Eagles will push themselves further atop the NFC East standings.
“Second quarter” record: 3-1
Overall record: 6-2
Continued on the page below.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
