After a deep breath arrived at the perfect time for the Philadelphia Eagles. Their bye week was not only snugly at the halfway stage of the season, but came at a vital time for an injury-ravaged team. Philadelphia was battered and bruised after eight games and with more questions being raised with each game that passed by, this week away from the spotlight was needed. The good news is, the Eagles come out of the Bye in a better shape than many had hoped.
A key starter returns
Isaac Seumalo has been on injured reserve for 6 weeks after picking up a knee injury in the week 2 loss to the Rams. He allowed 1 sack in 93 snaps during the opening game and a half, according to PFF, but after a strong 2019, the team’s starting left guard was expected to be a key piece to the offensive line’s success this season.
In his place, a carousel of talent tried to fill the void. Most recently, it was Nate Herbig and Sua Opeta who stepped up to the plate, but the contrast in play was understandably large.
The offensive line is actually closer to full health than you think.
Left tackle: Jason Peters/ Jordan Mailata
Left guard: Isaac Seumalo
Center: Jason Kelce
Right Guard: Nate Herbig
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson/Jordan Mailata/ Jack Driscoll *injury dependent
Suddenly, it doesn’t look so bleak…although the return of Jason Peters still doesn’t sit well with many.
Either way, Isaac Seumalo’s return will be a huge boost to the team.
Miles Sanders is ready to return to Eagles backfield
The last time we saw Miles Sanders in action, he ripped a 74-yard run in back-to-back games, giving his offense a much needed spark. Before his injury against Baltimore, Sanders amassed 434 yards on the ground through 5 games and a further 91 through the air.
His absence was felt massively and while Boston Scott carried the load against questionable NFC East defenses, the Eagles will need Sanders if they have any hope of springing surprises down the line.
He’s back at practice this week which is a very encouraging sign. The Bye week has been a perfect lifeline for Sanders, who will likely return to the offense this weekend to face the New York Giants.
With a healthier line and their most explosive running back returning to the fold, there’s a strong chance the run-game sees a real uptick in production over the next few weeks.
NFC East opponents have a perfect weekend
The New York Giants beat the Washington Football Team yesterday, meaning that every NFC East team not situated Philadelphia now sits on two wins, giving the Eagles a 1.5 game advantage at the top of the standings and a tie with the Bengals that could now be a real difference maker.
During the Giants’ win, QB Kyle Allen picked up a scary ankle injury. Alex Smith entered the game and led an almighty comeback attempt completing 75% of his attempts for 325 yards. The fact he can even play right now after nearly losing his leg is absolutely incredible, but to do so at such a high level is beyond words. He’ll be the WFT QB moving forward and someone the Eagles will now need to account for.
As for Dallas, they started out shockingly hot against the Steelers before crumbling away and sinking to a loss that will have made Eagles fans everywhere double-take before grinning.
The division is still a mess. The Eagles gained leverage on the rest of their opponents and got a lot healthier in the process. If this season is to be a tale of two halves, this could get very interesting.
Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire
