The Eagles are preparing for their biggest matchup of the season on Monday night. The team is coming off of a much-needed BYE week but so is their opponent. That is not the only tie that they have with their upcoming opponent. The Chiefs hold the one thing that the Eagles treasure most in the world and that’s last year’s Lombardi trophy.
While this game won’t decide that, it will be a great measuring stick for both teams. Here are some players to watch when the Eagles take on the Chiefs.
Jalen Hurts
Hurts has a rough start to the season that could’ve honestly been tied to the infamous Super Bowl hangover. On top of that, he has been dealing with a nagging knee injury that is supposedly healing well, especially after the BYE week. He has also found his groove over the last three games.
Hurts has passed for 805 yards, 8 touchdowns, and only one interception. He’s been an even better pocket passer this season than he was last season. Hurts doesn’t have anything to prove against the Chiefs but the Eagles need him to lead the way and start this gauntlet off with a win.
DeVonta Smith
With Dallas Goedert down, the Eagles will be relying on the wide receivers more than ever. After Goedert went down last season the passing game was heavily reliant on Smith and Brown. I would expect the same this time around. Smith isn’t having a down season but it isn’t the explosive season that he had last year. Now is the time that the Eagles star wideout turns that around.
Smitty has 533 receiving yards on the season so far and that’s with him having moments of struggle so far. He also made history in week 9 by becoming the second fastest Eagles player to reach 200 receptions. He did so in his 43rd career game.
Josh Sweat
Can someone get some eyes on Josh Sweat?! I don’t understand how he is still an overlooked player in the NFL. Maybe it is Philadelphia versus Everybody. Josh Sweat is having a terrific season so far as he has generated 50 pressures in 9 games along with 6.5 sacks.
He and Haason Reddick are the only NFL duo this season to have 40+ pressures and 6.5+ sacks. That’s huge and much needed in a game where the pressure needs to get to Patrick Mahomes. The Eagles were stopped by an over-soaked field in the Super Bowl, will that happen again?
James Bradberry
I refuse to believe that James Bradberry has regressed to this style of play so quickly. I strongly believe that he is either playing out of position in the scheme or is suffering from inconsistency in the safety position. One way or another the Eagles need James Bradberry to get himself together and play to his true ability.
He was one of the top corners in the NFL this season and Philadelphia desperately needs that version of him for not only this game but for the rest of the season.
D’Andre Swift
The run game has taken a backseat over the last couple of weeks but I expect D’Andre Swift to be a difference-maker in this game. The Eagles have been using him in the passing game as well as in the run game as of late. He needs a big breakout game and what better place to do it than on Monday Night against the reigning Super Bowl champs?
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
