It’s that time of week again. We take a look at five key matchups as we get closer to the Week 3 clash between the Eagles (1-1) and New Orleans Saints (2-0). It’s the first 1:00 game for Philadelphia and second road game of the regular season (Brazil counts as a road game regardless of if they were the “home team”.)
This will also be the first game the Eagles are an underdog (+2.5) this season as they will try to slow down a red-hot Saints offense who has scored 91 points through its first two contests of 2024.
Vic Fangio vs. Klint Kubiak
This is going to be quite the bout. Vic Fangio hasn’t received a ton of the backlash for how poor the defense has been for the Eagles, especially against the rush. He will have his toughest test to date in terms of trying to stop a Saints offense that ranks 3rd in the NFL averaging 405.5 yards per game and rushing yards per game at 185.0. Because the rushing attack has been so good, the Saints’ passing game ranks just outside the top-10 averaging 220.5 yards per contest, right behind the Eagles (222.5).
Klint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator for the Saints has this offense humming. At just 37-years-old, he will go against the experienced Fangio, nearly double the age of Kubiak, presenting an intriguing chess match. Kubiak spent last season as the 49ers passing game coordinator and has been on an NFL coaching staff since 2016, starting with Denver as an offensive assistant.
If his last name sounds familiar, that’s because he’s the oldest son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, who most notably was the Houston Texans head coach from 2006-2013. Now, Klint is looking to make his mark as a coordinator for just the second time in his young career after serving in the same role with Minnesota in 2021.
As for Fangio and the Eagles, they enter this game ranked 30th in total yards allowed (399.5), 28th in passing yards per game (242.0) and 25th in rushing yards per game (157.5). To add, the Eagles have allowed the 6th most points through two games (25.5).
A hot offense is the last thing the Eagles want to see as they deal with the turbulence on defense.
Eagles Rush Defense vs. Alvin Kamara
Saints’ running back Alvin Kamara is off to an incredible start. Through the first two weeks, Kamara has racked up 198 yards on the ground while finding the end zone four times while hauling in seven catches for another 92 yards for another touchdown. He did most of damage last week in the Saints’ dominating 44-19 win last week against Dallas, carrying the ball 20 times for 115 yards and rushing for three touchdowns while catching three passes for 65 yards and a score. For his efforts, he was named the NFC Player of the Week.
This will mark the third straight game the Eagles’ defense will face one of the league’s top backs after trying to stop Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs who led the NFL in rushing in 2022 and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, a rising star in the league. The Eagles defense has allowed 315 yards on the ground through the first two weeks, the most in franchise history since 1986.
How will the Eagles stop Kamara? Not sure if they even have the answer to that question.
Dallas Goedert vs. Jalen Hurts & Offensive Gameplan
For another year, one of the most talented tight ends in the league is off to a slow start. Dallas Goedert has a total of seven catches on nine targets for 69 yards. He had less catches and targets then fourth string and emergency wide receiver Britain Covey in the loss to the Falcons with Covey hauling in all six of his targets for 23 yards. That cannot be the case moving forward for the Eagles to succeed.
It’s hard to imagine that the physically impressive tight end has been shut down by most opposing defenses while worrying about A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on a weekly basis over the last two seasons. But, for some reason, Goedert seldomly has big games in this explosive offense. In nine regular season games last year, he had 50 yards receiving or less. It would be a huge boost to the offense can give him some chances to make big plays.
This could be a spot where Goedert will be more productive for the offense. Last season, the Saints ranked in the middle of the pack in the NFL allowing 49 yards per game on almost five catches. This season in the small sample size, the Saints are faring slightly better against tight ends, tied for the 11th fewest yards allowed at the position.
In three career games against the Saints, Goedert averages 37.5 yards per and three catches per game.
Eagles’ Secondary vs. Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed has lightning speed and is one of the truest down field threats in the league. The problem the Eagles will face is matching that speed with their corners and safeties. It’ll be hard to say exactly who will matchup against the speedster as he has lined up at both outside and slot positions for the Saints at a very even rate (30% left WR, 33% in the slot and 37% as the right receiver). It will take an all-around effort and some pressure from the front seven to not allow the long shots to the speedy wideout to develop.
Here’s what the Eagles will need to try and combat this week:
Shaheed is your typical homerun type wide receiver, leading the league in 50+ yard receptions since last year. Like in baseball, if the Eagles allow too many homerun plays to Shaheed, they will most likely be on the losing end of this one.
Eagles Pass Rush vs. Saints Offensive Line
We highlighted how poor the pass rush has been for the Eagles to start the season. They will need to figure out ways to get pressure on Saints’ quarterback Derek Carr who’s off to a strong start with this new-look offense. The offensive line protecting him, which was looked at to be a severe weakness for this team heading into the season, has been very solid to start. The guys in the trenches have allowed a league-low two sacks for a league-low two yards.
They have been literally a human shield for Carr and it’s a big reason why the Saints have one of the top offenses early on this season. It will be paramount that the Eagles draw up some type of blitzes or play tighter coverage in the secondary to help buy time for the front seven to put pressure on Carr if it’s not through blitzing.
Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
