The Philadelphia Eagles are just one day away from hosting the Washington Commanders in what promises to be an electric clash between two NFC East rivals who are vying for the top spot in their division. This is a must-win for both teams, and there are stars all over the field, but perhaps one of the most exciting individual matchups of the night is going to be between Terry McLaurin and Quinyon Mitchell.
Terry McLaurin looking to give the Eagles a fright on Thursday Night
Unlike in previous years where Darius Slay was tasked with keeping ‘Scary Terry’ in check, the new-look Commanders offense is going to put McLaurin on the heels of rookie CB Quinyon Mitchell, giving the Toledo product his most important matchup of the season so far.
It should come as no surprise that McLaurin has been the X-Factor in this offense. He has 711 yards and 6 touchdowns so far, ranking 3rd in the NFL’s receiving leader list, proving to be everything Jayden Daniels could need in a WR1 and more. The offense is diverse enough that teams cannot afford to bracket McLaurin. The rushing threat from their rookie QB and esteemed backfield draws attention, giving the dominant wideout plenty of iso matchups to take advantage of.
Darius Slay has done a pretty solid job of keeping the X-receiver tamed, and McLaurin has only put up 100+ yards on the Eagles twice in the last 6 games. However, for his career, he has 847 yards and 5 scores against the Birds, and with Slay now otherwise occupied and McLaurin almost exclusively set to hound Quinyon Mitchell all day, this matchup has a very different outlook.
But the Eagles could have the antidote…
Mitchell has been on a very impressive run, giving up just 87 total yards over his last 5 games and less than a 50% completion rate when targeted. Keeping McLaurin quiet isn’t going to be easy, but would be an incredible accomplishment for a cornerback who was thrust into a starting role before the opening game and hasn’t looked back since.
Against the Cowboys, Mitchell surrendered just 15 yards against the pair of backup QB’s throwing in his direction. The rookie showcased his prowess at the catch-point early in the game, taking a way a deep shot by pushing Jalen Brooks towards the boundary, staying in the hip-pocket, and avoiding drawing a pesky PI flag. The Cowboys rarely looked his way after that.
With Slay’s recent injury setbacks and slight drop-off in play, there’s a foggy passing of the torch taking place in the Philadelphia secondary. And with McLaurin almost lining up exclusively on the left-hand side this season, this is an opportuntiy for ‘Q’ to assert his authority and take the next step on the path to becoming CB1.
This has the makings of one of the most exciting WR/CB matchups of the season, and I know for a fact that my eyes will be glued to the two gladiators duking it out.
The Eagles and Commanders are set to lock horns on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, with kickoff taking place at 8:15PM EST.
Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
