The Philadelphia Eagles are flying high after a big win in Week 5 over the Carolina Panthers.
Next up for the 2-3 Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bucs come to Philly on Thursday with a 4-1 record.
The Eagles are looking for a signature win over the Super Bowl champs in 2021.
This team is young and led by quarterback Jalen Hurts who is coming into his own but is a work-in-progress.
On Thursday night, Hurts will make his 10th career NFL start against the GOAT Tom Brady who at 44 is nearly twice Hurts’ age (23).
Hurts Needs A Clean Game
This play by Jalen Hurts is ridiculous and I want everyone to acknowledge it.
pic.twitter.com/pCDvVibwuz— Lyle (@WalkWithLyle) October 10, 2021
Though still limited in experience, Hurts is making good decisions on the field.
He has not thrown many interceptions, only three so far in 2021.
Hurt has seven touchdown passes, and he has rushed for three touchdowns.
In five games, he has thrown for 1,365 yards.
He needs to be patient and continue doing what he is doing.
The Eagles offense is ranked 13th in both passing and rushing yards.
Eagles Need To Establish Running Game Outside Of Hurts
Hurts has 256 of the team’s 582 rushing yards.
The challenge for the Eagles against the Bucs will be to establish the running game outside of Hurts.
This will take some of the pressure off of him in the passing game also.
Jalen Hurts is still the #Eagles leading rusher. That is a problem. They need to hand it to Miles Sanders/Kenny Gainwell more.
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 11, 2021
Eagles Tight End Goedert May Be Out For Game
The Eagles might be without tight end Dallas Goedert.
Goedert is vaccinated but has tested positive for COVID-19 and is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Assuming he is asymptomatic, Goedert would require two negative tests 24 hours apart to be eligible for activation.
Given this is a Thursday night game, time is not on his side.
He has two touchdowns and 216 total yards through five games.
Nick Sirianni didn’t have an update on Dallas Goedert (COVID-19 list), but said #Eagles are prepared at TE with Zach Ertz and Jack Stoll.
Said DE Derek Barnett (ankle) will be active.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) October 13, 2021
Short Week For Eagles
Coach Sirianni wasted no time after the Eagles victory over the Panthers in getting started with preparations for the Bucs.
Sirianni described the process:
“When we landed – my kids were already asleep – I brought some of the coaches over to my house, kind of like in that old high school football thing, like, ‘Hey, come over to my house, let’s go and let’s start planning a little bit.’ And the coaches that weren’t calling the game, they did planning – they did a lot of work beforehand. They had a big chunk of it done beforehand to be able to prep me and show me some things to catch me up.”
Sirianni’s house is outfitted with equipment to break down film so the coaches worked on that also on Sunday night.
Beating the Super Bowl champs would be a statement win for the Eagles rookie head coach.
The Eagles will benefit from a passionate home crowd who will try to be loud enough to disrupt the Bucs rhythm on both offense and defense.
Expect a hyped and packed stadium of Eagles fans in Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night cheering their team to what they hope is a huge win over the Bucs.
NEXT: Jalen Hurts Continues To Put Up Monster Numbers For The Eagles
