The Philadelphia Eagles take on the New Orleans Saints Sunday at 1 pm in a battle of 1-3 teams desperate for a win. This is a rematch of the 2013 NFL Playoffs which saw the Saints beat the Eagles 26-24 on a last second field goal. Will the Eagles enact revenge? Let's see what our writers have to say.
Kevin Durso, on Twitter @Kevin_Durso
In a battle of the leasts right now, I’m taking the Saints because of the Eagles defense. We’ve been able to talk all season about how they have done a pretty admirable job in terms of improvement from last season through four weeks, especially in the secondary. But Drew Brees is coming in, and at the very least, he won’t be afraid to challenge the Eagles secondary. I’m just not sure they are up for the task. Add in the fact that the Eagles offense couldn’t so much as get a first down in the fourth quarter last week against the Redskins — those three extra plays probably add up to a victory — and you’ve got a set-up for the Saints to get a much-needed win. Granted, I’m 0-4 on these picks so far, which might be the only thing the Eagles have going for them.
Eagles 17, Saints 24
Ryan Gertsel, on Twitter @TheRyanGertsel
The Philadelphia Eagles desperately need a win to stay in the thick of the mess that is the NFC East. They welcome the New Orleans Saints, who are coming off an overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys, into the Linc in front of a distressed and hungry Philadelphia fan base. Although the offensive line is wounded and despondent, the Eagles' running backs should still be able to find running room against the Saints' 27th ranked run defense. This could be the week that the running game breaks loose, and if it is, the Eagles should be able to move the ball as long as Sam Bradford is efficient from the pocket. I expect Chip Kelly to attack a Saints secondary that has allowed 14 pass plays of 20 plus yards. If the running game's successful, then the lanes should open up for Bradford and the Eagles' receivers. The defense should see a similar short-passing offensive attack as they did last week against the Redskins. Only this time, it'll be Drew Brees instead of Kirk Cousins. The Saints have been dreadful on the ground and the Eagles have been stout against the run all season, so it'll be up to the defense to slow down Brees. But the offense needs to stay on the field longer to help them out. I have the Eagles winning a nail-biter at home in front of a rowdy home crowd. Look for Darren Sproles to have a big day again this former team.
Eagles: 27 Saints: 20
Patrick Causey, on Twitter @IsdeTheHuddle
In the 2013 NFL playoffs, the New Orleans Saints relied on a surprising run heavy approach to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. Normally a pass heavy team, the Saints ran the ball 36 times to just 30 passes, controlling the clock and keeping the Eagles vaunted offense off the field. With Drew Brees fighting a shoulder injury, I suspect we will see a similar approach by the Saints this Sunday, which puts the onus on the Eagles offense to finally rectify the problem of being unable to sustain drives. If the Eagles come out flat again in the first half with a few quick three and outs, this could be another tough game. However, the Saints have won only four of their last 17 games on the road, and the Eagles' offense showed some signs of life in the second half against Washington last week after Sam Bradford finally started airing it out deep. The opportunities should be there to take advantage of, as the Saints defense is one of the worst against both the run and the pass. If the Eagles lose this game, their season is effectively over. So I'll pick the Birds out of necessity more than anything else, but I don't feel good about it.
Eagles 27, Saints 24
Brian Startare, on Twitter @BrianStartare
I've picked the Eagles to win every time and have been disappointed just as much as you. I don't know what to think about this team. I can't figure them out. And anybody who says they can, is obviously lying. I'm picking the Saints to win just so I can be wrong again.
Saints 23 Eagles 20
Then: The offensive line was bad to begin with.
Now: They were bad…but now they're bad and injured
Then: The pass rush was suspect at best.
Now: It's actually non-existent. They can't get pressure when they need to.
Then: Sam Bradford was a question mark.
Now: He was terrible in his first three games but is now still a question mark after a solid outing last week.
Then: This offense can really move the ball, with players open everywhere. The offense is going to overcome offensive line woes.
Now: Dearth of talent at wide receiver can't pull defensive personnel out of the box. The run-based offense has been solved.
Then: This team could win north of 11 games! Super Bowl! Chip Kelly is a Hall of Fame Coach/GM!
Now: …kill self…Go Flyers!
It's not a good time to be an Eagles fan right now. A win Sunday could help…a little.
Eagles 24, Saints 20
Pete Visalli, on Twitter @PHL24x7Pete
This is another tough week for the Eagles, and this game can go either way. Drew Brees still has the capability to carve a defense apart. He showed that last week with a big win against the Cowboys that certainly helped the Eagles. We discussed earlier in the season a hang over effect after a bad loss. This is going to fall solely on the Eagles offensive line, which is not good news for the Birds. You can't get blood from a stone and this line just isn't talented enough to carry the load. They can't run block, they can't pass block and it's making Bradford and the running backs look bad. I'm giving this game to the Saints and Drew Brees abusing the depleted secondary.
Eagles 16 Saints 27
Michael Malia, on Twitter @Michael_Malia
The Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints are both desperate to get a victory on Sunday and improve to 2-3 on the season. The Eagles are coming off of a gut-wrenching loss to the Washington Redskins last week, losing on a touchdown with 26 seconds remaining in the game. Whereas the Saints got their first win of the season last week against the Dallas Cowboys in overtime. Everyone knows that Dree Brees is an elite quaterback for New Orleans. The Saints are ranked third in the NFL in terms of passing yards per game. The Eagles defense ranks 24th in the league, giving up about 285 yards a game via the air. However, the Saints also have some ineffiences on defense. They are ranked 20th in the league in terms of passing yards allowed and 27th in terms of run defense. In my opinion, the main factor in this game will be if the Eagles defensive line can consistently put pressure on Brees. The Eagles only have seven sacks on the year, but they feel that they have been appyling enough pressure on the quarterback. At the end of the day, I think that the Eagles defense will be put into similar situation to last week. Brees and the Saint will have a chance to score a touch down late in the game to take the lead. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis said the defense learned from last week's experience late in the game. I think the Eagles stop Brees on the final drive and win a shootout by the score of 31-27.
Brandon Apter, on Twitter @bapter23
With a battered offensive line and a passing game that is more spotty than a cheetah, the Eagles haven't given me enough reason to believe they can put together a full 60 minutes. That being said, despite the loss last week, Sam Bradford showed his ability to throw the deep ball and the defense held up for most of the game. The running attack, behind the offensive line, needs to be better. And please, enough of the shotgun sweep plays, they never work. In conclusion, the inconsistency of the Eagles leads me to believe that we are in store for another let down. I think Bradford and the boys get out to a 10-0 lead before the Saints take control. I hope I'm wrong, though.
Saints – 27, Eagles 13
Wall of Shame
Name |
Record |
|
Brian Startare |
1-3 |
|
Ryan Gerstel |
1-3 |
|
Michael Malia |
1-3 |
|
Pete Visalli |
1-3 |
|
Kevin Durso |
0-4 |
|
Patrick Causey |
0-4 |
|
Michael Coggin |
0-4 |
