Football is back in Philadelphia. The Eagles return to the field for the first of four preseason games leading up to the 2015 NFL season.
Their first opponent is the team that fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance at the hands of the eventual champion New England Patriots. The Indianapolis Colts also begin their preseason run as they look to build on last season’s near triumph.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Lincoln Financial Field.
This marks the first chance for several new Eagles to display the team colors and play in front of the fans. The high-profile acquisitions that garnered so much attention in the offseason will not.
Sam Bradford is not playing in the preseason opener as a precaution. Kiko Alonso will also miss the game with a concussion.
Despite not practicing for much of the week, DeMarco Murray is active, but his playing time is to be determined.
That still leaves plenty of new faces to see. Nelson Agholor is sure to draw attention as is Eric Rowe. The top two picks in this year’s draft are expected to have key roles with the team this season.
The Eagles also added the likes of Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond to the secondary. They too will see their first game action with the Eagles against the Colts.
With Bradford and Murray out, this means Mark Sanchez will be the first quarterback to take the field for the Eagles, followed by Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow. Behind Murray, Ryan Mathews also makes his debut while Darren Sproles hits the field at the Linc for the first time since completing a Pro Bowl season with the Eagles last year.
Ultimately this is the first real chance to see the changes the Eagles have made to the roster and how Chip Kelly’s latest puzzle fits together on the field.
For the Colts, a team the Eagles defeated in Week 2 last season, this is the start of another trek toward the playoffs, and attempting to get over the hump of the AFC Championship Game and into the Super Bowl.
Leading that charge is quarterback Andrew Luck. The Colts also padded their running game with the addition of Frank Gore, added after a reported agreement with the Eagles earlier in the offseason.
The Colts also solidified their future at wide receiver, signing T.Y. Hilton to a five-year deal on Thursday.
Also returning to Philadelphia are two former Eagles who found a new home in Indy this offseason. Guard Todd Herremans and linebacker Trent Cole suit up for the visitors on Sunday.
Additionally, two of the top draft picks for the Colts could gain some attention in their debut Sunday. The team's top pick was wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. With injuries to the secondary, third-round pick D'Joun Smith could get some extended playing time.
Game Notes
- Sunday's game is the sixth preseason meeting between the Eagles and Colts. The Eagles have won both games in Philadelphia. This is the first meeting between the two teams in the preseason since 2009.
- The Eagles claimed a Week 2 win over the Colts last season, 30-27, on a last-second field goal by Cody Parkey. Darren Sproles earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance in the win, setting a new career high with 152 receiving yards.
Injury Report
Eagles
Out
- QB Sam Bradford (rest)
- TE Zach Ertz (core muscle)
- LB Kiko Alonso (concussion)
- LB Mychal Kendricks (rest)
- LB DeMeco Ryans (rest)
- S Jerome Couplin (rest)
- S Earl Wolff (rest)
Colts
Out
- CB Vontae Davis (groin)
- CB Darius Butler (groin)
- RB Vick Ballard (Achilles)
- LB Robert Mathis (Achilles)
Where To Watch
TV: NBC10 (Scott Graham, Mike Mayock, Dave Spadaro)
Radio: 94 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Howard Eskin)
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
