One week after scoring the upset win in New England, the Eagles get the tough task of facing another AFC North opponent.
The Buffalo Bills await and the Eagles continue to have a lot on the line. With last Sunday's win and losses for the Giants and Redskins, the Eagles are in a three-way tie atop the NFC East standings.
That doesn't take away from the importance and difficulty of this Sunday's game against Buffalo and the inner meaning of the game for one particular player.
Here are this week's six things to watch in our Sunday Six Pack.
LeSean McCoy – Isn't this obvious? Not only has McCoy been the talk of the week, he could also be the catalyst that shifts the game one way or the other. It will be a test on McCoy's former teammates on the Eagles defense to minimize the run. McCoy will be looking to stick it to Chip Kelly and his former team, so there should be no lack for motivation here.
DeMarco Murray – It's been just as interesting a week for DeMarco Murray, who had to spend a lot of time addressing a "meeting" with Jeffrey Lurie more than discussing a potential game plan for the Bills. Regardless of what was being discussed, he wasn't happy with his limited use in New England and will likely see a more increased role this week. What kind of impact he has could make or break the game for the Eagles.
Eagles Pass Rush – It worked so well on Tom Brady, who is still the best quarterback in the game today. So the message for the Eagles defense should be to get to the quarterback as much as possible. Disrupting the rhythm of the opposing offense will keep them off the field and give the offense more chances to succeed. Given another sub-par performance in New England, the offense will need as many chances as they can get, so it's imperative that the defense delivers again the way it did in New England.
Special Teams – This was the real game-changer against the Patriots. Two special teams touchdowns paved the way. It had been a long time since we had seen the defense or special teams deliver like they did in New England. With a bit of momentum, look for the special teams to potentially strike again.
Jordan Matthews – As a late addition to the injury report, though still likely to play, keep an eye on both his performance and overall usage. Matthews has still be the Eagles leading wide receiver and a popular target for Sam Bradford. His availability and ability to shake off this back injury that landed him on the injury list will be crucial to the Eagles offense potentially finding their rhythm.
Tyrod Taylor – His dual-threat ability makes him a player to watch. In his first year as a starter, Taylor has been excellent and generally flown under the radar. He has 17 touchdowns as opposed to just four interceptions and has thrown for 2,171 yards. Additionally, he has 318 yards rushing and three touchdowns. The Eagles seem to have trouble containing quarterbacks that can beat them with their feet as well as their arm. Look for Taylor to try to have an early impact in this game.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
