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Unless you've been living under a rock for the better part of the last month, you know that Peyton Manning and the Broncos are good. Really good. A 3-0 record doesn't really encompass what the team has been able to accomplish thus far. Already favorites to be in the Super Bowl, Denver will have a lot of spectators watching them closely for the duration of the season. They'll be favorites in just about all of their 13 remaining games, including the one against the Eagles later on today. While there are those that see no way Chip Kelly's fast-paced squad keeps up with Manning's cavalry, some key factors will play a big role in the outcome. With Week 4 set to commence at 4:25 in the Mile High City for these two teams, here are the 6 things to look for in today's matchup:
Mike Vick - The first two games of the season against the Redskins and Chargers saw Vick collect an average Passer Rating 118.0. Of his 61 passes, #7 was able to complete 38 of them, good enough for a 62.3% completion rate. The Eagles even scored at least 30 points in each of those games, a testament to Vick's play. Then, on the night Andy Reid's Chiefs marched into Lincoln Financial Field and were victorious, the Eagles' starting quarterback seemed to revert back to some old habits. 56.7% of the balls Vick threw hit the dirt, and two were picked off by the defense. In order for the Eagles to have a chance against the mighty Broncos, Vick will have to play just as he had in the first few games of the season.
LeSean McCoy – Philadelphia is averaging over 200 yards rushing per game this season, far and away the best in the league. McCoy is responsible for 132 of those yards per game, a number that could be much higher had he not suffered an injury scare in the Chiefs game. Ray Rice, David Wilson, and Terrell Pryor have led their teams in rushing against the Broncos run defense, and none of them could eclipse 40 yards total. While that stat is impressive, McCoy will be their toughest opponent yet, and coming off a relatively short week, it may be the perfect opportunity for him to strike. If the Broncos defense has to refocus its attention on McCoy and the running game, it will leave Michael Vick with more passing chances.
DeSean Jackson - Through three games, DeSean Jackson has two touchdowns, few mistakes, and several explosive plays that have kept the team right in the thick of the game. The Broncos have done a decent job in shutting down opposing wide receivers, especially because of their ability to halt the run. Should McCoy perform well enough to distract the Denver defense, Jackson will become an enormous factor in the Eagles' chance of winning. Jackson will be McCoy's biggest fan come game time, because the better rushing performance he has, the more opportunities will open up for #10. A long touchdown pass from Vick to Jackson could energize the team enough to string together multiple scoring drives.
Eagles Defense - With an average of 438.3 yards of offense scored against them per game this season, the Eagles defense is 30th overall in the league. I don't have to tell you how disparaging that is, especially considering that Denver is on a 486.7 yard-per-game pace. Philly was able to hold the Chiefs to under 400 yards, but that was with Alex Smith at the helm. This is Peyton Manning we're talking about, so don't expect the same result in this game. They can, however, protect against the run. They are allowing 115.3 yards on the ground this year, which is not the best in the league. However, it is a stronger side of this squad, and against a Bronco team that is having an average year running the ball, it may be they key to keeping the score low. Also, keep an eye out for Earl Wolff making his first start at safety in his career.
Chip Kelly's Time Management - One of the biggest complaints about Andy Reid in his time in Philly was his poor time management, especially late in ball games. He would call timeouts at the worst possible times, and run the clock out on himself. With his coaching at Oregon, fan did not expect Chip Kelly to be near the same. On opening night of the season, Kelly led his team to a time of possession of over 32 minutes. It was a good sign for the team, as it gave them plenty of chances to score. However, in the next two games, the Eagles barely averaged over 20 minutes with the ball on offense. No team can be expected to win with that amount of play time, and it is something the new head coach will have to think about in this game. An up-tempo offense is certainly good to have in this evolving league, but in order for it to be successful, Kelly must be able to balance his time management just as he had in Week 1.
Peyton Manning - Anytime you throw for 12 TDs and no interceptions in a three-game span, you will probably be a target to watch for in the game. Manning has done just that, and has led his team to 127 total points. He's on a record pace in so many categories, and though he probably won't remain on that mark for the rest of the campaign, it's still early enough in the year to consider him fresh. With a ripe arm and plenty of targets around, Peyton is the biggest key to Denver's success, and, frankly, the result of the game. If he continues to toss the ball the way he has against his first three opponents, be on the lookout for some Mile High scores.
There you have it. When the ball is kicked off roughly after 4:30 eastern, these six factors will play the biggest role in the game. Whether or not these all go in the Eagles' favor remains to be seen. However, there may be too many things that have to go right in this game for them to have a fighting chance. The Broncos offense vs. the Eagles defense is a mismatch, to say the least. If this team was ever going to choose a week to step up and work together, this would be the time to do it. Manning has been on target all year, and unless everyone performs at the top of their game, his streak of success will undoubtedly continue.
