In a matchup between two 4-5 football teams, the Philadelphia Eagles host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.
Last week, the Eagles blew an early 16-3 lead and ended up losing to the Miami Dolphins by the score of 20-19. The Eagles have been on the bad side of many close games this season. Three of Philadelphia's five losses have come by a total of six points. The fact of the matter is the Eagles still control their own destiny in a winnable NFC East division. With a bounce-back victory against the Bucs, the Eagles might sit atop the NFC East for the first time this season by day's end.
With quarterback Sam Bradford out, Mark Sanchez will make his first start of the 2015 NFL regular season. With Sanchez under center for the final eight games of 2014, the Eagles went 4-4 and missed out on the playoffs. Sanchez is in a similar situation this season as he tries to keep Philly's playoff chances alive.
Tampa Bay was the worst team in the NFL last season, but No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston and the Bucs have already doubled their win total from last season. In Lovie Smith's second year as head coach, the Buccaneers have won three of five games and are in the hunt to make the playoffs in the NFC.
Averaging 117.3 rushing yards per game this season, the Eagles have a top-ten ground attack. However, the Eagles had little success running the ball against Ndamukong Suh and the front-seven of the Dolphins in Week 10. The Eagles triple-threat of running backs combined for a total of 79 rushing yards on 33 carries, which averages to just over two yards per rush. Suh had ten total tackles, including a sack.
The Eagles hope that starting left tackle Jason Peters can make a return to action this week. Peters, who has been sidelined since Week 7 with a back injury, is officially listed as questionable. The pairing of Lane Johnson at left tackle and Dennis Kelly at right tackle worked against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, but the offensive line could of used a healthy Peters last week.
Like Suh, Tampa Bay's Gerald McCoy is a premiere defensive tackle in the NFL. McCoy is second on the team with 4.5 sacks, but he hasn't gotten to the quarterback since Week 5. Defensive end Jacquies Smith leads the team with five sacks, but he is questionable to play with an ankle injury.
Rookie linebacker Kwon Alexander has become a leader on the Bucs defense. The fourth-round pick relays defensive calls from the coaches and makes sure everyone is lined up correctly. On the season, he has 39 tackles, seven pass deflections, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
The Eagles can potentially have success attacking the Bucs defense through the air. Tampa Bay has allowed 19 touchdown passes this season, which is the second-most in the NFL. Tight ends Brent Celek and Zach Ertz had strong performances last week, combining for over 200 receiving yards. With Ryan Mathews out with a concussion, the Eagles will probably try to utilize the services of Darren Sproles in the passing game. Also, Jordan Matthews has a good rapport with Sanchez. All three of Matthews' 100-yard games as a rookie in 2014 came in games that Sanchez started.
Defensively, the Eagles have had troubles stopping the run in recent weeks, and the Bucs are heading into this game with the sixth-best rushing attack in the league.
Running back Dough Martin, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, ranks fifth in the NFL with 706 rushing yards. Charles Sims is a dual-threat coming out of the backfield. He has 302 rushing yards and 251 receiving yards this season.
If the Bucs can pound the rock with success against Philadelphia's 19th-ranked rush defense, Winston will look to take shots downfield to his big, playmaking receivers. Winston's primary option is second-year wide receiver Mike Evans. Although he has just one touchdown catch on the season, Evans leads the Bucs with 40 catches for 662 yards. Standing at 6-5. Evans is the perfect size to win in jump-ball situations.
Also standing at 6-5 is veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Jackson will be a game-time decision after missing the previous three games due to a knee injury. On the year, he has 21 receptions for 319 yards with two touchdown grabs.
A major determining factor in most football games is the turnover differential. The Bucs are fifth in the NFL in terms of forcing turnovers, and making crucial mistakes has been the bugaboo on Sanchez throughout his career. The Eagles defensive didn't force a turnover against the Dolphins. If Sanchez can protect the ball for the most part, the Eagles offense should run smoothly.
Tampa Bay's defensive is coming off of their best performance of the season, giving up just six points in a victory over the Cowboys. Philadelphia will look to become the sixth team this season to score at least 30 points against Tampa Bay.
Game Notes
- Since 2009, the Eagles are 3-0 in regular season games against the Buccaneers. The last time both teams met, three touchdown passes by Nick Foles led to an Eagles 30-21 victory in 2013.
- The Bucs have yet to win two consecutive games this season. The Eagles haven't lost two games in a row since Week 2.
- QB Sam Bradford (left shoulder, concussion)
- RB Ryan Mathews (concussion)
- T Jason Peters (back)
Probable
- C/G Josh Andrews (concussion)
- LB Connor Barwin (quadricep)
- WR Josh Huff (back)
- LB DeMeco Ryans (hamstring)
- S Walter Thurmond (hamstring)
- DE George Johnson (calf)
Doubtful
- DE Josh Shirley (calf)
Questionable
- WR Vincent Jackson (knee)
- G Ali Marpet (ankle)
- TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (shoulder)
- DE Jacquies Smith (ankle)
- C Evan Smith (knee)
- S Major Wright (hamstring)
