79
St
re
ng
th
The trenches will tell the tale. Philly has a deep, talented roster, but the offense
can be derailed by a shaky O-line, and if the pass rush doesn’t produce, the secondary will be exposed.
× CARSON WENTZ REENTERS MVP
DISCUSSIONS. Wentz last season
did not drop off as steeply from his
2017 MVP-caliber campaign as many
believe. His completion percentage rose
from 60.2 to 69.6, and his yards per game
increased from 253.5 to
279.5. What decreased
were his game-breaking
plays. Philadelphia lacked
speed at wide receiver, and
Wentz was a little more
willing to take the easy un-
derneath throws. Though
that’s positive for the QB’s
growth, the signing of deep
threat DeSean Jackson
rekindles the downfield
playmaker in Wentz, who
is one of the best in this
regard, particularly from
within the pocket. Jackson’s presence also
opens the rest of the field, aiding Philly’s
masterly two- and three-receiver route
combinations, which can be unstoppable
against zone coverage.
× O-LINE PROBLEMS INTRUDE. Two years
ago the Eagles challenged the Cowboys
for the best front five in football. Now
durability concerns plague 37-year-old
left tackle Jason Peters, who missed 20%
of the snaps in 2018. First-round rookie
left tackle Andre Dillard from Washing-
ton State, Peters’s eventual replacement,
needs a year to develop. Left guard has
been a persistent weak spot. At right guard
the mobile Brandon Brooks is coming off
a right Achilles tear last January. Lane
Johnson is football’s most gifted right
tackle—he borderline dominated J.J. Watt
in Week 16 last year—but his mechanics
don’t always match his talent, causing his
performance to fluctuate.
× SIDNEY JONES BECOMES THE DEFENSE’S
MOST SIGNIFICANT PLAYER. Philadelphia’s
MVP on D remains thunder-
ing tackle Fletcher Cox. But
Jones , a third-year corner,
answers key questions. He’s
effective in the slot (a posi-
tion he was not necessarily
projected to play), and he’s
an insurance policy at left
corner should Jalen Mills,
who is coming off a left-foot
injury, and Avonte Maddox
continue to show suscepti-
bility to double moves.
× DEREK BARNET T PLAYS A
VITAL ROLE. This defense is
still built around a four-man pass rush
that allows the secondary to be aggres-
sive. Replacing Michael Bennett with
Malik Jackson is a notable downgrade,
and Chris Long’s retirement hurts their
depth. Philadelphia needs Barnett , a
6' 3", 259-pound end, to regain the form
he showed before his season-ending left-
shoulder injury last October.
QB
8
RB
9
WR/TE
11
OL
6
FRONT 7
5
DB
19
SI’S 2019
PREDICTION
10 – 6
2018 RECORD 9– 7
SEP T. 8
VS. WAS
SEP T. 15
@ AT L
SEP T. 22
VS. DET
SEP T. 26
@ GB
OC T. 6
VS. N YJ
OC T. 1 3
@ MIN
OC T. 2 0
@ DAL
OC T. 2 7
@ BUF
NOV. 3
VS. CHI
NOV. 10
BYE
NOV. 17
VS. NE
NOV. 24
VS. SEA
DEC. 1
@ MIA
DEC. 9
VS. NYG
DEC. 15
@ WAS
DEC. 22
VS. DAL
DEC. 29
@ NYG
RO
B^ T
RIN
GAL
I^ (W
ENT
Z,^ B
ARN
ETT
);^ J
OH
N^
J
ON
ES/
ICO
N^ S
PO
RTS
WIR
E/G
ET
TY^
IMA
GES
PHILADELPHIA
