Game Overview ::
By mike johnson >>
- Philadelphia’s offense is in a bit of a tough spot, playing short-handed on a short week against a good defense.
- Indianapolis will want to run the ball to control the clock, protect Matt Ryan, and attack Philadelphia’s weakness.
- Both teams play at a relatively fast tempo, but focusing on the running game will likely keep the clock moving and limit play volume.
- This game has two likely paths, either a low-scoring competitive game or a game that Philly controls and dominates.
How philadelphia Will Try To Win ::
The Eagles offense had their worst showing of the season on Monday night against the Commanders, as they scored only seven points in the last three quarters, had the least total yards they’ve had this season, and managed only 47 offensive plays, which was by far their lowest total of the year. The context of a second divisional game against a solid and improving Washington defense must be considered, however, as the Commanders were prepared and made adjustments from their first matchup. Perhaps the biggest concerns for the Eagles this week will be playing a road game on a short week and losing a key offensive piece with Dallas Goedert being placed on IR. The Colts also have a relatively strong defense that excels against the run and has two or more sacks in eight of their ten games this season.
The Commanders defense laid a blueprint last week, which many teams will try to emulate going forward. Part of that blueprint was a zone-heavy scheme that featured heavier boxes to help against the run, then dropped a lot of players into coverage. This strategy helped to contain the scrambling of Jalen Hurts while also keeping the running game in check and allowing Washington to make plays and limit yards after the catch for Eagles receivers. The Colts play zone coverage at the 6th highest rate in the league and have a top-5 run defense, so they are already set up well to execute a similar game plan to the Commanders. Keep in mind that this Colts defense held the highest-scoring offense in the league (Kansas City) to 17 points in Week 3. Losing Goedert to injury leaves a big hole for the Eagles, as his replacements are significantly less talented and athletic. I would expect the Eagles to get their other receivers more involved and spread things out a bit more to create running lanes. I would also expect a lot of crossing patterns, hitches, curls, and/or screens for Devonta Smith and AJ Brown in this matchup, as they should clearly be prioritized in the passing game. As for the running game, Jalen Hurts has scaled back the running significantly in recent weeks. After averaging nearly 13 carries per game in the first six games, Hurts has averaged less than six carries per game in the three games since the Eagles bye week. Now that the Eagles have lost a game and lost a key offensive weapon, it would not be surprising to see Hurts start running the ball more often again.
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