Battle of the Backs — Eagles at Ravens Preview

The Eagles will play their most anticipated game of the season on Sunday afternoon as they travel down to Baltimore.

While this game is very important in the Eagles’ pursuit of the NFC’s number one seed, this is a big test for the Eagles. The Ravens have been one of the NFL’s best teams over the last few years, with a two-time league MVP at quarterback. If the Eagles win this game, they can show the league they are true Super Bowl contenders.

Dethroning King Henry

Much like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry was signed by the Ravens in the offseason and has made a huge impact on their team. Henry has rushed for 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season. What makes Henry so special is his size. At 6 feet 2 inches and 247 pounds, he is a nightmare to bring down. While the Eagles have gotten much better at tackling, this will be the toughest test they have faced yet, especially for some of the small players like Nakobe Dean. Dean has been awesome this year and has shown why he was so highly regarded coming out of Georgia. But, he is on the smaller side, and he will need some help with bringing down Henry.

This will also be a big game for Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Carter has been fantastic this season in both the run and pass game, and it is super encouraging to see the type of player he can be. Davis has flown under the radar so far this season, but this game will have to be one where he makes his impact felt. He was drafted to be an elite-run stuffer, let’s see it.

Keeping Lamar in Check

Lamar Jackson is just about as special of a player in this league as there is. His running ability is as elite as it can be, and he is much improved as a passer. Jackson leads the NFL in yards, touchdowns, and QBR. The only thing that will likely keep him from winning his third MVP is the team’s record which currently sits at 8-4.

The Eagles have to do everything they can to keep Lamar in the pocket, although that is easier said than done. The Eagles will be without Brandon Graham for the rest of the season, and that will hurt this, especially in this game. Graham had been such a great player for this team this season, and he was also excellent in the run game. These Eagles’ defensive linemen are going to have to be extra cautious this week to make sure they keep contain on Lamar, or else it could be a long game for the Eagles defense.

While the Ravens have started to address the position, their wide receivers are still not great. Zay Flowers is having a very good year with 789 receiving yards, but besides him, they do not have much that scares you. The Eagles will be without cornerback Darius Slay this afternoon as he is out with a concussion. This means Isiah Rodgers will get the start. Rodgers struggled in the win against the Rams, but I think with a full week of practice knowing he will be starting will help him. There is no doubt though that the Ravens will try and target his matchup. It is no secret anymore how good Quinyon Mitchell is, so I believe the Ravens will try to stay away from him and target the backup in Rodgers.

Take Advantage of a Weak Secondary

While we all know the Eagles are going to run the football like crazy, the biggest weakness in this Ravens defense is the secondary. Last week was Jalen’s all-around best game in my opinion. While he still missed some throws, and the red zone is a worry, I thought that he did a great job of playing a complete game. He will have to continue that play again this week.

The Eagles will hopefully get DeVonta Smith back this week as he practiced on Thursday and Friday. He is officially listed as questionable, so it is still up in the air but it is good to see Smith back on the practice field. If he plays, both he and Brown should be in for big days. When the Bengals played the Ravens Ja’Marr Chase ran up 264 receiving yards on this secondary. Saquon will be the main focus of the offense like he always is, but these receivers will have to make the most of their opportunities when they come their way.

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