If you told us in April in the weeks before the NFL Draft that the football season would happen I would have been cautiously optimistic. And even that is generous.
Yet here we are, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, on the doorstep of the first Eagles game since January. A lot has changed between the end of last season and the beginning of this one and without further ado, here are the five Eagles to keep an eye on during Sunday’s season opener at Washington.
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Doug Pederson
Let me start with the leader – Doug Pederson. As head coach of the Eagles, Pederson has unapologetically owned the team in D.C. With a 6-2 record, not having lost since his inaugural season.
Of course, those eight games were against former coach Jay Gruden, but Doug has a decent track record against Ron Rivera, too, having beat him in the 2017 season on Thursday Night Football. Save for a fourth-quarter meltdown the following season which brings the record to 1-1, Pederson’s teams usually match up well with Rivera’s.
Look for Pederson’s guys to be well-prepared and ready for battle against Rivera’s.
Darius Slay
How long has it been, Eagles fans, since the team has had a true shut down corner? Asante Samuel last suited up in 2011. Before him, there was Lito Shepard and Sheldon Brown, but that’s about it. We’re talking 9 years of mediocre cornerback play.
We’re finally past this.
Slay is the first player on the list – and for good reason. Last season Washington rookie Terry McLaurin torched the Eagles to the tune of 10 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns over two games. It could have been more if Case Keenum or Dwayne Haskins were more accurate.
In the lone game where Slay and McLaurin met, the latter was held to 72 yards on five catches, no touchdowns.
Look for Slay to put the clamps on McLaurin and keep the second-year player in check.
Nate Gerry
Two words: Contract year.
But seriously, Nate Gerry has gained the trust of Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz. He’s the elder statesmen of the team’s linebacking corps and will find himself on the field for all three downs whether fans like it or not.
We’re genuinely looking forward to watching Gerry play, combine his status in the eye of the coaches, and the fact that he’s playing for a new contract and we could witness a productive season from the fourth-year linebacker.
Matt Pryor
Personally, I think he’ll be a serviceable replacement at right guard.
He played fine in stints last season in place of Brandon Brooks and made his first career start in the playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks where his play was the least of Eagles fan’s concerns.
Assuming Lane Johnson starts at right tackle, Pryor will be placed between two elite offensive linemen. Surely he will be a point of emphasis for Rivera and Washington Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio, but I trust in Pederson and Offensive Line coach Jeff Stoutland to coach up the group.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
The last Eagle on my list to watch is the second-year wide receiver from Stanford, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.
After a disappointing rookie season that saw him accumulate 10 receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown (for comparison rookie wide receiver D.K. Metcalf had 7 receptions for 160 yards and one touchdown in the aforementioned Wildcard playoff game last season.)
There’s only one way for JJAW to go: Up. It doesn’t get much worse than his rookie season. I’m not predicting a breakout season for him by any means but I’ll have my eye on the second-year player for sure. Think about it, with DeSean Jackson on one side and Zach Ertz in the middle and a powerful run game with a three-headed monster of Boston Scott – Jason Huntley – and Corey Clement, JJAW should see more than his fair share of single coverage. Look for Carson Wentz to spread the ball around possibly find JJAW a few times.
