The Philadelphia Eagles open the 2019 season with Super Bowl aspirations and a need to remove the ugly taste from their mouths after last seasons heartbreaking ending in New Orleans. The Birds have brought back DeSean Jackson while adding juggernauts, Miles Sanders and JJ Arcega-Whiteside to the offense.
The Eagles are locked and loaded on both sides of the ball, but with Washington being a desperate team that no one believes can win the season opener, here are five Redskins the Eagles definitely need to gameplan for.
1. Ryan Kerrigan
Kerrigan is an Eagles tormentor, whom Mike Groh compared to a rolling ball of blades on Thursday. In 16 career games against the Eagles, Kerrigan has amassed 58 total tackles, 20 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended, 1 INT and one touchdown.
He’s not a new name for Eagles brass, but he’s the top name to gameplan for.
2. Terry McLaurin
Terry McLaurin didn’t have a single target during the pre-season but is slated to be the Redskins No. 1 wide receiver. His emergence made Redskins brass comfortable with cutting Josh Doctson. Expectations are high for McLaurin because of his Ohio State pedigree, but not many third-round picks are able to translate college success into the pros, especially as a rookie. McLaurin seems different and he’ll be matched up against an Eagles secondary that had some horrific performances against unheralded wideouts.
3. Derrius Guice
The Redskins will employ a three-headed rushing attack led by the second-year back out of LSU. Head coach Jay Gruden has made it clear that the offense will run through Guice, who’s back to full strength after a torn ACL robbed the second-round pick of his entire rookie season.
4. Jordan Reed
When he’s at full strength, the seventh-year tight end is one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL and a guy that could give Malcolm Jenkins fits on Sunday. Standing 6-foot-2, 242-pounds, Reed has the athleticism to run like a wideout, while still being able to utilize his big body to box out opposing safeties and defensive backs. Add in his unique quickness and precise route-running ability, and you have a guy that could put Case Keenum in a comfort zone on Sunday.
5. Da’Ron Payne
A member of Nick Saban’s famed Crimson Tide defense, Payne is a strong, powerful, athletic, disruptive and powerful defensive tackle who could give the Eagles problems on Sunday if they aren’t sharp and physical on the interior of the offensive line.
One of the highest graded Redskins defenders as a rookie, he’ll only get better as times goes on.
