The Philadelphia Eagles are entering week five of the NFL season as heavy favorites against the New York Jets before embarking on a month of road games against some heavyweights. The 0-3 Jets have been one of the worst teams in the NFL through the first quarter of the season and the Birds can’t afford to take their foot off the gas.
With the Eagles looking to move to 3-2 on the season, here are four things to watch when Philadelphia has the ball.
Eagles TE Zach Ertz vs. Jets S Jamal Adams
Adams is the Jets’ best defensive player and a guy with the tools that can force Zach Ertz to have a long afternoon. The Eagles will benefit from the 12 personnel, so Adams won’t be able to cover both tight ends. Adams a Pro Bowler, has a pick-six on the season and can affect the passing game via the blitz as well. Ertz has slowed down from is 2018 pace because of the Eagles countless weapons, but he’s still Carson Wentz’s favorite target, amassing 24 catches for 255 yards.
Ertz and Adams will be the matchup to watch.
Eagles LG Isaac Seumalo vs. Jets DL Leonard Williams
Isaac Seumalo has rebounded well from his disastrous showing in Atlanta, while Williams is looking to fulfill the potential that made him a top pick out of USC in the 2015 NFL Draft. Seumalo should have plenty of success in the run game and it’ll be interesting to see if Williams is an inspired pass rusher?
A heavy dose of Howard-Sanders
The Eagles could be turning into a run-first football team and a heavy dose of Howard and Miles Sanders could take the wind out of the Jets early on. There are currently four teams in the NFL that have multiple running backs with 175+ rushing yards this season: Philadelphia Eagles (Howard & Sanders), Denver Broncos (Lindsay & Freeman), San Francisco 49ers (Breida & Mostert) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jones & Barber).
Howard and Sanders have accomplished a feat that hasn’t been done in Philadelphia since 1978, and if the two can match the almost 200 yards they combined for against the Packers, the Jets could be in for a long afternoon.
Can Wentz continue his steady play as rough stretch approaches?
The chatter around the NFL may not tell the whole story, but Carson Wentz has played like an MVP this season, although without the fanfare of his 2017 season. Wentz has nine touchdowns and only two interceptions on the season, which ties him for second in the NFL touchdown passes. Wentz is currently logging a 95.3 passer rating and has played an efficient brand of football without some of his top weapons. Look for Wentz and the Eagles to focus on being efficient and playing well in the first quarter.
