A fully rested Eagles team is just five hours away from kickoff at Allegiant Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7.
The 2-4 Eagles aren’t as bad as their record suggests, and as the games get manageable over the next 11 weeks, things could get interesting from a playoff perspective.
The 4-2 Raiders aren’t an easy win and here are 4 causes for concern in Sunday’s matchup.
1. Kenyan Drake‘s versatility as a pass catcher
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Josh Jacobs is the starter, but it’s the versatile Drake that offers the most concern from a defensive standpoint.
Davion Taylor should see more time, with neither Eric Wilson nor Alex Singleton able to cover him one-on-one.
Drake had a big game as a receiver against Denver and he could be in line for a huge workload.
2. Raiders 3 WR sets
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With Jon Gruden out as a head coach, Las Vegas unveiled a more contemporary three-wide, one running back set against the Broncos.
Henry Ruggs, Hunter Renfro, and Bryan Edwards could test Philadelphia’s secondary, as Avonte Maddox will be huge when matched up in the slot with Renfro. If Darren Waller can’t play, the Raiders will rely more on Derek Carr.
Ruggs’s 22.3 yards per catch lead the league, while Edwards ranks third with 20.2 yards per catch.
3. Josh Jacobs-Peyton Barber duo
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Jacobs is averaging 3.2 yards per carry and ran for a season-high 53 yards last week against Denver. Peyton Barber had the Raiders’ only 100-yard rushing game in Week 3 against Miami and Philadelphia can’t allow a breakout performance on the ground.
4. Jalen Hurts inefficient across the middle
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Dallas Goedert is back and DeVonta Smith is silky smooth, but it won’t matter if Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts don’t seek out big plays in the middle of the field.
Per The Athletic, Las Vegas has allowed 19 plays of 20 yards or more.
Only Buffalo’s 12 are fewer, but Hurts will need to make accurate throws when targeting Goedert, Jack Stoll, and or Quez Watkins across the deep middle.
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