The Philadelphia Eagles remain to be one of the hottest teams in football with Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts. After a comfortable win against the Washington Commanders, they followed it up this past Sunday with a dominating performance against the Los Angeles Rams. However, this week will be another important game, as the Eagles will travel to take on the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens are coming off a win last Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens offense is one of the most explosive in the league led by the current MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson. For the Eagles to keep their hot streak alive, they need to rely on Jalen Hurts to take his opportunities to make plays through the air.
Jalen Hurts Has Taken a Bit of a Backseat
With the season Saquon Barkley is having, Hurts and the passing game have taken a backseat to the Eagles run game. It’s not Hurts’ fault, he has done what he has had to and played well ever since the bye week. However, the Eagles have found the formula in the way they need to play to win games, which is through Barkley and the defense.
The Ravens may be a different story though, with the second-ranked defense against the run in the league, and an offense as high-powered as theirs. Although they have been successful against the run, they have been woeful against the pass. Hurts and the receivers will have plenty of opportunities to create big plays on Sunday.
They may need it too because with Jackson and Derrick Henry on the other side, this could turn into a shootout regardless of how good the Eagles defense has played. Both can score whenever they touch the ball and to this point, the Eagles have not proven they can win without being able to run the ball.
The Impact of Eagles vs Ravens
Both the Eagles and Ravens are considered two of the top teams in the NFL and a win would bring a ton of confidence to either fanbase. However, in the case of the Eagles, there’s one giant in the NFC everyone is trying to catch up to. The Detroit Lions are the scariest team in the NFL right now and they have a similar profile to the Baltimore Ravens.
Both are in the top two for scoring offenses in the NFL and keep defensive coordinators up at night, and both can stop the run at a high level. The Eagles defense has been great since the bye week, but it’s fair to ask how they would do against a super-powered offense. Moreover, what if the Eagles defense has a bad day or gets off to a slow start, could the Eagles claw back into the game?
Here’s where Hurts and the passing game come in, and they need to show the Eagles as a complete football team. There may be games where the Eagles may find themselves down early and need to air the ball out. Everyone knows they have the talent but have not had to show it this year. Ultimately, if the Eagles fail this test in Baltimore on Sunday, it could foreshadow a sad outcome to end their year. Conversely, if they win, the hype train will keep rolling, and rightfully so.
Main Image: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images
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