The Eagles travel to Denver with the hopes of picking up their fourth road win of the season. In their last outing, Nick Sirianni's team lost in heartbreaking fashion. A last-second field goal ended the game against the Chargers as they lost 27-24. The Eagles defence was unable to get off the field after Devonta Smith's touchdown, which tied the game up at 24-24. On the flip side of things, the Broncos enjoyed a very dominant win in Dallas as they crushed the Cowboys. Two garbage time touchdowns made the game seem closer, but that Broncos defense shut out the explosive Dallas offense for three quarters. They will provide a tough test on Sunday afternoon.
The Season so far
Vic Fangio's team have had an inconsistent season to date but currently sit on a 5-4 record. They started like a house on fire as they beat the Giants, Jaguars and Jets comfortably. It appeared that Teddy Bridgewater and this Broncos team had found a rhythm that no one had expected. However, doubts were surrounding the legitimacy of this team. In the following four games they were brought back down to earth as they went 0-4 against the Ravens, Steelers, Raiders and Browns. It appears that the Broncos are a middle of the road team that is not good enough to make a strong playoff run but is not bad enough to fall into a top six or seven pick. Wins against the Washington Football Team and Cowboys brought them back above .500 into a 5-4 record, but there are understandably question marks. A win against the Eagles would see a clean sweep against the NFC East for the Broncos and could be vital in their attempts at a wildcard spot. In their final seven games, they have five divisional games. A win against the Eagles will keep them very much in the mix with a division that have all seen Jalen Hurts and co off.
The Biggest Threat- The Denver defense
That Broncos defense has caused teams problems all season. Fangio runs a tight ship on that side of the ball, and the way they dominated the Cowboys offense last week was clear to see. Denver's defense made huge fourth-down stops, and it was evident that Dak Prescott was still feeling the effects of his calf injury as he struggled to find a rhythm. The aggressiveness of the Broncos defense certainly played a part in that. Their secondary is one of the best in the NFL, and it has talent across the board. Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons are the starting safeties in Denver and are one of the best tandems in the league. Simmons is showing everyone why he deserves his big four-year extension, while Jackson is still flying around the field like he is 23, not 33. Rookie corner Patrick Surtain has had a strong start to life in the NFL and continues to impress, while Kyle Fuller has continued to prove that he is a top starting cornerback in the NFL. As mentioned, it is talented all over. Former Eagle Ronald Darby is certainly the weak link of this group, but he still is not a bad third cornerback to have. He will be wanting a revenge game on Sunday. Even that Denver front seven has proven its worth. Von Miller led the team in sacks before his trade, and although Bradley Chubb is on Injured Reserve, they are getting contributions from everyone. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense will have to be at their best and then some if they are to build momentum in this game.
What to Target- Teddy Bridgewater
All three Eagles victories this season have one thing in common. They played aggressive defense with the intent of putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. They did it to Matt Ryan, Sam Darnold and Jared Goff. When they face quarterbacks that they clearly do not fear, they bring pressure and play aggressive. Teddy Bridgewater is one of those middle of the pack quarterbacks that Jonathan Gannon should not be fearing. He has the talent across the defensive line to put pressure on Bridgewater and to get at him. The Broncos offensive line is patched up with three injuries so that defensive line should have a field day if they execute the same gameplan they used in Detroit and Carolina. There is no excuse for Gannon to play prevent defense and scared, and he is already on thin ice after giving up a six-minute game-winning drive last week. His passive defensive scheme cannot be the reason that the Eagles lose again. He needs to be aggressive in his play-calling. There is no excuse.
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