The Eagles will travel to the Meadowlands for the second successive week as they take on the other New York team in the Jets. After their frustrating 13-7 loss against the Giants, Jalen Hurts suffered an ankle injury. Despite being convinced that he would be good to go, it appears that the ankle is not close to 100%, meaning Gardner Minshew is set to make his debut in midnight green.
The Season so Far
The Jets currently have a 3-8 record after their win over the Houston Texans last week. Zach Wilson returned from injury to secure a victory as he looks to end his lopsided rookie year on a high. Wilson has struggled to adapt to life in the NFL. He has found it tough throughout the season to play consistently and keep the ball safe. Four touchdowns to ten interceptions is not the way anyone envisioned his rookie year going, and a knee injury also left him out for a few weeks, thus further scuppering his progression. You can tell that this is a team with a rookie Head Coach and quarterback that is in a rebuild. The Jets have some nice pieces, but it is clear that they are well off from being competent. Fortunately, Robert Saleh is the man in charge and has done well to pick up more wins than the 2020 season. Their other two wins this season have come against the most unlikely of opponents in the Tennessee Titans and the Cincinnati Bengals. They will be looking to spoil another weekend for a playoff hopeful in the Eagles on Sunday.
The Biggest Threat- The Defensive Front Seven
As mentioned above, the Jets have some very solid pieces across their roster, but they do not have enough talent to put everything together. Their defense has struggled to stop opposing offenses this season, but the lack of success on offense has certainly played a role in that. The Jets have a talented defensive line that could cause offensive lines problems on their day. John Franklin-Myers, Sheldon Rankins and Quinnen Williams are all talented players. Williams and Franklin-Myers both have six sacks on the season, so the building blocks for the Saleh defensive line is there. Quincy Williams and CJ Mosely are also a strong linebacker duo, and both lead the team in tackles. It is a solid foundation that the Jets have. The Eagles will have to be careful against them.
What to Target- Zach Wilson
It appears to be a regular occurrence, but the Eagles will once again face a quarterback that struggles to deal with pressure. Wilson has shown that in his short NFL career that he takes big risks in his passing game and is prone to holding onto the ball too long. The rookie has been sacked 23 times in seven games. That is over three sacks a game. The Eagles defensive line has to be aggressive and win at the line of scrimmage. They failed to do so last week as they barely laid a finger on Daniel Jones. If they are going to keep the Jets at arm's length, they need to make Wilson uncomfortable and put him under duress all afternoon. They failed to do so against the Giants, and the lack of turnovers definitely hurt them. If the Eagles defensive line gets to Wilson, they will create turnovers and bad throws. That will be crucial for them.
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