Eagles Vs. Falcons: 5 Things
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Are you ready for some football?
After the longest offseason in the history of offseason, the Eagles are finally ready to begin the highly anticipated 2015-16 NFL season. They open tonight during part one of a Monday Night Football double header, in Atlanta, against first-year head coach Dan Quinn, Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and the Atlanta Falcons.
A lot of people expect an easy Eagles win, and while I don't necessarily disagree, I'm starting to get nervous a little less than seven hours from kick off.
5. I'm officially nervous
Everyone and their bubbie is predicting an Eagles blowout win in the Delaware Valley. Literally, every single caller on 94WIP this morning: Eagles win by 20, 30, 40 points! I loved this matchup for the Eagles early in the week and I thought think they'll win fairly easily, but all this optimism has me nervous.
4. Matt Ryan is really good at home
At home, Ryan is 39-15 with a 66.78 completion percentage. On the road, for whatever reason, Ryan is just 27-29 with a 61.76 completion percentage. No real explanation, but it's a pretty large sample size. Plus, home opener on Monday night adds a little extra juice to the Falcons.
3. The Eagles should dominate the trenches
The Falcons' offensive line is bad. Their starting left guard Andy Levitre and their starting center Gino Gradkowski, were added to their roster this month! Jake Matthews, the starting left-tackle, enters his second-year after starting 15 games last year. Pro Football Focus gave him a "poor" grade in his rookie season.
Defensively, the Falcons were dead last in the NFL in 2014 and their front-seven hasn't gotten much better. They're expecting a lot from the 2015 eighth overall pick, outside linebacker Vic Beasley, I guess.
2. Julio Jones and/or Roddy White vs. Eric Rowe is scary
Roddy White is likely to play after having right elbow surgery just two weeks ago. White, while he's 33 on the tail end of his impressive career, is a savvy veteran. Assuming Julio Jones will see a lot of Byron Maxwell and Nolan Carroll in the slot during nickle situations, rookie Eric Rowe will seemingly have to deal with White---or maybe even Jones on some plays (gulp).
Rowe practiced a ton against veteran Steve Smith when the Ravens came to town, but he has looked suspect in preseason.
1. Three-headed monster should dominate
While there is no such thing as a definite in the NFL, if there is anything that should happen, it's that the Eagles' ground-attack should dominate. With DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, and a little Darren Sproles behind a stout offensive line, against a below average defensive front, with Chip Kelly's fast paced offense, how the heck are the Falcons going to stop it?