Talk about two teams on different ends of the spectrum going into week 4. The Eagles vs Buccaneers matchup has one team coming off an emotional road win over the New Orleans Saints, while the other suffered an embarrassing home loss against the Denver Broncos. However, both teams are in similar buckets regarding their health.
The Eagles may be without their two top wide receivers and a few members of their offensive line. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a laundry list of injuries themselves. It will be an interesting matchup as these teams have a recent history with each other. The Buccaneers beat the Eagles twice last year, including knocking them out of the playoffs. The Eagles will be looking for some revenge and on the other hand, the Buccaneers will be motivated after a bad loss last week.
Eagles vs. Buccaneers Picks: A Battle of Health
Jalen Hurts’ Legs and Kellen Moore
The Broncos haven’t had much offensive success this year until they traveled to Tampa Bay. The two key things the Broncos did were attack down the field and put their quarterback, Bo Nix, on the move. Play-action rollouts, boots, and sprint outs were a staple of the Broncos offense last week. Getting Nix on the move stifled much of Todd Bowles’ creative blitzes and made reading the defense post-snap easier for the quarterback. They also were not afraid to take deep shots early in the game, which helped back up the Tampa Bay secondary and caught them off guard. It didn’t just make things easier or create just a few big plays, but it gave some opportunities for Bo Nix to scramble and make crucial plays with his feet.
🚨🚨INSANE PLAY🚨🚨#BRONCOS ROOKIE QB BO NIX MADE ONE OF THE MOST ATHLETIC PLAYS BY A QB YOU WILL SEE.
FOR SOME REASON NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS…
(🎥 NFL)
pic.twitter.com/sL7NNIrss8— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 23, 2024
Kellen Moore should consider doing the same this week with Hurts and the offense. Especially if they are down Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown, getting Hurts on the move and giving him some easier reads and the ability to run will be beneficial. The Eagles must be careful about dropping back in the pocket all game. If they are depleted at receiver, expect a lot more screens and quick passes, to go along with a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley.
Can the Eagles’ Defense Do It Again
Hopes and expectations are high now for the Eagles’ defense after the great performance last week. Eyes will be on them to see if they can repeat that performance going forward, starting against the Buccaneers. Fortunately for them, the Buccaneers have been struggling on offense as well this season. They haven’t been getting too much traction running the ball and they haven’t been as efficient as last year in the passing game. Last week, the Broncos defense sat back in coverage and Baker Mayfield struggled to find anyone open down the field.
The Buccaneers are a team that wants to get the ball to their two-star receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. If you take those two away, they don’t have much else to rely on. This should be a good matchup for an Eagles defense that has had struggles stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback. The only wrinkle in the Buccaneers offense to keep an eye on is the inclusion of their rookie running back Bucky Irving. He had a good game last week, and they may have to use him more on some screens and other tricky plays.
Eagles vs. Buccaneers Picks
Eagles Win 17-13
This should be a grind of a game for both teams on Sunday. A game that’s more about who makes the least offensive mistakes than the most offensive plays. It will be important for Nick Sirianni to limit the 4th down decisions and take points or punt the ball when necessary. However, Barkley has been terrific and will have a few opportunities for some big plays throughout the game. Since the Buccaneers cannot run the ball well, it will be tough sledding to try and throw the ball down the field against Darius Slay and Quinyon Mitchell. It’s a close game that will come down to the wire, but the best player on the field, Saquon Barkley can give the Eagles a slight edge.
Other Eagles vs Buccaneers Picks: (Record 6-3)
Saquon Barkley Any Time Touchdown Scorer
Under 44 Total Points
Baker Mayfield Under 230.5 Passing Yards
Main Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
