Week eight has arrived and the pressure to stay on track or get back on track starts now for all 32 teams in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills (5-1) have begun this season on a high note. Almost as high as we can remember. With one loss coming from the New England Patriots, the Bills will now be tested again by a inconsistent, yet highly threatening Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) team.
The Eagles are 1-3 on the road this season, the offense has been inconsistent, and the secondary is horrendous. Carson Wentz has not been able to consistently connect with his receivers. Having an all-star tight end, a giant weapon of a receiver and a speedy guy on the outside, this Eagles offense can light up at any moment. Although, this pass attack does not look to show anything this season.
The same goes for Josh Allen. Outside of John Brown, Allen has been having trouble getting the ball out accurately to his other weapons. Cole Beasley caught his first touchdown of the season last week without much production all season. Dawson Knox has been slowly utilized but has not been a threat since week three.
Expect this game to be heavily defensive domination. The Eagles will have a defensive line that features Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, both who can be unstoppable forces. Cox is excellent in stopping the run while Graham can collapse a pocket. Outside of their front four, the Eagles are thin at the second and third level. Do not be surprised if the Bills cannot get the run going tomorrow.
The Bills defense features an average pass rush from the defensive line, but an athletic linebacker core and shutdown secondary. Tremaine Edmunds should be seen all around the field making plays. The secondary of Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Levi Wallace and Tre’Davious White will be tested by Wentz. Wallace was targeted against the Dolphins and struggled badly in the first half.
What will be the main matchups for this game?
1.) Bills Front Four vs Eagles Run Game
The Bills will face an Eagles backfield that manages to rush for over 100 yards on average. The way that this defense is setup, the run should be contained and stopped at all cost. Taking the run attack away from the Eagles puts extra pressure on Wentz to throw the ball and have to face a super strong secondary.
2.) Josh Allen vs Eagles Secondary
If there was ever a game for Allen to throw for over 300 yards, this would be the jackpot. The Eagles secondary is the weakest link by far on the team and they will have to be careful of how they defend on each play. Allen has been able to pull of some great throws to his reliable catch passers and this secondary could be the reason why Allen could look like an all-star. Allen has struggled but has slowly improved his passing game this season. Take advantage of the weak secondary, get the ball out safely and let the receivers do the rest to put up six.
3.) Bills Offensive Line vs Eagles Front Four
This revamped offensive line for the Bills will always be considered a major improvement compared to 2018, but they still struggle and have weaknesses to overcome. Penalties, missed blocks and giving up pressure early has cost the Bills yards that could have led them to a scoring drive. With the Eagles having two all-stars on the line, the Bills have to protect Allen at all times and let him work his magic. If Allen is struggling, look for the main reason for his struggles is because of lack of blocking.
-Brandon Ray is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the Buffalo Bills. Make sure to follow Brandon on Twitter at @brandon_ray79.
