Denver Broncos Look To Upset the Undefeated Philadelphia Eagles In Week 5
The Denver Broncos will travel to the East Coast to take on the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. Denver is coming off a strong win against the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Eagles were able to win a close game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Philadelphia is set as a 4.5-point favorite, and could improve to 5-0 with a win on Sunday.
Broncos Need To Be Aggressive
The Broncos need to put pressure on the Eagles early in this game. The good news for Denver is that the Eagles haven’t been able to get to the quarterback, so Bo Nix should have ample time to find his playmakers. Another key for the Broncos will be Running Backs JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey. The Eagles have struggled to stop the running game this year, and it’s been a focal point for Denver’s offense through the first four games.
The Eagles have given up a handful of explosive plays, so Denver needs to try to exploit their secondary by using Marvin Mims to their advantage. Head Coach Sean Payton needs to call an aggressive game, targeting the middle of the field. Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell have been flying over the field, so the typical bubble screens and bootlegs will be ineffective.
Will Patullo Air It Out?
The biggest storyline surrounding the Eagles’ 4-0 start has been the lack of production on offense. Jalen Hurts has only thrown for over 200 just once this season, in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams. Hurts has proven that he’s capable of winning games with his arm, but the conservative play-calling has created a ton of drama. AJ Brown has expressed his aggravation with his lack of involvement, putting out a post that gave the media exactly what they wanted.
The Eagles have been very predictable on offense, and Saquon Barkley has struggled thus far. What made their offense so deadly last year was that nobody could stop him behind a dominant offensive line that seamlessly paved the way. Injuries to Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson have hurt their overall performance, but they always find a way to win.
Key Matchups
Matchup #1: Saquon Barkley vs. Broncos D-Line. Denver has struggled to stop opposing running backs this season, and this could be the game where Barkley finally gets going. He is averaging a measly 3.1 yards per carry this season, and will need to get it going early, because the Eagles will rely on him.
Matchup #2: AJ Brown vs. Patrick Surtain. All eyes will be on Brown this week, after he caused a storm within the media by letting out his frustration with the offense. It will be tough for Philadelphia to establish the passing game, as they will go up against one of the best secondaries in the league.
Matchup #3: Bo Nix vs Eagles Secondary. Nix had his best game of the season last week against the Bengals and will try to keep the momentum going at Lincoln Financial Field. The Broncos need to push the ball downfield and put more pressure on the Eagles
