Bridgewater should dissect Eagles’ pass defense
ver .500 through nine games for the first time in five years, the Broncos (5-4) will look to post their second three-game winning streak of the season when they host Philadelphia on Sunday (2:25 p.m.). The Eagles (3-6) are winless at home, but 3-2 on the road. Here are three talking points for Week 10:
1. Creating an identity
The Eagles, under first-year coach/first-time play-caller Nick Sirianni, spent the first seven games spinning their wheels offensively, failing to score 22 points five times (four losses). But in the past two weeks, the Eagles have committed to running the football and taking pressure off second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts. Philadelphia rushed 46 times for 236 yards in a 44-6 win at Detroit and 39 times for 176 yards in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Hurts’ 494 rushing yards leads the team and is 13th in the NFL. Starting running back Miles Sanders (ankle) is on injured reserve, but Jordan Howard and Boston Scott have combined for 228 yards in the last two games.
2. Teddy’s time to throw
Philadelphia’s defense has allowed five quarterbacks this year to complete at least 80% of their attempts: Dallas’ Dak Prescott (80.8%), Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (80%), Tampa Bay’s
Tom Brady (81%), Las Vegas’ Derek Carr (91.2%) and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert (84%). Herbert was 32-of-38 passing for 356 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. First-year defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is not big on blitzing, which should allow Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (70.2% this year; Philadelphia’s opponents are at 75.5%) to throw short to receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam and long to receivers Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
3. Pressuring mobile quarterback
There are two directions to go when facing a mobile quarterback: Rush four and use a defender to spy or send extra rushers to force throws under pressure. Broncos coach Vic Fangio took the latter approach in Week 4 against Baltimore, rushing five or more players on 26 of Lamar Jackson’s 43 dropbacks (60.5%; the highest rate of his tenure). Jackson rushed only seven times for 28 yards, but threw for 316 yards. So what’s the plan for Hurts when he drops back? At this stage of his career, he may be more willing to leave the pocket to gain yards, but Fangio must also account for his cornerback injury situation and the trust he has in Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and likely Nate Hairston to play man coverage.