Buccaneers vs. Eagles: Three Matchups to Watch
Matchups are a major part of football, we all know this. Figuring out which ones have the most impact on a certain game is all part of the fun and always worth a conversation.
So, which matchups should you keep an eye on this week when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Philadelphia Eagles? Let's take a look and find out.
3. Eagles RBs Kenneth Gainwell's and Miles Sanders' pass-catching ability vs. the Bucs linebackers
Myles Gaskin tore the Bucs defense up in terms of catching out of the backfield in Week 5. Gaskin finished the game with 10 catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns, but the scary part is he had six catches for 60 yards and one touchdown before Lavonte David left the game in the second quarter. So, it's not like the Eagles were just checking down once David's injury occurred.
The Bucs will be without David on Thursday night. The veteran linebacker is easily the Bucs' best coverage linebacker and he may even be one of the best overall coverage defenders on the team. Kevin Minter will step in and take over and while Minter is a very reliable backup, coverage is not his strong suit.
When you add LVD's situation on top of the fact that the Bucs will face not one, but two very good pass-catching backs in Sanders and Gainwell, then it's easy to see why this matchup will be one to watch on Thursday night.
2. Tampa Bay's receiving options vs. Philadelphia's linebackers in coverage
It's time to flip the script and talk about Philly's linebackers.
The group as a whole, to put it lightly, isn't good. Missed tackles, failed gap integrity, and blown coverages have haunted the unit so far this year. The Bucs offense has to be looking at the middle of the field with some rather large eyes this week.
Per Sports Info Solutions, the Eagles linebackers are offering up the eighth-highest EPA/play and the second-highest positive play percentage when targeted. The Eagles are also the only team in the NFL to have two linebackers with at least six missed tackles on the year.
It does seem like help is on the way in the form of Davion Taylor, who saw a career-high 24 snaps last week against the Panthers, but he is still very inexperienced and raw, so the Bucs can still find a way to pick on him, even if his coverage skills are better.
If Gronk doesn't play, will O.J. Howard be able to take advantage of the Eagles defense over the middle?
Don't be surprised if we see a heavy dose of the running game and then some play-action over the middle from the Bucs because of this.
1. Jalen Hurts' mobility vs. the Bucs defense
Hurts is enjoying a solid season through the first five weeks of the season. One part of his game that has really helped him succeed is his mobility. Hurts is not your typical mobile quarterback. He doesn't just move around in the pocket; he can escape the pocket and make plays out of structure through the air. Or, he can gash whatever defense he's facing on the ground to set up a favorable down and distance for the next play(s).
Either way, the Bucs have to figure out a way to contain Hurts when he does escape the pocket. This won't be easy because not only is Hurts second among all quarterbacks with 253 rushing yards, but he's also making plays through the air when he's under pressure. Per Pro Football Focus, Hurts has the second-most big-time throws (7) when under pressure and his throw rate of 11.9% is the third-highest among all quarterbacks with at least 32 dropbacks under pressure. He's taking shots and not just checking the ball down, evidenced by his 14.9 average depth of completion, which is tied with Patrick Mahomes for the fourth-highest average among qualifying quarterbacks.
This is possible because of Hurts' frequent ability to escape the pocket under pressure and find the open receivers downfield. SIS has Hurts leading the league with 26 pass attempts that are born out of escaping the pocket when under pressure. The good news is that he isn't very efficient when this happens: Hurts is dead-last in EPA/attempt. He lives and dies by the big play.
However, anything is possible when going up against this Buccaneers secondary. The Eagles coaching staff can coach Hurts up this week and tell him that he doesn't have to take the deep shot. Just continue to move the chains and all is well.
Either way, the Bucs defense has to be ready and have a game plan for this element of Hurts' game. Because it will be a very long night if they don't.
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