Eagles-Buccaneers Preview: Countdown To Kickoff

TAMPA, Fla. – The battle of 3-0 teams will be a must-watch on Sunday as the Eagles try to win a third straight game against a division winner from last year in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' backyard at Raymond James Stadium.

The Eagles already took care of division winners in the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams in back-to-back weeks, and that tells you just how difficult their schedule is to start the season.

Here is my countdown to kickoff:

5…PLAYERS

Haason Reddick. The Bucs’ pass rusher will try to get revenge against the team that traded him after he compiled 30.5 sacks, including the playoffs, in two years with the Eagles.

Lane Johnson. The right tackle will be responsible on most plays in blocking Reddick. Johnson suffered a stringer in last week’s win over the Rams, so the hope is he can play the entire game against his former teammate.

Saquon Barkley. The Bucs haven’t allowed more than 100 yards rushing in a game since Week 10 of last season, a span of 11 straight games. Barkley hasn’t been over 100 yards since the NFC Championship Game, a span of four games.

Cam Jurgens. The center gets the chore of blocking Vita Vea, one of the games’ best nose tackles.

Jordan Davis. The defensive tackle has had back-to-back games with five tackles, one short of his career-high of six. Does he get it this week against a shuffled interior without Cody Mauch but still with center Graham Barton, a first-round pick from Duke two years ago.

4…NUMBERS

0: Turnovers committed by the Bucs in three games.

4: Wins both the Eagles and Bucs are trying to start the season with. A 4-0 record for the Eagles would be their third such start in the last four seasons. A 4-0 record for the Bucs would be the first time they achieved that since 2005.

8: Trips into the red zone for the Eagles, and they have scored touchdown on all eight trips, which is the best percentage in the NFL.

16: Tackles by Jordan Davis, which leads all NFL defensive tackles.

3…MATCHUPS

A.J. Brown vs. Jamel Dean. The Eagles receiver had a breakout second half last week against the Rams and went over 100 yards for the first time this season. Dean had a pick-6 in the Bucs’ win over the Jets.

Cooper DeJean vs. Sterling Shepard. DeJean will see Shepard when he lines up in the slot, which he has done on 51 percent of his snaps this season and has become a favorite target of quarterback Baker Mayfield. The two played together at Oklahoma. DeJean allowed slot receivers just 4.9 yards per target last year.

Tyler Steen vs. Elijah Roberts. The Eagles’ third-year guard, and first-year starter, will have to win his matchup against the Bucs’ rookie fifth-round pick. Roberts’ snaps have gone up after Calijah Kancey suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. Last week, Roberts shared a sack with linebacker Lavonte David.

2…FACTS

-The Eagles have won nine games in a row, including last year’s 4-0 run in the playoffs, making it the second-longest winning streak in team history, just behind the 10 in a row they won last year.

-Jalen Hurts has scored a rushing touchdown in six straight games, tying Justin Fields (2022) for the longest streak by a quarterback since the 1970 NFL merger.

1…PREDICTION

The Eagles will take advantage of a banged-up Bucs offensive line and will find a way to beat the blitz after being tested by it in three straight games.

Eagles 26-Bucs 22.

Season record: 2-1

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