Eagles vs. Patriots Preview: Chance To Spoil Tom Brady Day
The Philadelphia Eagles kickoff the regular season against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium on a momentous day for coach Bill Belichick and Co, as the Patriots are celebrating Tom Brady Appreciation Day.
This matchup is highlighted by an intriguing strength vs. strength: the Eagles' high-powered offense vs the respected Patriots' defense.
The Eagles offense led the league in rushing touchdowns per game last season while the Patriots defense allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns per game.
The Patriots defense hopes to get after Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, who finished 14-1 as starter last season. New Eagles to watch include the rookie trio of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Kelee Ringo, who all played at Georgia together.
The Philadelphia defensive side of the ball is much changed from last season. Sunday marks the debut for five new defensive starters and three new coaches, including defensive coordinator Sean Desai.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni considers that "unknown" to be an advantage for Philadelphia against a Patriots offense that floundered last season. Quarterback Mac Jones looks to bounce back with new weapons at his disposal. Sunday will be the debut for new Patriots receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and tight end Mike Gesicki.
USA Today
FUN FACT: Bill Belichick's longtime right-hand man, Matt Patricia, works for the Eagles now and will be making his first return to Gillette Stadium.
RECORDS: Philadelphia Eagles (0-0) at New England Patriots (0-0)
ODDS: Philadelphia is a 3.5-point favorite vs. the Eagles.
GAME TIME: Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 4:25 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Gillette Stadium - Foxborough, Massachusetts
TV/RADIO: CBS/WBZ, SportsRadio 94WIP
THE FINAL WORD: Receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are new captains this season, and the latter admitted he was surprised when informed about the honor:
"I was surprised," Smith said. "You know who the guys around here are ... if you were around a person and just asked them who the captains were, everybody would probably name the same old guys. Just being in there myself, it was a shock to me."
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