Regular season football is finally here, and the Eagles are traveling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in the season opener. In our first Eagles matchup preview, we will go position by position to determine which team has the edge in Philly’s premier bout of the 2021-2022 NFL season.
Quarterback
Both the Eagles and Falcons have quarterback situations that are interesting, to say the least. Starting for Philly is OU alum Jalen Hurts, who was drafted a year prior as the apparent backup to franchise QB Carson Wentz. Most NFL fans know the chaos that ensued, and in the end, Hurts was finally named the starter for week 1, despite the rumors of the Eagles looking for other options at the position. This is by all accounts a make-it-or-break-it year for Jalen, who showed some flashes after Wentz’s benching in 2020. Questions still fly about his ability as a passer, however. Whether he takes the next step or not, Jalen has a major impact on the running game, and his ability on the ground could be an X factor against the Atlanta defense.
The Falcons, however, return veteran signal-caller Matt Ryan as their day 1 starter. Rumors also flew that the Falcons were going to draft a new face of the franchise, but it seems they want to take one last ride with the former MVP. The Eagles D will not have to face a prime Matty Ice, however. It’s apparent Ryan has lost some zip on the deep ball, and his mobility is as limited as ever, but he still has the accuracy and veteran experience to be an above-average, stable QB who won’t be the reason the Falcons lose. If I had to give the edge to a team at the QB position, it would be Atlanta, as they have the benefit of knowing what they’re getting. That doesn’t mean Hurts can’t exceed expectations, however.
Running Back
While arguably the least important position on offense, it’s still worth noting each team’s situation at running back. The Eagles have somewhat of a three-headed attack at the position, led by 3rd year back Miles Sanders. Sanders has been a constant presence when he gets snaps, putting up a fantastic 5.3 YPC in 2020. A lot of that came from the 24-year old’s big play ability, as he recorded multiple runs over 50 yards. While Sander’s receiving upside exists, it’s tapered off since his rookie season, as he’s struggled with drops. That’s where 5th round pick Kenneth Gainwell comes in. Gainwell is an incredible receiving back, with quickness when catching the ball out of the backfield, as well as the ability to run routes from the slot or anywhere he’s put on the field. The other notable piece for Philly is RB Boston Scott, a small contact balance back who serves as a good change of pace when Miles is subbed.
The Falcons’ backfield is led by former Panthers’ backup Mike Davis, who impressed in 2020 after Christian McCaffery went down with an injury. A powerful runner with some nice quickness, Davis is suited for a Bell-Cow role in Arthur Smith’s offense, but by no means is he an Elite back. Davis is also the only notable RB in the rotations aside from Wayne Gallman, who served as Saquon’s backup in NY. This one goes to the Eagles.
Offensive Line
O-Line has been a consistent strength for the Philadelphia Eagles, and while injuries caused a down year for the group in 2020, they hope to bounce back and solidify themselves as a top unit in the league. All 5 positions have capable starters, Starting with newly declared starting left tackle Jordan Mailata. The former rugby player could easily be pegged as one of the most athletic players in the entire NFL, as the 6’8 346 lb. tackle moves in ways most people 100 lbs. less than him can’t. The interior is headed by former All-Pro Brandon Brooks returning from injury, center Jason Kelce, the rock of the Eagles line for 10 years, and Isaac Seamalo, who could be called the weakest link on the line, but still an underrated and more than capable player at guard. The Right side boasts arguably the top RT in the NFL, Lane Johnson, who’s also fully healthy for the first time since 2019.
While the Eagles have a line studded with stars, the Falcons unit has some question marks. The strongest piece on the line is former first-round pick Jake Matthews, who, while he hasn’t lived up to his draft position, has been developing into a really nice piece at left tackle. The only other sure thing along the line is right guard Chris Lindstrom, who’s started all 21 games he’s appeared in since he was drafted in 2019. Questions lie with converted rookie guard Jalen Mayfield, who may need time to get up to speed in NFL action, Center Matt Hennesy, who was shaky in his inaugural season in 2020, and right tackle Kaleb McGary, Who’s been nothing short of a bust since his drafting in 2019. While the Falcons have a young unit with potential, it’s incredibly unproven and very raw. Eagles easily take the cake here.
Wide Receivers
The Eagles have always had trouble finding consistency at the WR position, and their is hope that changes in 2021. The new age Eagles wide receiver core is led by rookie Devonta Smith, who won the Heisman trophy for his incredible season at Alabama. Philly hopes the supremely refined route runner can be an immediate impact WR1, but at this point, it’s all projections. Behind Smith are two sophomore receivers with high-end speed, Jalen Reagor and Quez Watkins. Reagor had an underwhelming 2020 season for numerous reasons, but the Eagles hope he can bounce back with some more consistency on offense and a real off-season to prepare. Quez, however, has been a pleasant surprise for the Org, as he’s shown to be as explosive in the NFL as he was in college, seemingly on track to exceed his 5th round selection.
This wide receiver corps is thin and unproven, but there’s upside galore here. With the loss of future Hall of Famer Julio Jones, the falcons expect former first-round pick, Calvin Ridley to step into the WR1 role for this team. Ridley had a breakout season in 2020, putting up over 1,300 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Ridley, like smith, is a refined route runner with the quickness to separate easily. Behind Ridley, there are major questions, however. Russell Gage proved he could be a productive WR3 in 2020, but how will he translate as the second target? Behind those two is Olamide Zaccheaus, who’s mostly known for his punt return skills. While the Falcons group is arguably thinner than the Eagles’, the presence of a possible top 10 receiver in Calvin Ridley easily puts the Falcons ahead in this category.
Tight Ends
Another strength for the Eagles, the tight end position provides more weapons for Jalen Hurts to work with. For now, it seems both young star Dallas Goedert and former pro bowler Zach Ertz will share the starting gig, each providing huge upside as receivers. Goedert certainly has more juice than Ertz at this point in his career, but having two sure-handed tight ends certainly provides a massive boost to the Eagles’ offense.
For most teams, matching the output or impact of the Eagles starting TE duo seems impossible. However, the Falcons have a shot at doing that on the back of one young man: Kyle Pitts. Standing at 6’6, the rookie is by far one of the best pass-catching TE prospects the NFL has ever seen. With 4.44 speed and incredible athleticism, Pitts is a matchup nightmare anywhere on the field. While we haven’t seen him in NFL action, it seems unfair to disqualify his effect on the receiving grade of the Falcons team. We’ll call this one a wash.
Defensive Line
While Philly’s D-line is aging, it is still certainly the strength of the defense. Veterans Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham head a pass rush that was top 3 in sacks during the 2020 season. 28-year-old Javon Hargrave also seemed to pick it up by the end of last season, adding more depth to the already stout interior. A combination of young, high ceiling players in Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett, and Milton Williams are competing for edge snaps, and each has potential for a massive breakout in 2021. One of the deepest units in the NFL, the Eagles D Line will eliminate the run as good as anyone while also being an incredible pass-rushing force.
Atlanta’s defensive line can be best described as abysmal. The one saving grace of the unit is the incredibly underrated Grady Jarret, a force who commands double teams for both his impact in the pass rush and run game. Aside from him, the options are limited. Dante Fowler has some juice but isn’t a major factor off of the edge. Tyler Davison and Jonathan Bullard, both of the other presumed starters, are pretty much non-factors. Jalen Hurts should be expecting a pressure-free day, assuming Jarret is taken care of, while Matt Ryan may have a problem up front. Easy point to the birds.
Linebacker
The Eagles have historically not valued the linebacker position, and It shows when you peek at the depth chart. New addition Eric Wilson should be a helpful tool in coverage, but he’s extremely limited playing the run. Singleton is the opposite, as the captain has made a name for himself by sniffing out the ball carrier and accruing tackles but doesn’t have the skills in coverage Wilson does. TJ Edwards is the most well-rounded of the bunch but doesn’t really shine anywhere. The Eagles group is thin, and that’s to be expected.
Atlanta has some much more inspiring pieces at LB. Deion Jones is a bona fide star at the LB position and is possibly one of the best coverage backers in the game. Behind him, pieces like Foyesade Oluokun and Mykal Walker give some versatility with that second option, as well as some nice upside. This position is mostly won over by Jones’ underrated skillset, but it’s an easy point for the Falcons nonetheless.
Cornerback
It seems the Eagles have a solid starting CB duo for the first time in a while. The combination of veterans Darius Slay and Steven Nelson give reason for hope in the secondary, and while the former is looking for a bounce-back year after regression in 2020, it may be apparent he was simply asked to do too much. Nelson, a free agent signing, gives the eagles a high-end CB2 that they’ve lacked for years. Behind those two, it gets noticeably thinner, however. Avonte Maddox will be reverting to his natural position in the slot, but the only notable depth piece is 4th rounder Zech McPhearson, who’s had a nice camp, but is extremely raw as of now. An injury could be disastrous for the Philly secondary, but the starting core isn’t bad.
The Falcon’s CB core is much less proven. The current number 1 corner is second-year player AJ Terrell, who had a fine rookie season but still profiles as one of the worst CB1s in the NFL. Behind Terrel, It’s all question marks. Fabien Moreau and Isaiah Oliver seem like the most likely candidates for the CB2 job, and neither profile as more than depth on most squads. With starting slot CB Kendall Scheffield on IR to start the season, it’s possible both will be on the field, which is not something that falcons fans should look forward to. This point goes to the Eagles.
Safety
To cap off the final position group we will be comparing, the Eagles would be trotting out a safety duo of Anthony Harris and Rodney Mcleod to start the year, but signs point to Rodney not being available for Week 1. Harris, a free agent, excelled in the Vikings secondary and is a really nice starting safety for Philly. Mcleod is coming off of a season-ending ACL tear in 2020, but he was having a pretty incredible season before the injury. Since Mcleod will not be playing, the Eagles will turn to both sophomore Kvon Wallace, a former 4th round pick with some upside, and Marcus Epps, a rotational player who made some plays in 2020. Neither are stars at the position, but they’ll be good enough to play in the box or down the field if needed.
Much like at corner, the Falcons both lack talent and depth at safety. The starting two will be Erik Harris and Duron Harmon, players who are really each number two safeties or depth at best but won’t be outright terrible. Behind them is rookie Richie Grant, arguably one of the more exciting players in the secondary, who should make an impact on the snaps he does get. Really not much to brag about in the Falcons safety room, which gives the final point to the Eagles.
Conclusion
In overall position group points, the Eagles outscore the Falcons 6-4 (one tie). However, just looking at how many groups one team has over another obviously won’t give you the full picture. The Falcons and Eagles both have weaknesses on offense, but Atlanta possesses more proven and explosive weapons than the Eagles do. The same goes for QB, as Jalen Hurts is a huge question mark while we already know Matt Ryan has what it takes to win. What this game really comes down to is defense, and there, the Eagles take the cake. The Falcons have an abysmal defense, aside from a few high-end pieces, while the Eagles have a deep pass rush and more stable secondary. With the Falcons D as thin as paper, the Eagles shouldn’t have a problem putting up points, and the Eagles D has the potential to really pressure Matt Ryan due to his subpar offensive line. Either way, I project a high-scoring game, but the Eagles’ defense puts them on top for me.
Prediction: 30-27 Eagles
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Noah Berger is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Noah, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
