Week 11 Preview: New Orleans Saints (5-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)

If the Eagles win this game, we’re back in. That if is a big if, but it’s certainly possible.

 

“But Matt, all you’ve said over the past few weeks is how much this Eagles team sucks!” First of all, how dare you take my words and use them against me. That’s right, I said it, and I stand by that statement. They do suck. BUT, with that being said…this team’s starting to make me feel again. The offense has hit their stride, thanks to Nick Sirianni pulling his head out of his anus. The defense obviously bent, but they did not even come close to breaking. They’ve even looked competent on special teams!

 

Defensively, look, I can’t stand Jonathan Gannon’s defensive philosophies as much as the next guy, and I think he’s an absolute bozo, but…his defense works against less than average quarterbacks. Each of the Birds four wins this season have been against quarterbacks that are far from elite (Matt Ryan, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, and Teddy Bridgewater).

 

That’s the main reason for the optimism going forward. Yes, the Eagles are mediocre at best in my humble opinion, but the teams, and quarterbacks, on their schedule going forward are much worse. This week’s game against New Orleans is easily their toughest test remaining this season, and we’ll talk more about them throughout.

 

From this point in the season on, the Eagles will not play a single quarterback in the upper echelon of the league, let alone in the average tier of quarterbacks. Outside of the quarterbacks, the teams in general aren’t much better.

 

After taking on Trevor Siemian and the Saints, the Eagles will travel to East Rutherford for back-to-back weeks to play the Giants and Jets. Then, after their annoyingly late bye week, they play host to Washington and the Giants, go on the road to Washington to start 2022, then finish off against a Cowboys team at home that will likely be resting their starters. There is a very real chance this team is either at .500 or will have a winning record at some point this season, which is bewildering to think about.

 

 

The path is there. There’s reason for optimism. Although, fans in this city have been optimistic about every other team in the sports complex in 2021 and look where that’s gotten us. For that reason, among many others, I am treading lightly with cautious optimism. Whether I’m all in or not on this Eagles team making a run at the playoffs begins with this game.

 

Eagles Offense vs. Saints Defense

 

Jalen Hurts picked a really, really good time to have his best performance of the season. In a game the Eagles desperately had to have, Hurts was absolutely surgical in the first half last week. Yes, I’m fully aware that he only attempted three passes in the second half and one of those attempts was intercepted. He still did what he needed to do with this offense to lead them to a win.

 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Devonta Smith. This dude is a certified baller. He is open all of the time, which is something that was previously illegal for every Eagles receiver since Jeremy Maclin. Smith is the first Eagles receiver to have multiple touchdowns in a game since…Jordan Matthews in 2014. It feels so good to have a legitimate #1 receiver. I don’t care that he’s only a rookie, he’s earned that title.

 

 

Not that he really had all that much competition for best receiver on the team. In 10 games, he already has more career receiving yards than Jalen Reagor, which is sad on so many levels (I hate Howie Roseman). Even still, there are so many reasons to be excited about Smitty, and even Quez Watkins. His dropped touchdown last week can be excused because he hasn’t made a mistake like that all year, and the Eagles still won the game.

 

In terms of other receiving weapons, there is optimism that tight end Dallas Goedert will be good to go for Sunday after suffering a concussion, on a play that should have received a penalty, last week. If Goedert isn’t ready to play, look for training camp all-star Tyree Jackson and Jack Stoll to get the bulk of the reps at tight end this week.

 

 

It’s looking more and more like Miles Sanders will return to the field this week. After being on injured reserve for the previous three weeks due to an ankle injury, Sirianni has said that Sanders is the starter upon his return. It’s still unclear whether that means he’ll actually get carries or not.

 

With Sirianni’s heavy emphasis on a successful rushing attack over the past few weeks, the natural belief is that Sanders will get some more shine in the offense this week. Still expect Jordan Howard and Boston Scott to get their fair share of opportunities too, especially if the Eagles err on the side of caution with Sanders in his return.

 

This Saints defense poses the Eagles biggest challenge by far since the Birds made the switch to a more run-heavy approach. New Orleans is the best defense in the league against the run in terms of both total yards allowed and yards per attempt. It’s by a pretty wide margin too, as the Saints have allowed 3.1 yards per carry and the second best team, Tampa Bay, has allowed 3.7 yards per attempt.

 

Whether this will deter Sirianni from a game plan that has worked for the Birds over the past few weeks remains to be seen. It is worth noting, though, that the Saints are 25th in the league in passing yards allowed per attempt. Therefore, expect to see more passes than we’ve seen over the past few games, but I still don’t expect Sirianni to completely ditch the run game the way he had in the beginning of the season.

 

New Orleans has some recognizable names on their defense, such as Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, and Marshon Lattimore. To Eagles fans, none will be more recognizable than Malcolm Jenkins. The former captain of the Birds defense will make his return to Philly for the second straight season as a member of the Saints, but this will be the first instance with fans in the stands. Expect some sort of well-deserved tribute for Jenkins on Sunday.

 

Eagles Defense vs. Saints Offense

 

The Eagles have caught some ginormous breaks even before the game will kick off on Sunday. Saints superstar, do-it-all running back Alvin Kamara has been ruled out for the game due to a knee injury. The Saints will also be without their two starting tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk as well.

 

In other words, Jonathan Gannon and this defense have no excuses. This New Orleans offense is the worst one Sean Payton has had since taking the head coaching job in 2006, and it’s even worse with Trevor Siemian under center. Now, with three important players out, the Eagles should be expected to hold this offense down.

 

If this defense somehow allows this Saints offense to score three touchdowns, Gannon better have some tight security when he’s leaving the Linc.

 

Good news for him, and for my sanity, is that Gannon’s defense has had great success against bad quarterbacks this season. Obviously, Siemian fits that bill, even though he has played okay in the three games he’s filled in for Jameis Winston. Siemian won’t do anything to win the Saints this game, but he won’t necessarily do anything to lose it for them either.

 

Even still, it’s that simple. Even with Gannon’s bone headedness, this defense should be able to hold the Saints offense down enough for them to win the game.

 

In non-Saints game related news, it has been a great weekend so far for former roommates Dallas Goedert and cornerback Avonte Maddox. As aforementioned, Goedert received a 4-year extension worth $59 million on Friday. Then, Maddox also received a 3-year, $22.5 million extension on Saturday morning. Maddox has had a superb season for the Birds at slot corner, a position that fits his play style much more than outside corner.

 

My Prediction

 

It’s hard to count out any team coached by Sean Payton. Even in their two consecutive losses, the Saints have come out of those games feeling confident that they could have won both of those contests.

 

However, the Eagles have hit their stride. The offense is clicking, and Jalen Hurts is playing his best football since entering the league over the past couple of weeks. That, coupled with what we know about Gannon’s defense against bad quarterbacks, along with the fact that the Saints are riddled with many injuries, and all signs are pointing toward an Eagles victory.

 

Eagles win, 27-20. Payton will ensure that the Saints are never out of this game, but the Eagles will take the lead early and hold onto it throughout. I cannot see a way the Trevor Siemian and 52-year-old Mark Ingram waltz into Philly and outplay this Eagles team. That comment will almost certainly come back to haunt me.

 

For what it’s worth, the Eagles will be in their black-on-black uniforms for the first time all season on Sunday afternoon. They have had great luck in the past with these jerseys, including last year against the Saints in Jalen Hurts’ first NFL start.

 

 

If I Were A Betting Man

Eagles -2.5.

 

Broadcast Information

Time: 1:00 P.M. EDT

TV: FOX (Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake)

Radio: 94.1 WIP

Stream: NFL Game Pass

By Matt Szczypiorski | November 21, 2021
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