The Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bengals will be a marquee matchup in Week 8. Two quarterbacks from the exemplary 2020 quarterback class will face off in Cincinnati, as Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow have both exceeded expectations since being drafted. Both quarterbacks have been to a Super Bowl in their young careers; however, neither was able to win the big game. It’s an opportunity that both quarterbacks will likely get the chance to correct.
According to sports books, this may not be the year for the Bengals, as they only have a 50 percent chance at the playoffs. They are currently 3-4 and have the 16th-highest remaining strength of schedule. Including the Eagles, the Bengals also have the Baltimore Ravens to worry about in the next three weeks. The Bengals could easily be 4-6 and be on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. So, this game could be a make-or-break for the Bengals.
In contrast, the Eagles look to build on the momentum of blowing out the New York Giants on the road. The Giants did give the Bengals quite the problem on Sunday Night Football a few weeks back. The key for the Eagles to improve to 5-2 will be similar to what they did last week: contain a former LSU wide receiver.
Limiting Ja’Marr Chase
The secondary did an excellent job limiting Malik Nabers to 41 yards last Sunday. Quinyon Mitchell allowed only 15 yards and is developing into a star each week he takes the field. Mitchell currently has the third-highest odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Jared Verse has been exceptional and has a big lead on the field. However, Mitchell’s award hopes could go a long way if he has a standout game against one of the best receivers in the league.
It also appears that Ja’Marr Chase will be without his running mate Tee Higgins, as he popped up late on the injury report with a quad injury.
Andrei Iosivas has stepped up in the big moments and has three touchdowns this season. Two of those touchdowns came against the Chiefs, a game that Tee Higgins also missed. Iosivas has proven himself to be a reliable fill-in. However, he will draw less attention than Tee Higgins in the weekly game plan. Defenses know where the ball is going when they are playing the Bengals. Malik Nabers being shut down by the defense is impressive, but shutting down Ja’Marr Chase, the league leader in receiving yards (not counting Jefferson, who played on Thursday), figures to be an even more significant challenge.
Getting the Passing Offense Going
It is no secret that the passing offense has been struggling. Of course, missing your top two targets does not help. Even with the duo back two of the last three games, the Eagles are in the bottom three in passing offense the previous three games.
Saquon Barkley ran all over his former team; Hurts had a great game against the Browns, and the team struggled without their top receivers against the Buccaneers. So, those numbers can be pretty deceiving, but an improvement would be nice, especially as people are starting to doubt Hurts’s ability as a passer.
The Bengals have the 21st-ranked passing defense this season. This matchup could be a prime get-right spot for Hurts. The Eagles are ranked 22nd in passing offense. If they could move that number to the middle of the pack and take some of the load off Saquon, Most fans would be pleased with that outcome and ensure Saquon is fresh heading into the playoff run.
Prediction
The Bengals are slight favorites heading into Sunday’s matchup, as a 2.5 favorite. The Eagles should be the favorites. The Bengals know how vital an excellent WR1 is for a quarterback. The Eagles also know after A.J. Brown missed three games. Once he returned, the offense started to click again. The team will be without Jordan Mailata, making guarding Trey Hendrickson much more complicated than it already is. Hendrickson is having a top-five season at the position, and with how loaded that position is, it is all the more impressive. I still believe the Eagles will pull this off. A 28-24 back-and-forth game makes the most sense, with Hurts and Burrow trading long drives and both defenses making massive plays to stall the opposing offenses.
The Eagles’ defense is improving weekly, and the eight sacks against the Giants helped demonstrate that. If the defensive line can get to Burrow as they did in 2020 with Fletcher Cox and company, they can expect another tie.
If every level of the defense shows up against the Bengals, people will start believing in the team again. The Eagles are not mentioned in the tier of true contenders, but a win against the Bengals could put the team back in the conversation. One that they should have never left, considering the pieces they were missing against the Buccaneers. A big road could be on the horizon for the Eagles, while a loss would significantly lessen the Bengals’ playoff chances, so it will not be easy by any means.
