The New Orleans Saints (2-0) host the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) in one of the top matchups in Week 3 of the NFL season. This will be the 36th meeting between these teams, with the Eagles leading the series 19-16. However, New Orleans holds a 3-1 lead when these teams have faced each other in the playoffs.
This game will be played at the Caesars Superdome. New Orleans has an overall record of 11-8 at home against Philadelphia. The last time the two played in this arena was during the 2019 Divisional Playoffs, a 20-14 victory for New Orleans.
Although it’s still early in the year, this game could have implications for conference standings or tiebreakers. New Orleans is in top form after crushing Carolina and Dallas by a combined score of 91-29.
The Eagles are a little banged up after losing to the Atlanta Falcons at home in the final minute on Monday night. Philadelphia lost seven of its last nine games last season.
The Saints News Network has been highlighting the offensive and defensive play between the Saints and Eagles all week, and today we’re taking a look at a few players that may have been a little overlooked when analyzing this game.
Willie Gay Jr.
Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts tormented New Orleans’ defense in two games against them in 2020 and 2021. Hurts averaged just 157 yards passing in those games, but did far more damage with his legs. Using a combination of designed runs and evading pressure, Hurts ran for a total of 175 yards against the Saints, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt and scoring three touchdowns.
Dennis Allen’s defense has always struggled against mobile quarterbacks, and Hurts is one of the better ones in the league. To counteract that, the Saints signed free agent Willie Gay, an athletic linebacker who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Partly because he is also battling a back injury, Gay has only appeared in 20 defensive games for the Saints so far. However, he is an excellent complement to Demario Davis and Pete Werner and could play a crucial role in the outcome of tonight’s game.
In two games against Hurts, Gay was part of a Kansas City defense that limited the quarterback to less than four yards per carry. Gay was often the defender assigned to pursue Hurts in the open field. In those two games, he had 11 tackles, including eight solo stops and three tackles for loss.
Werner is a good linebacker at the line of scrimmage but has limited space. With Hurts’ athleticism and Eagles RB Saquon Barkley’s playmaking ability, Gay will likely play alongside Davis much more often when healthy. Additionally, Gay would be a much better coverage option for Eagles TE Dallas Goedert, which could further hamper Philadelphia’s passing attack, which will be without WR AJ Brown.
Juwan Johnson
Johnson has been quiet as a receiver so far this season. He caught two of his three targeted passes, both in the opening game, for 26 yards and a touchdown. It’s also an offense that targeted its wideouts last week against Dallas.
With Taysom Hill (chest) likely out, Johnson and Foster Moreau could be more heavily involved in the game plan this week, not only as pass receivers, but also as blockers and at various spots in the offensive formation.
Over the past two seasons since switching from wide receiver to tight end, Johnson has caught 79 passes for 876 yards and 11 touchdowns. His athletic ability and route-drafting make him a real threat at all three levels of a defense, whether coming off the line, turning outside or on the move.
Wideouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed could both have a big day. Philadelphia’s pass defense ranked 31st last season, 27th this year after two games, and ranks 30th against opposing wideouts. While Derek Carr will certainly target both of his big-play receivers, Johnson could have just as big an impact.
Johnson has a size advantage over former Saint and current Eagles safety CJ Gardner-Johnson. Philadelphia linebacker Nakobe Dean has the combination of mobility and size to keep up with him, but that could free up dynamic running back Alvin Kamara in the passing game. No other Eagles linebacker has the skills to match Johnson as a receiver. It looks like a potentially hopeless coverage situation for Philadelphia.
Saints offensive line against Eagles front seven
Perhaps the most surprising performance in the league so far has been the performance of New Orleans’ offensive line. The Saints are second in third down and red zone percentage so far, while their offense is first in points scored and third in total yardage. They have averaged 4.9 per carry and allowed just one sack and three QB hits to Derek Carr.
Play design, play calling and execution have all been exemplary so far. But the performance of the blockers has been the most critical. Rookie left tackle Taliese Fuaga has been outstanding. Left guard Lucas Patrick has been a solid and underrated addition in the offseason, while C Erik McCoy continues to be one of the better centers in the league.
The biggest surprise may come on the right side. Guard Cesar Ruiz has played closer to the 2022 form that earned him a contract extension. Much-maligned tackle Trevor Penning has embraced the move to the right side. He has put defenders under pressure as a run blocker and has done very well in pass defense.
Respected defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was brought in to restore Philadelphia’s pass rush, which had declined from 70 sacks in 2022 to 43 last year. The Eagles have plenty of talent on the perimeter with Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff, Brandon Graham and Nolan Smith, complemented by a strong infield with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
Despite this talent, the Eagles have only recorded three sacks and seven QB hits so far. None of the sacks and only three QB hits have come from the players listed above. Still, it’s certainly a group that can change the outcome of a game.
The challenge for the Saints will be to establish the running game against an Eagles defense that ranks 25th in the running game and is allowed 6.4 passes per run, the worst in the NFL. It will also be a challenge for them to continue to provide excellent protection for Carr when he drops back to pass.
Will the Saints’ offensive line maintain its excellent level of play and thus maintain excellent offensive balance? Or will the Eagles fully utilize the potential of their talented defense? This duel will determine the success of New Orleans’ offense and most likely the outcome of today’s showdown.
