Eagles at Buccaneers predictions for Week 4 of the NFL season

Eagles at Buccaneers predictions for Week 4 of the NFL season initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia

The Eagles (2-1) will journey to Tampa to face the Buccaneers (2-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium.

Let’s get to the predictions:

Reuben Frank (0-3)

Nothing has come straightforward for the Eagles this 12 months. They wanted a 16-play area purpose drive late within the fourth quarter to place away the Packers within the opener. They gave up a 70-yard play within the last minutes to lose to the Falcons. They wanted a miracle 61-yard Dallas Goedert catch and run with a minute left to lastly get previous the Saints. Going again to final 12 months, they’ve now gone 14 straight video games with out getting a win by multiple possession. Powerful technique to go about your corporation. Powerful technique to win. I anticipate Sunday to be extra of the identical. The Eagles made enormous strides on protection in New Orleans, however I’m unsure meaning they’ve every thing found out. And so they’ve proven they’ll transfer the ball even with out their prime receivers, however I’m unsure how sustainable that’s. So I’m going to go along with one other shut, comparatively low-scoring recreation that gained’t be determined till the ultimate 47 seconds. One other huge recreation for Saquon Barkley towards the Bucs’ Twenty fifth-ranked run protection, an interception-free recreation for Jalen Hurts towards a Bucs protection that has solely two INTs all 12 months. A landing for Jahan Dotson. And perhaps even a couple of sacks from edge rushers towards a staff that ranks thirty first in sacks allowed. It will be shut once more, however the Eagles escape the Gulf Coast with a win and get to the bye 3-1.

Eagles 21, Buccaneers 20Â

Dave Zangaro (1-2)

The Eagles have struggled with the Bucs earlier than and it will not be straightforward going into this recreation with a couple of key accidents. However that they had a powerful win towards the Saints final week and I feel they’ll be capable of deal with the Bucs, who’re much more banged up. Jalen Hurts has to guard the soccer higher than he has by three video games and he additionally has to deal with the heavy blitzing protection of Todd Bowles. This will probably be an enormous take a look at in that space nevertheless it looks as if there are extra built-in solutions within the offense. The Bucs’ protection has been fairly dangerous towards the run and even when Vita Vea performs, the Eagles ought to be capable of choose up yards on the bottom. On the opposite facet, keep watch over the slot matchup towards Chris Godwin, particularly if it is Avonte Maddox in protection. We noticed Jalen Carter play nice final week and he’ll have a possibility to wreck one other recreation down in Tampa. I feel he does.

Eagles 24, Buccaneers 18

Barrett Brooks (1-2)

When the Eagles’ schedule first got here out, I bear in mind saying the bye week was method too early within the season. Now, it may’t come quick sufficient. The Birds are the strolling wounded. They’re limping into this week with some main accidents, with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Britain Covey all injured. The place will the passing recreation come from? OC Kellen Moore may have his work minimize out for him this week. Will they be capable of manufacture some offense? Can they win this recreation with their two finest receivers out for Sunday? Moore should change up his personnel package deal to work with unconventional positions. Possibly he’ll open up extra 21 personnel (2 RB, 1TE) or 12 personnel (1RB, 2 TE). This may make the run offense a menace to the Bucs, as a result of it provides the run extra blockers across the field and line of scrimmage (LOS).

Defensively, the Birds should proceed the mindset established final week. Whip the man in entrance of you. The D-line performed on the Saints’ line of scrimmage all recreation. They penetrated on run performs and rushed from the inside on passing performs. The Eagles had been dominant all recreation within the trenches, which helped the linebackers make performs and the defensive backs cowl so much higher.

Eagles 28, Buccaneers 17

Mike Mulhern (2-1)

Raymond James Stadium has been a home of horrors for Jalen Hurts. Not solely has he misplaced a pair of playoff video games within the shadows of the pirate ship, however he additionally suffered defeat within the nationwide championship recreation on that very same area as a freshman at Alabama. The excellent news this time round is the Eagles appear to have a recreation plan to fight the blitzes that may absolutely be coming Hurts’ method. Plus, Todd Bowles’ protection is extraordinarily banged up. The large query is who Hurts may have accessible to get the ball to. I might anticipate heavy doses of Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley as soon as once more and I’m betting Jahan Dotson makes his first actual impression performs as an Eagle.

Vic Fangio discovered a technique to shut down a Saints offense that was scoring higher than 45 factors per recreation heading into final week. His job needs to be simpler on Sunday. Baker Mayfield has been underneath siege all season, having been sacked 13 instances in simply three video games, and Tampa Bay’s speeding assault is close to the underside of the league. With Darius Slay wanting like he hasn’t misplaced a step and Quinyon Mitchell enjoying like a future All-Professional, the Eagles have the items on the again finish to matchup with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Birds head into the bye on a excessive.

Eagles 24, Buccaneers 20

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