Nick Gates is fired up. The Washington Commanders’ center, who spent the past four seasons with the New York Giants, knows just how intense Philadelphia Eagles fans can be, especially at their home stadium, and he can’t wait to play in front of them once again.
Gates and the Commanders (2-1) take on the Eagles (3-0) in Philadelphia on Sunday in what could be a significant measure of Washington’s talent and resilience. After a 37-3 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, in which Sam Howell was sacked nine times and intercepted four times, the Commanders will try to rebound against the reigning NFC champs.
The Commanders upset the Eagles in Philly last year, sparking a three-game winning streak before the bottom fell out on the season. Pulling off another upset will be tough for myriad reasons. But it’s not unfathomable.
Let’s dig into the stats to get to know the Eagles.
First-quarter scoring differentials
The Commanders’ slow starts have been a problem for years, and this season is no different; they’ve trailed at halftime in every game. The defense and run game sparked turnarounds against the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos, but Washington’s poor play snowballed against the Bills.
Through three games, Washington has the second-worst first-quarter scoring margin: minus-17. The Eagles, meanwhile, have the league’s best first-quarter scoring margin: plus-22. Philadelphia has held all three of its opponents scoreless in the opening quarters.
McLaurin’s 230 receiving yards
Terry McLaurin has been targeted only 16 times this season, far fewer than most leading receivers in the NFL. But his battles against the Eagles, and in particular against cornerback Darius Slay, have made for prime viewing.
In his past two meetings with the Eagles, McLaurin has totaled 14 catches for 230 receiving yards. If he tops 100 yards again, it should only bode well for the Commanders; since the start of 2021, they’re 5-2-1 in games in which he’s hit triple digits.
The Eagles are the only team to have multiple takeaways in each of their first three games, and they have eight on the season, which is tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the second-most in the league. (Only the Bills, with nine, have more.) Philly has capitalized greatly, scoring 26 points off takeaways. Washington, however, has paid dearly for its turnovers; opponents have scored 27 points off the Commanders’ turnovers. Only one team, the Broncos, has allowed its opponents more points off turnovers.
Securing the ball will be key for the Commanders on Sunday. Since the start of 2021, they’ve gone 8-3 when they’ve won the turnover battle.
Source link
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
The post Stats of the week: First quarter will loom large for Commanders vs. Eagles appeared first on Click Sports News.
