This week’s Monday Night Football matchup features two teams sitting at the bottom of the NFC, with the Panthers (2-8) visiting the Eagles (3-7). The Eagles season is essentially over at this point, but a loss to the Panthers would just be embarrassing. But considering the injuries to the offensive line, to Michael Vick, and to LeSean McCoy, this game will be a tough one.
The Panthers are better than their 2-8 record shows. They lost in overtime to Tampa Bay last week, and to the Falcons, Seahawks, Cowboys, and Bears, by only a combined 12 points, or just one FG on average. They have one of the best receivers in the league in Steve Smith, and have two of the best first rounders in the last two draft classes (Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly, who is 7th in the league in tackles with a game to spare).
Here are some things to watch for tonight versus the Carolina Panthers.
Tonight will be unlike any other Eagles MNF game I’ve experience. There is about as little meaning to this game as possible, unless any idealists are expecting the Eagles to win out and finish 9-7… Instead it would just be nice to get back on track with a W after 6 straight losses. Two rookies are starting in the backfield, and 4 backups are starting across the offensive line. I’m very interested to see the play from QB Nick Foles and RB Bryce Brown. Foles has shown flashes in order to be considered a potential longterm starting QB in the NFL, but the sample size is far too small. With back to back weeks as the starter of this team, and facing a weak Carolina defense, we will learn a lot about the QB that Foles truly is. Brown has had some impressive runs as well. He has demonstrated the powerful downhill running style that a 6 foot, 230 pound running back should possess, but he has also shown the burst and speed that not many RB’s of his size have.
A loss would drop Philly into a tie for last in the NFC, a spot no fan or NFL expert would have predicted before the start of the season, and especially not after the last Eagles MNF game, a win over the defending Super Champion Giants, which gave the team a 3-1 record, and 1st place in the division.
The Eagles Nest 