The Eagles have been playing the best Football they have played in over a year these past few weeks. A 20-16 win over the Browns only looked close because of 1 mistake on Special Teams. Then they crushed the Giants 28-3. More recently, they beat the Bengals 37-17. All of that led up to a 3-game winning streak and a 5-2 record that has them among the top teams in the NFL.

Many people try to discount that by saying they haven’t played anyone. But going into the Bengals team all we heard about is how now they have to play a real team. So I don’t quite understand how they were now just another easy opponent. Vegas literally favored the Bengals coming into the game.

Related: Eagles Make A Strong Statement In Win Over The Bengals

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

So goalposts are constantly shifting. The people who say those things conveniently forget that the Eagles opened up the season beating the Packers. But we learned in 2022 that some people are never satisfied and doubted the Eagles the entire way, even though they came only a few points short in the Super Bowl.

Those doubters may get more ammunition this week. It is another weak opponent for the Eagles. The lowly Jaguars are coming to town, and they are a bit of a mess. Doug Pederson has been fighting for his job every week. They are currently 2-6.

They are also down several key figures. Both of their WRs, Brian Thomas Jr and Christian Kirk, are hurt. They just traded away their LT Cam Robinson. They might get Travis Ettiene back, who has battled a hamstring injury, but even with his return, this already struggling team is not coming to Philly at full strength. Meaning if they win big, they will get no credit, again.

So will the Eagles crush another team? Will it be their 3rd straight double-digit win? Let’s look at some Eagles who could be in for big days.

Here Are 8 Eagles Players In Store For Great Games Against The Jaguars:

• DeVonta Smith And AJ Brown

  The past two games came against teams that were far weaker against the run than they are against the pass. That script flips this week though. The Jaguars are in the top 5 of yards allowed per carry at 4.2. But they are also the 2nd worst team in the league, allowing 8.1 yards per pass attempt, and 271.1 passing yards per game.

  These two both got theirs vs tough pass defenses. Brown and Smith have 5 combined catches of 40+ yards in the last 3 games, 4 of which went for TDs. Now they get to face a secondary everyone is putting up crooked numbers against. That is not to say the Eagles should abandon their current balanced attack. They still need to run the ball. But there will be opportunities for the two-star WRs to feast on Sunday, and the Eagles should not shy away from attacking this very vulnerable secondary.

  Good teams adjust their game plan to attack the other team’s weakness. One of the Eagles greatest strengths just so happens to align with the Jaguars’ greatest weakness.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "HURTS LAUNCHES DEEP TO DEVONTA SMITH.46-YARD TOUCHDOWN.📺: #PHIvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/u4yjFvgeOi / X"

  HURTS LAUNCHES DEEP TO DEVONTA SMITH.46-YARD TOUCHDOWN.📺: #PHIvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/u4yjFvgeOi

• Josh Sweat

  Josh Sweat’s streak of 3 straight games with a sack snapped last week. He got some pressure and made some plays, but he never got Joe Burrow down. The entire team only got to him twice.

  The Jags have actually done an okay job of protecting Trevor Lawrence. But that was with Cam Robinson at LT. He is gone. Will the backup pick up where Robinson left off? Josh Sweat often rushes from that side. If he wants to start a new streak, getting to attack a backup LT, the same way he did vs the Giants, could be the chance to do so.

  Nolan Smith has also looked great. Sweat’s sack streak just ended, but Smith is now on a 3-game streak with at least 1 sack. Edge Rush was a major weakness to start the season, but between these two players, there is hope they might have something off the edge going forward.

  Shane Haff on X (formerly Twitter): "There is a lot to like on this 3rd down play. Cooper DeJean navigates the switch release really well and communicates well mid play. Quinyon Mitchell is on an island against Malik Nabers and has pretty good coverage. And then Josh Sweat gets home for the sack. pic.twitter.com/8Z8JWUftTb / X"

  There is a lot to like on this 3rd down play. Cooper DeJean navigates the switch release really well and communicates well mid play. Quinyon Mitchell is on an island against Malik Nabers and has pretty good coverage. And then Josh Sweat gets home for the sack. pic.twitter.com/8Z8JWUftTb

• Jalen Hurts

  We already talked about how poor the Jaguars are at defending the pass. Well, that helps Jalen Hurts too. Not only are they getting ripped apart through the air, but even with people throwing so much on them, they have just 4 takeaways, 2 of which are interceptions. 

  Meanwhile Hurts is on a streak of 3 games without a turnover, after turning it over at least once in each of his last 9 games. As we already said, he has 5 passes of at least 40 yards in the past 3 games. 4 of those had 40 air yards, and each one was right on the money by Hurts. He has gotten comfortable in his system, he has found his rhythm. He has also been moving better with his legs. Even beyond the Tush Push, he had some good plays on the ground. 

  Hurts is looking more and more like the guy they paid all that money to. This week is the perfect chance to keep that up. 

  NFL GameDay on X (formerly Twitter): "Jalen Hurts has been on a tear since the bye week 👀📈 pic.twitter.com/xQYgHm8Wlt / X"

  Jalen Hurts has been on a tear since the bye week 👀📈 pic.twitter.com/xQYgHm8Wlt

• CJ Gardner Johnson

  CJ Gardner Johnson was a takeaway machine his first time here. Despite missing time, his 6 interceptions were still tied for the league lead. Yet he was quiet over the first 6 games this season. But he finally broke the seal last week, picking off Joe Burrow with an assist by Isaiah Rodgers. Will it start a trend?

  As a good defense, you need to force turnovers. They had not been doing that before last week. Going into the Bengals game they had just 2 total takeaways, both coming from Reed Blankenship. They doubled that vs the Bengals. They brought CJ Gardner Johnson in to make those plays. If this defense is going to keep this up, they will need him to keep making plays like that. A mediocre team down its main weapons feels like a decent time to do that.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "Isaiah Rodgers deflects the pass to his teammate CJ Gardner-Johnson!📺: #PHIvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/jnVxvq6U1f / X"

  Isaiah Rodgers deflects the pass to his teammate CJ Gardner-Johnson!📺: #PHIvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/jnVxvq6U1f

• Fred Johnson

  Few players have been asked more in the past few weeks than Fred Johnson. Hey Fred, we know you are filling in, but can you block Myles Garret? Also, now that you have blocked garret, can you block Brian Burns? what about Trey Hendrickson?

  He has gotten tested by great Edge Rushers every week. He struggled a bit against Burns but was great as a run blocker that week. Last week he was great at both. He held Trey Hendrickson to just 1 pressure and made great blocks for Saquon. Now, he gets Travon Walker. He might not be as accomplished as the last 3 guys he faced, but Walker does have 6.5 sacks this season this year, and is a former 1st overall pick. It’s another test for Johnson. But he has shown he should be up to it.

  Shoutout to Tyler Steen who has also looked good filling in. But Mekhi Becton should be back this week, so we may not see him at all.

  Dave Zangaro on X (formerly Twitter): "Fred Johnson allowed just one pressure on 22 pass blocking snaps against the Bengals, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Trey Hendrickson had just 1 pressure on 13 snaps against Johnson.Impressive game from Johnson. He and Hendrickson swapped jerseys after. / X"

  Fred Johnson allowed just one pressure on 22 pass blocking snaps against the Bengals, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Trey Hendrickson had just 1 pressure on 13 snaps against Johnson.Impressive game from Johnson. He and Hendrickson swapped jerseys after.

• Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean

  These two players might be the biggest difference makers from last year to this year. The secondary was a mess last year. Nickel Corner was a mess this year until DeJean got on the field. But they have been near-perfect the last 3 weeks. They went from a complete disaster at those 2 spots, to it being one of the biggest strengths on this team.

  Quinyon has faced Malik Nabers and Ja’Marr Chase in the last 2 weeks. He was not on them all game but he drew each of them a fair amount. They had a combined 3 catches for 25 yards when covered by him. That is the best rookie WRs and one of the best WRs in the league, and they could do nothing against Quinyon. We all expected him to be great, but did we expect him to be tis good this soon?

  Dave Zangaro on X (formerly Twitter): "Fred Johnson allowed just one pressure on 22 pass blocking snaps against the Bengals, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Trey Hendrickson had just 1 pressure on 13 snaps against Johnson.Impressive game from Johnson. He and Hendrickson swapped jerseys after. / X"

  Fred Johnson allowed just one pressure on 22 pass blocking snaps against the Bengals, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Trey Hendrickson had just 1 pressure on 13 snaps against Johnson.Impressive game from Johnson. He and Hendrickson swapped jerseys after.

  Cooper DeJean has made key plays in each of these games. Including the 4th down tackle of Ja’Marr Chase that might have been the biggest play of the game. Also if you put anything into PFF grades, he is the second highest graded corner in coverage this season. I only put so much stock into that, but he passes the eye test too.

  Both guys have come very close to picks as well. Mitchell seems to be cursed, he has been cheated out of picks in different ways every week, including his own teammate knocking it out of his hands. But he keeps getting his hands on the ball. DeJean played a pass perfectly, but just dropped it. One of these weeks 1 of them is going to catch 1. Why not this week?

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