Jaguars vs Eagles: Eye on the enemy

Sep 30, 2022 - 7:01 PM

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Doug Pederson will return to Philadelphia for the first time as an opposing head coach this Sunday, as the 3-0 Eagles host his 2-1 Jacksonville Jaguars.

I joined John Stolnis of Bleeding Green Nation to discuss Pederson and preview this week’s game.

The value of coaching is evident when watching this year’s Jaguars compared to last, and Jacksonville holds that advantage over Philly if we’re basing it off storylines.

This is a revenge game for Pederson, who was ousted by the franchise after coaching it to its sole Super Bowl title. And defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell was on a Buccaneers staff that limited Jalen Hurts in two meetings last season.

The Jaguars will need its coaching staff now more than ever, because the roster matchups in this game present problems. The Eagles’ run defense hasn’t been outstanding to start the season, but they boast serious firepower up front. Handling defensive tackles Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Jordan Davis will be a tall task for rookie center Luke Fortner and third-year left guard Ben Bartch.

On the other side of the ball, Jacksonville is well aware of former Titan A.J. Brown’s abilities, and his running mate DeVonta Smith reminded the world of his talents last week.

Containing those two receivers will be Jacksonville’s second-biggest defensive priority, save for making Hurts uncomfortable. That’ll be up to Caldwell to use disguised coverages and pass rush games, but the Jaguars secondary must hold up and limit explosive plays to escape Philly with a win.