Philadelphia Eagles: Don’t undersell showdown versus the Colts

When the Carson Wentz trade was announced on March 17th, 2021, it made fans feel a certain kind of way.

Some welcomed a new era of Philadelphia Eagles football with Jalen Hurts – or someone else – under center, while others lamented the loss of their favored field general who played incredibly well for much more of his tenure in midnight green than he didn’t. Sides were taken, lines were drawn, and the Eagles’ fanbase entered into a low-key civil war that wasn’t always so civil, depending on what corner of the internet you chose to spend your time in.

But no matter which side you fell on, be that pro or anti-11, you certainly had the 2022 NFL season circled on your calendar, as it would mark the first time the Wentz Wagon returned to South Philadelphia – or the Eagles traveled to Indiana- since the Bismarck Bullet was reunited with Frank Reich in the Hoosier State.

… and then Wentz was traded to Washington, and the excitement surrounding a game between the Eagles and the Colts lost its muster.

Unfortunate? You bet, but do you know what? Said game, which will officially take in Week 11, should still hold a good bit of intrigue, as it will allow Nick Sirianni and Frank Reich to duel it out Obi-Wan Kenobi-Anakin Skywalker-style.

Indie Week should be a fun measuring stick for the Philadelphia Eagles.

What if Frank Reich never left the Philadelphia Eagles for Indianapolis? What if Josh McDaniels jumped ship from New England a few years before the Las Vegas Raiders came calling, and Doug Pederson was allowed to maintain continuity at offensive coordinator following a franchise-first Super Bowl win?

We, unfortunately, will never know, but just because many of the featured players from the initial Doug Pederson regime have since moved on, by their own volition or not, doesn’t mean Colts Week won’t have a fun feeling when the Indianapolis Colts come to town. Why? Because it will mark the first time Reich takes the field versus his former team since 2018, only this time, it’ll be with Nick Sirianni and Jonathan Gannon on the opposite sideline.

That’s right; after developing his offensive scheme under Reich, Sirianni will get to test his elite rushing offense against his mentors and see which unit can move the chains against a defense that knows what’s coming. Gannon’s new Jordan Davis-led rushing defense will test its mettle versus the reigning rushing champion, Jonathan Taylor, Darius Slay will have his hands full with Michael Pittman, and we’ll get to see if any of the Eagles’ new linebackers are able to slow down Mo Alie-Cox, who is one of the more intriguing tight ends the NFL has to offer.

To make matters all the more interesting, Week 11 will also mark Matt Ryan‘s first game versus Philadelphia since being traded to Indianapolis back in March. Will the former William Penn Charter quarterback be able to keep up his string of strong performances against his hometown team now that he’s under Reich’s tutelage, or will his game suffer now that he’s traded in red and black for white and blue?

I do declare, this contest might just be intriguing after all.

Would it have been interesting to see how Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni stacked up against Carson Wentz and Frank Reich? You bet; the two teams finished out the 2021 season with very similar records, and the game would have surely been one for the ages, but hey, even without Wentz, none of that should change. It’s still a battle of young versus old, it’s still a clash between student and mentor, and it still should be one of the highlight games of the 2022 NFL season for fans of the Philadelphia Eagles and beyond.

Prologue: Still sad you won’t get your Carson Wentz fix? Well, guess what? Now that he’s a member of the Washington Commanders, you’ll get to see him play the Philadelphia Eagles twice a year for the foreseeable future. Talk about a win-win situation.