3 Reasons the Eagles Will Blow Out the Patriots in Week 1
By Tyler Maher
The Eagles are set to kick off their 2023 season on Sunday on the road against the Patriots.
While a trip to Foxborough to face Bill Belichick would have been an intimidating proposition in the past, the tables have turned in recent years. With Philadelphia coming off of a Super Bowl appearance and New England coming off an 8-9 season, it’s them who should be fearing us.
The Patriots may be better than last year, but they’re still no match for us. For a couple of reasons, we’re clearly the better team and are poised to blow the doors off them in Week 1, even if the oddsmakers don’t necessarily think so.
Here are three reasons why the Eagles are going to dominate this weekend.
3 Reasons Eagles Will Blow Out Patriots
1. New England’s Offense Can’t Keep Up
While both teams are strong defensively, there is a massive disparity on offense, especially in the passing game.
Led by MVP candidate Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia boasts one of the most potent aerial attacks in the NFL. With A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles have no shortage of weapons and will be tough to slow down.
Philly’s formidable on the ground, too. Hurts is one of the best rushing QBs in the sport, plus he’ll have plenty of help from D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny.
Throw in their strong offensive line play, and Eagles should remain near the top of the league after ranking third in both yardage and points scored last year.
The Patriots, on the other hand, look like an average offensive team at best. Mac Jones seriously regressed in Year 2, and there’s no guarantee he’ll bounce back in Year 3, even with a new offensive coordinator in Bill O’Brien.
That’s because Jones still lacks the necessary playmakers to elevate his game. His best receiver is JuJu Smith-Schuster, who’s playing on a bum knee. New England failed to acquire DeAndre Hopkins and instead brought in Ezekiel Elliott, who’s been declining for years. The Patriots also have a rookie kicker who may leave points on the board with missed kicks.
New England ranked 17th in points and 26th in yards last year, and the offense hasn’t significantly improved. That will make it hard for the Pats to keep up with the high-flying Eagles, especially if they fall behind early and are forced to throw the ball.