Eagles Got Massive Advantage With All-Pro Slated to Miss Week 4

Sep 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after a first down run against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Sep 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after a first down run against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles appear poised to defend their 2025 Super Bowl title, retaining key pieces and bringing in solid depth. The team's road just grew a bit easier as well with the news that Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Tristan Wirfs is expected to begin the regular season on the PUP list.

Outside of losing Baker Mayfield, it is hard to imagine a worse scenario for the Bucs heading into a game against the league's most talented pass rush. Already, there were questions about how well Tampa could protect its quarterback.

Now the team will be without its star left tackle for the first weeks of the season. This includes a matchup against the Eagles that will now have Philly as even heavier favorites. While Tampa is a scrappy underdog team, the franchise simply doesn't have the pieces to beat Philly when it matters. If anything, the team losing Wirfs is a bit of a frustration for the Eagles, giving the Bucs a built-in excuse when the Eagles take care of business in Week 4.

Eagles Given a Clear Week 4 Advantage vs. Bucs

Wirfs getting late offseason surgery isn't ideal for Tampa and can cross the team off the list of possible early threats to the Eagles. Looking at the landscape of the NFC, it seems only the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams should be viewed as real threats heading into the season. While new teams always emerge, there isn't another obvious contender in the conference. The Eagles did struggle at times against the NFC South last season, dropping a game against the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Bucs early in the season.

However, this was when Philly was still figuring things out and needed time to get a new offense in place. It is hard to imagine the Bucs are going to have a chance of repeating this, even if Wirfs were fully healthy. Missing their left guard, it seems an impossible task that should hand Philly's pass rush an early-season win.

For Wirfs, it is a frustrating setback for one of the league's better tackles. Even with it offering the team a clear advantage, Philly fans hope for a speedy recovery and perhaps for Wirfs to avoid the PUP list, giving the Bucs zero excuses when the Eagles even the score early in the 2025 season.

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