The Philadelphia Eagles will take their talents to California this weekend for their Monday Night Football showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers. With both teams owning 8-4 records, the pressure will be on Philadelphia to be the side that comes out on top, as the last thing the defending champions need is to give any hope to the Dallas Cowboys that they can still win the NFC East.
The Chargers will be missing some pieces from one of the strongest offensive lines in the NFL, but they are still a formidable bunch that Philadelphia's defensive front will have to contend with. On top of that, Los Angeles will be welcoming back its first-round draft pick and top RB option in Omarion Hampton for his first game since fracturing his ankle in Week 5, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Omarion Hampton to Return For Week 14 Matchup Against Eagles
Jim Harbaugh loves to run the football. This was the case during his time with the Michigan Wolverines and has continued since he took the job with the Chargers. The Eagles should have expected a healthy dose of the running game regardless of Hampton's status, as they are more prone to leaning on the rushing game at home than on the road, but Schefter's report only makes that task more difficult.
Given the fact that Philadelphia let the Chicago Bears run all over their defense in the Eagles' Black Friday loss at Lincoln Financial Field, Hampton's return, coupled with Harbaugh's dedication to the run, should be more than enough to raise concerns among fans in the City of Brotherly Love. There is no doubt that Los Angeles will test this defensive front early and often, especially with starting QB Justin Herbert working through a broken bone in his non-throwing hand.
With Jalen Carter doubtful to play in Week 14 after undergoing surgical procedures on both of his shoulders earlier in the week, little-used rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson is in line for a significant jump in playing time. Conventional thinking would lead one to believe that Robinson will be a primary target in the rushing game to see just how prepared he is to limit what Hampton and Kamari Vidal can produce on the ground.
Fortunately, Robinson's teammates believe that he will be more than up to the challenge based on the work he has put in during practice against Philadelphia's offensive front. While the rookie may be holding his own in practice situations, live game action is a different animal. We'll find out soon enough just how well prepared Robinson and the rest of this defense are for what should be a healthy dose of runs from this Chargers offense.