The Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints appear to be two teams heading in opposite directions after Week 2. Nevertheless, the Eagles will fly down south to visit the seemingly unstoppable Saints in Week 3.
While the Saints dominated the Dallas Cowboys last week, the Eagles handed the Atlanta Falcons a late-game victory. Now, on Sunday, the Eagles will attempt to pour some water on the scoring-hot Saints.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New Orleans Saints Game Preview
Philadelphia holds a three-game lead over New Orleans in all-time head-to-head matchups, with a 19-16 record. However, the Saints have won three of the last five matchups. That includes the clubs’ most recent matchup, as New Orleans defeated Philadelphia 20-14 in Week 17 without quarterback Jalen Hurts in the lineup.
Ironically, Hurts made his first career start for the Eagles against the Saints in 2020, leading Philadelphia to a 24-21 victory in his NFL starting debut. Now he’ll look to replicate that success against a significantly better New Orleans team on Sunday.
Here is my game prediction, five crucial stats, three players to watch, and more.
5 Crucial Stats for Eagles vs. Saints
Stat: The Eagles have yet to score a first-quarter point this season. The Carolina Panthers are the only other team that can claim that. Meanwhile, the Saints are the top first-quarter scoring team in the league (31 points in 30 minutes).
Analysis: After starting slow in each of the first two games, the Eagles won’t be able to afford to do so in New Orleans. The Saints are the best first-quarter team in the NFL and haven’t shown any signs of slowing down.
Stat: Five of Philadelphia’s past six games have been decided by a single score. The Eagles rank 30th in defensive EPA (expected points added) in such situations since the beginning of last season, ranking ahead of only Arizona and Washington.
Analysis: The Eagles haven’t made things easy on the team’s fan base since last season. Philadelphia has been in far too many close games, which they ultimately have struggled to close out. Even if the Eagles are able to keep things close against the Saints, there is no guarantee to victory in those scenarios.
Stat: The Saints’ traditionally stout run defense is back in form, allowing the second-fewest yards per rush (3.1). Philadelphia’s run defense has struggled, allowing the most yards per rush (6.4).
Analysis: While Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara are viewed as two of the top running backs in the NFL, they will each face drastically different challenges in Week 3.
Barkley will be tasked with trying to break free against one of the NFL’s best run defenses, while Kamara could have a field day against Philadelphia’s league-worst rushing defense.
Stat: No player with 50+ receptions has a higher average yards per reception than Saints WR Rashid Shaheed (17.0) since he joined the NFL in 2022.
Analysis: Shaheed has quietly developed into one of the NFL’s best deep threats. If New Orleans is able to establish the running game early, look for Derek Carr to connect with Shaheed on a few explosive plays down the field in Week 3.
Stat: According to TruMedia, the Saints have allowed just two sacks and nine total pressures in 2024. The Eagles have recorded the second-fewest sacks in the NFL this season (3).
Analysis: To say Philadelphia’s pass rush has struggled to start the regular season would be an understatement. Both Bryce Huff and Josh Sweat have failed to impress through Philadelphia’s first two games. Unfortunately, the Eagles’ struggles will likely continue as the Saints have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL thus far.
Players To Watch During Eagles vs. Saints
Britain Covey, WR, Eagles
While many expected Jahan Dotson to fill the void at wide receiver with A.J. Brown missing Week 2, it was actually Britain Covey who stepped up for Philadelphia. Covey hauled in all six of his targets for 23 yards, proving to be an efficient weapon for Hurts.
Although the Eagles would like Covey to do a bit more after the catch, it was interesting to see how involved he was against the Falcons. If Brown misses Sunday’s game against the Saints, Covey could again be in line for another surprisingly big workload.
Alontae Taylor, CB, Saints
Alontae Taylor is a major reason why the Saints are off to such a hot start in 2024. While New Orleans’ offense is rightfully receiving a ton of attention, Taylor is a key cog on the team’s defense.
Despite primarily playing slot cornerback, Taylor is tied for fourth in the NFL with three sacks. Considering Philadelphia’s issues against the blitz dating back to last season, it’ll be interesting to see how Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore handles Taylor in the slot.
Yeah, so the Saints' Ni, Alontae Taylor, had 3 sacks against the Panthers… 💥💥💥
— pic.twitter.com/Nf8nHcgtiN— Cody Alexander (@The_Coach_A) September 11, 2024
Zack Baun, LB, Eagles
Zack Baun spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Saints. But during his time in New Orleans, he never played more than 303 total snaps in a single season. Yet, after primarily playing on the edge for the Saints, Baun has made the move to inside linebacker for Philadelphia.
Baun is off to a feverish start at his new position, as he is tied for second in the NFL in total tackles (24). In his return to his former home, he surely wants to prove to the Saints that they misused him. It’ll be interesting to see how Baun matches up with Kamara and the team’s explosive offense.
Eagles vs. Saints Prediction
If Brown was playing in this game for the Eagles, it would be a bit easier to predict. However, given Philadelphia’s struggles in the two games that Brown has missed dating back to last season, it’s hard to pick them in Week 3.
The Saints look unstoppable on offense, having scored 40+ points in each of their first two games of the regular season (three if you count Week 18 of last season). Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s defense looks like it couldn’t stop a nosebleed right now.
Therefore, it seems like the Eagles are flying down south and heading straight into a buzzsaw. The Saints excel in all of the right areas to counter what the Eagles do best. I expect New Orleans to jump out to an early lead, ultimately leading to Philadelphia making mistakes in an effort to play catch-up.
Final Score Prediction: Saints 34, Eagles 27