Falcons vs. Eagles: Where does each team hold an advantage?
After combining for eight total wins last year, the Falcons and Eagles will face off in Week 1 of the regular season this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both teams cleaned house over the offseason, but things don’t magically change overnight in the NFL.
Let’s take a look at two areas where the Falcons have an advantage, and two areas where they are at a disadvantage against Philadelphia in Sunday’s season opener.
Advantage | QB play
(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A lot of what makes a team successful is determined by the production and efficiency of the quarterback. Jalen Hurts may have more to offer with his ability to extend plays with his legs, but was near the bottom of the league (37th) in turnover-worthy plays. In comparison, Matt Ryan's turnover-worthy mark of 2.9 percent was 14th in the NFL. When looking at completion percentage, Hurts ranked last among all 42 quarterbacks who qualified, connecting on 52 percent of his passes. When accounting for dropped passes, his adjusted percentage is still last at 65.1 percent.
Disadvantage | Jalen Mayfield vs. Eagles defensive front
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The offensive line remains a lingering question mark for Atlanta entering the season and things only got worse when starting left guard Josh Andrews went down with a broken hand last week. Rookie Jalen Mayfield will be thrown out there and forced to line up against Javon Hargrave and possibly Fletcher Cox. Cox spent almost all defensive snaps on the left side of the defensive line, pitting him against the right guard. However, knowing that a rookie is in place on the left side, it is entirely possible the Eagles could switch Hargrave and Cox to exploit the Falcons up front.
Advantage | Pass catchers
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Even without Julio Jones, the Falcons have an array of viable options to throw to. Calvin Ridley, who will be shadowed by Darius Slay, is looking for his first season to truly cement himself as one of the NFL's elite receivers. Ridley will get his targets, no doubt, but when you have Russell Gage, Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst, and Cordarrelle Patterson coming out of the backfield, Atlanta's offense could be better and more efficient than recent seasons. The Eagles have talented rookie receiver DeVonta Smith and two really good tight ends, but they don't have that established No. 1 guy like the Falcons have.
Disadvantage | Falcons entire defense
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The Falcons defense is still bad. Dean Pees can certainly elevate the production with better preparation and scheme, but those things can only take you so far without quality players. Look no further than the pass rush. Dante Fowler is still hanging on to his double-digit sack season from 2019. With Steven Means starting, the pass rush could end up being too one-dimensional, it if not completely absent as its been in recent years. Atlanta is also looking to improve upon the league's worst passing defense from a year ago. How much they improve has yet to be seen, but Philadelphia is a good measuring stick for efficiency. If Jalen Hurts and his perimeter receivers are picking apart the Falcons' defense, then there is cause for concern.
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