The Eagles And Bucs Find Themselves Looking For Answers In Week 2
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS)- Entering Week 2 of the NFL season, the Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves as two teams looking for an offensive identity this Sunday when they meet at 1 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Are the Eagles as bad as they looked in their 18-12 season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons? Are the Bucs as good as the 48 points they hung on the New Orleans Saints, in New Orleans last Sunday in their 48-40 victory?
The lean here favors the Eagles.
Tampa Bay quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career day against the Saints defense. He torched them, completing 21 of 28 (75 pct.) for 417 yards, 4 TDs and 0 interceptions for a 156.3 rating and added a rushing TD. Fitzpatrick joined Mark Rypien (11/10/91) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 400-plus passing yards, 4 pass TDs, 0 INTs and a rushing TD in a single game.
Will Fitzpatrick, who passed for 283 yards and 2 TDs in his last game vs. Philadelphia on Sept. 27, 2015 as a New York Jet, a 24-17 Eagles' win, be able to that to an Eagles' defense that sacked Matt Ryan four times and pressured him into making poor throws in the season-opener? It's doubtful.
Right now, no team in the NFL appears ready to matchup with the Eagles' dominant offensive and defensive lines.
Nick Foles struggled against a fast Atlanta defense. Foles completed 19 of 34, for a paltry 117 yards, with one interception and without a touchdown pass, for a 50.7. Still, when the Eagles needed to score, they did, producing 15 second-half points.
The Eagles are 10-8 all-time vs. Tampa Bay (including playoffs), winning 3 of the last 4 games in the series. Philadelphia has produced a 4-3 record against the Buccaneers on the road (3-1 at Raymond James Stadium), winning each of the last 2 games in Tampa Bay (W, 31-20 on 10/13/13; W, 23-21 on 12/9/12)
Foles owns a 2-0 record against the Bucs as a starter (both games on the road), completing 65.9% (54-of-82) of his passes for 338.5 yards per game (677 yards), 5 TDs, 0 interceptions and a 111.7 passer rating.
If history holds true, maybe the Bucs are just what the Eagles—and Foles—need to cure their lagging offense and quite possibly get an answer as to how good the 2018 Eagles can be.
Fast Facts
LEADER: Eagles lead all-time series, 8-6
STREAKS: Eagles have won 3 of past 4
LAST GAME: 11/22/15: Eagles 17 at Buccaneers 45
LAST GAME AT SITE: 10/13/13: Eagles 31, Buccaneers 20
Eagles
PTS. FOR/AGAINST 18.0/12.0
OFFENSE 232.0
PASSING Nick Foles: 19-34-117-0-1-50.7
RUSHING Jay Ajayi: 15-62-4.1-2 (Tied 1st in NFL)
RECEIVING Nelson Agholor: 8-33-4.1-0
DEFENSE 299.0
SACKS Jordan Hicks, Chris Long: 1.5
Bucs
PTS. FOR/AGAINST 48.0 (Tied for 1st in NFL)/40.0
OFFENSE 529.0
PASSING Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21-28-417-4 (Tied 1st in NFL)-0-156.3 (1st in NFL)
RUSHING Peyton Barber: 19-69-3.6-0
RECEIVING Mike Evans: 7-147-21.0-1
DEFENSE 475.0
SACKS Vinny Curry: 1
