Philadelphia Eagles versus Washington: 5 Keys to a victory in Week 1

5. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense needs to keep an eye on Washington’s running back.

Washington’s running back room looks much different from last year but could be a threat in week one. It sounds like all four of their runners will be used in different roles this year as well. Most fans forget that Bryce Love, who was Christian McCaffrey’s successor at Stanford, was once a Heisman candidate. That doesn’t always translate to the NFL but Love’s recent injury history has been the primary concern. If he stays on the field this year, he could potentially earn a role as the primary ball carrier.

Peyton Barber is likely to be the short-yardage back who moves the chains. He won’t put up crazy numbers but he will do his job. J.D. McKissic is going to catch out of the backfield and run out of the shotgun at times to catch defenses off guard and change pace from the other two running backs. Finally, there’s Antonio Gibson who is expected to line up at both running back and slot receiver. He’s a swiss army knife on the offense and could have a big rookie year.

While there is no dominant threat in that group on paper, they all bring something different to the table. Having to adjust to each of their styles whenever they switch on and off of the field will be difficult. The Birds need to keep an eye on which running back is in the game and know the scouting report on each of them. If Peyton Barber is in, they likely need to get extra linebackers on the field and stack the box. When Antonio Gibson comes onto the field, they need to be ready for both the run and pass.

Washington could try and utilize Gibson’s playmaking ability with gadget plays and screen passes so the Birds need to be on their toes for that. Terry McLaurin is probably not going to have a big day versus Darius Slay. Steven Sims is above average for an undrafted rookie but isn’t exactly going to dominant the game either and Dontrelle Inman hasn’t been much of a factor for the past few teams he’s been on. That leaves Gibson as one of the major weapons in the passing game. Don’t be surprised to see touch passes, reverses, and anything out of the ordinary, especially since the Eagles’ defense usually struggles against misdirection plays.