10 Philadelphia Eagles that must shine in Week 3 versus Cincinnati
. . . Brandon Graham, defensive end. 8. player. 54
The Philadelphia Eagles must control the line of scrimmage in Week 3.
NFL offenses score points and win games, but defenses have to do their part and generate stops. That hasn’t been the case with this Eagles team. The defensive line hasn’t generated enough pressure up front and they have given opposing quarterback plenty of time to throw the ball. It all starts at the line of scrimmage.
Just like Jalen Mills, defensive end Brandon Graham can’t be totally blamed for the defense’s miscues, but he could definitely play better. His leadership could give the rest of the front-four a boost in production. This season, he has registered three tackles and one of the team’s three sacks. ’55’ needs to be the playmaker he’s been in the past, especially if defensive tackle Fletcher Cox doesn’t suit up or is limited on Sunday.
54. . . . Javon Hargrave, defensive tackle. 7. player
How many of you were ecstatic about the prospect of Javon Hargrave playing next to Fletcher Cox when the former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle signed with the Eagles during the most recent ‘free agency frenzy’? That buzz only gained momentum when we heard that Malik Jackson was wreaking havoc in training camp.
We had to wait until Week 2 to see Hargrave make his debut after he suffered a pectoral injury during camp, but it would surely be worth it, or so we thought. Hargrave finally took the field in versus L.A. after missing the season opener but failed to shine. In fact, he was part of a run defense that allowed the Rams to post 191 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Eagles will surely want to see a return on their investment sooner than later.