Welcome to the Joe Milton III era with the Philadelphia Eagles (a sentence I never thought I'd be writing).
Milton is set to make his first NFL start in Week 9 against the New York Giants in his seventh regular season appearance. The Eagles named him the starting quarterback, replacing Tanner McKee, who started the last three games in place of the injured Jalen Hurts and went 0-3 in that span.
While Eagles fans have seen tape on Milton from his two-year NFL career with the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys, this is the first time he has played a major role for a team in a meaningful game. For the fan base to trust that Milton could be a future backup, three key things need to be shown.
What Eagles fans need to see from Joe Milton III in Week 9
Joe Milton III must show willingness to push the ball downfield
One thing this Eagles team has really struggled with since McKee took over as starting quarterback is that their explosive plays in the passing game have disappeared. It was rare to see McKee take any shots downfield, and the stats reflected that.
McKee's longest pass in the last three games was a 34-yard completion to rookie tight end Eli Stowers. That pass was more of a medium 15- to 20-yard completion, but Stowers did the rest himself to pick up extra yards.
Milton needs to show he can get the job done by throwing the ball downfield. He has a reputation, built in practice this week, for having a ton of velocity and being able to throw it longer than 60 yards. This Eagles offense could use more excitement, and it would be huge to see that from their new starter.
Joe Milton III must run the football more than he has in the past
He's a fast quarterback with a 4.62-second 40-yard dash and the mobility to make plays with his legs. He has rushed for 66 yards on 15 carries and scored a touchdown in his six-game NFL career.
This Eagles offensive line has allowed the third-most sacks in the league, with 21. Among the five running backs who have carried the ball for Philly, they average 3.4 yards per carry, while the team averages 3.8 yards per carry.
The Eagles have missed Jalen Hurts' ability to scramble out of the pocket or run RPO plays because McKee isn't fast enough and is more of a pocket passer. Milton can bring a whole new element to the offense that can open things up for his running backs and add creativity, something this unit has missed.
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Joe Milton III must protect the football at all costs
Overall, this Eagles team has been very bad this season, but turnovers have actually been a positive for this offense. They have turned the ball over only eight times, tied for the sixth-fewest in the NFL.
In 53 pass attempts, Milton has thrown two interceptions. He has also fumbled the ball twice in his six NFL games.
This might be a cause for concern for Milton, as turnovers are just going to be a part of the game, and Eagles fans might have to accept that as part of his performance. That can all be made up if he keeps turnovers to a minimum and can create the explosive plays this offense needs. If Milton turns the ball over at least two times in the game, Philly is not going to win this, so it is important that he eliminates the mistakes the best he can.
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