Tuesday, August 05, 2014

What to watch for in the Eagles first preseason game

This Friday, we'll get an answer to these burning questions:

1 -- How will Ifeanyi Momah perform?
Who's he? Momah was the #2 wideout for the Eagles in practice on Tuesday, after Jeremy Maclin rested his sore knee and Riley Cooper took the day off with a foot injury. The undrafted free agent probably won't be the long-term replacement for DeSean Jackson when the season starts, and Maclin expects to play on Friday. But, you never know with injuries...

2 -- Can Malclom Jenkins play both safety positions?
And maybe CB too? The Eagles ranked 32nd in the league against the pass last year, but Jenkins is the only new starter among the secondary. How much can he bring alone to fix the problem? Good news is they can't really do worse.

3 -- Will Matt Barkley win the #2 QB job over Mark Sanchez?
Follow up question: If either one has to start a game this season, will the Eagles score negative points?

4 -- Is Trent Cole still on this team?
The answer is yes, but isn't that surprising? Wasn't he drafted in the 1970s?

5 -- How will Chip Kelly shock the league this year?
Last season, the rookie coach had the fifth-highest scoring offense and the top rushing attack in all of football. This season? The defense needs fixing and the offense needs sustaining. And I'm sure he'll show all his cards in the first preseason game. That's when you want to show off the new razzle dazzle.

No comments: