Week 10′s Monday Night Football matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) and the Carolina Panthers (3-5-1) will have some big implications as each team will have an opportunity to sit atop their respective division with a win.
The Eagles are currently in first in the NFC East, and a win will maintain or even extend their division lead. The Panthers are currently in second in the NFC South behind the New Orleans Saints, but a win and a Saints loss this week would bump the Panthers up to the division’s top spot.
The big news and what people will have a close eye on in this game is how Eagles backup quarterback Mark Sanchez will fare as a starter. He will be replacing the injured Nick Foles, who broke his collarbone last week against the Houston Texans. Sanchez came in and relieved the injured Foles in Week 9 and fared well, leading the Eagles to their sixth win of the season.
He ended up with just over 200 yards and threw for two touchdowns in the win, and the Eagles will look for him to continue to play well as he’ll be filling in for Foles for at least the next 4-6 weeks.
On paper, the Eagles are heavily favored over the Panthers offensively. The absence of Foles may hinder Philly’s offense slightly, but they may not have to rely on a huge offensive performance given how much the Panthers’ offense has struggled recently. Quarterback Cam Newton has thrown for just 322 combined yards in his last two games and has an interception in each of his last five. The Panthers’ rushing game hasn’t helped them much either as they’re averaging less than 100 yards a game.
The Eagles have been able to move the ball very efficiently, averaging over 400 yards of offense and nearly 30 points a game. Their red-zone offense has been their Achilles’ heel, however. In red zone attempts this season, the Eagles have gotten into the end zone just 42 percent of the time, the second-worst in the NFL. Carolina isn’t much better, however, as they’ve been able to do so just 46 percent of the time.
Overall, this is a game that Philadelphia should win despite the absence of their starting quarterback. Sanchez, between the preseason and his very limited season play, has been very solid, and head coach Chip Kelly will be able to plug him into the offense without much drop-off.
Final prediction: Philadelphia 27, Carolina 17
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