Possible Super Bowl LIX Preview Sunday?
RANT SPORTS – If former WWE chief Vince McMahon ran the NFL (well that would be a story on its own), Sunday’s clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens would be the ultimate tag team match.
In one corner, the Eagles duo of quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley. In the other, the Ravens pair of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.
The 4:25 p.m. game on CBS is going to be must-watch TV.
“Both different players, different schemes, everything like that,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “But I think the thing that you can really focus on is Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are phenomenal football players that help their team win football games. And Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley are phenomenal football players that help their team win football games.”
Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley Bring Spotlight Back to Backs
It will be more than that foursome when the Eagles (9-2), winners of seven straight, take a bus ride down to Baltimore to face the Ravens (7-4). But those four are certainly the headliners.
Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,392 yards and is coming off a game in which he ran for 255 yards and two touchdown runs of 70 yards in a win over the Rams. Henry is second with 1,325 rushing yards and his league-leading 15 touchdown runs are three more than Barkley’s dozen.
“Obviously, both great football players. A lot of respect for Derrick Henry,” Sirianni said. “Big, strong, fast, hard to tackle. He is as advertised when you see him in person. And obviously we all see it, you guys all see it, the play speaks for itself.
“We’ll have to be good with our fundamentals. You’ve got to be in the right positions on defense, you’ve got to tackle well. You’ve got to get off blocks well, you’ve got to have relentless effort to the football which is everything we pride ourselves in defensive football and playing good football. He’s able to hit a home run and make you pay if everybody is not on the same page, if you’re not tackling well, if you’re not getting off blocks well, if you’re not hustling to the football.”
Eagles Ravens: Mirror Image Offenses
Sounds a lot like the back Sirianni gets to watch every day in practice.
“It reminds you of Saquon because it’s similar,’’ Sirianni said. “With Saquon, if the team doesn’t tackle well or get-off blocks well or is not hustling to the football or is not all on the same page, he can hit a home run. It’s similar for both guys.”
Then there is Jackson, who leads the league with 3,053 passing yards to go with 27 touchdown passes to just three interceptions for a league-leading QB rating of 117.8. Hurts trails in yardage, but his 69.3 completion percentage and 102.3 rating are both top five.
“Their whole offense is dynamite,” Sirianni said. “They run it great. They throw it great. They’ve got good receivers. They’ve got the best group of receivers there that they’ve had in a really long time. Two really good tight ends. Their line is blocking good. It’s no accident they have the No. 1 offense in the league.”
Eagles’ D the Difference?
The Eagles have the No. 1 raked defense, so that’s another matchup to watch. Coordinator Vic Fangio will have his unit ready for the challenge.
“They play pass it effectively. They drop back effectively. You’ve got the Lamar Jackson gun-run game to defend. Obviously, [Ravens RB Derrick] Henry. They’ve got a lot of weapons and a lot of ways they can hurt you,’’ Fangio said.
“They don’t get in the (shot)gun all the time when Henry is in there. They’re under center probably more than they were last year. But Henry has done well out of the gun, too, running the ball. Everybody thought he was descending. They were wrong.”
Washington based CEO & Founder of LJC. Media covering politics, sports, & entertainment A seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director, and podcast host. Digital Director and Washington Bureau Chief at News Talk Florida & The Daily Cable
