Philadelphia Eagles vs Indianapolis Colts: TV Schedule, Time, and Prediction
By Matt Reed
Philadelphia Eagles vs Indianapolis Colts
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium
When: 8:30 PM ET on September 15, 2014
Watch: ESPN
Betting Line: Colts -3, O/U 54
Although the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-17 in Week 1, the victory wasn’t as comfortable as the scoreboard may have suggested. Quarterback Nick Foles looked rusty, more so in the first half, but seemed to get the hang of things in the latter stages. I’m not worried about Foles and his future with the team, but the offensive line issues are certainly a concern.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, right tackle Lane Johnson is already out for the first four games, due to a PED suspension. To make matters worse though, Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis will miss an extended period of time with an MCL sprain. Philadelphia boasted one of the top offensive lines in 2013, and these two injuries have to be a concern for coach Chip Kelly.
Although the Jaguars do have a fairly underrated defense, the Eagles don’t face an exceptional defense until Week 4, when the team travels to San Francisco. Philadelphia will look to get off to a faster start this week against a below average Colts defense, which is missing star defensive lineman Robert Mathis.
The biggest worry for the Eagles is Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Indianapolis is clearly a passing team, especially given Trent Richardson’s woes. Luck threw the ball 53 times in Week 1’s loss at the hands of Denver, and the Eagles will need to get pressure on the third year quarterback in order to disrupt his rhythm.
Philadelphia’s defense was surprisingly good against Jacksonville, and will be key for the Eagles this season. Connor Barwin and DeMeco Ryans lead a talented linebacking corps. It’s the secondary though that is the pride of this defense. New signing Malcolm Jenkins made a big impact in the team’s Week 1 victory, along with safety Nate Allen and corner Cary Williams.
Prediction:
This is absolutely the best matchup of Week 2, and I don’t expect it to disappoint. These two teams look like they’ll put up a lot of points. I see this game being a shoot-out, so whichever team’s defense can get a few stops will likely get the victory. Philadelphia are ahead on the defensive side of things, and arguably have a better offensive unit as well. As long as Nick Foles makes smart decision, i.e. his 2013 season, then I think that this team will be fine. Give me the Philadelphia Eagles, in a toss-up game.
Eagles 31 – 28 Colts