Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Bold Predictions for the 2017 season
The Philadelphia Eagles will be the surprise team of the 2017 season. Carson Wentz will not hit the sophomore jinx but he will instead bust through the wall. The offense is too talented not to help him make that leap in his second year. The success of the season will fall on the shoulders of the defense. If the Defense can manage to bother Eli Manning, Dak Prescott, and Ezekiel Elliot, the Eagles may be looking at the NFC East crown.
Here are 3 Bold Predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles 2017 season.
Carson Wentz Will Pass For 4300+ Yards
This is the year that Wentz puts his mark on the NFL. Last season as a rookie was a bit of a learning curve for the young signal caller. While Wentz has proven that he has the arm and the smarts to be the Eagles future at QB, he was deprived of the necessary weapons needed to take that step. No more. Howie Roseman made sure of that this offseason and signed WR’s Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to pair with Jordan Matthews. Smith will not get the Eagles 1000 yards but he will provide a pair of steady hands across the middle as a possession receiver. With Smith doing much of the dirty work along with Zach Ertz it will open up the outside for speedsters like Matthews and Jeffery to burn one-on-one coverage. There will be a decrease of 5-yard dump-offs as Frank Reich will open up the playbook more now that Wentz has suitable weapons. Plus the ground game has improved.
The Eagles Will Lead The League In Rushing
Nevermind the workhorse in Dallas by the name of Ezekiel Elliott. He’s the lone wolf for the Cowboys as far as carries go. The same can be said for Adrian Peterson in New Orleans and Marshawn Lynch in Oakland. The Eagles will end the 2017-18 season as the NFL’s top rushing team. Last season they were well on their way until suspensions and injuries knocked the O-Line off their stride. Now healthy and ready to get back into the trenches, expect Lane Johnson and crew to pick up where a depleted unit left off. Not only is the Line back healthy but the addition of 1100+ yards rusher– LeGarrette Blount will make the Eagles that much dangerous. Regardless of what happens to Ryan Mathews, the Eagles are still in great shape with Daren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood to get more reps. Then you add in the explosiveness of the Eagles passing attack and the line of scrimmage will see more 7 man fronts than 8.
The Eagles Will Win The NFC East
I’ve said it before and I will go on record as saying it twice. The Philadelphia Eagles will finish the season undefeated in the division. It may sound like a streatch but name another team who has made more adjustments this offseason? The Redskins lost talent with the departures of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson. The Giants still have a stout defense and the addition of Brandon Marshall will make them better but they still have no ground game to fall back on. The Dallas Cowboys are the defending champs but can they contunue to ride the legs and luck of Elliott and Prescott for anther season? The division is there for the Eagles to run through with much improvements on both sides of the ball. The offense is filled with greatly skilled players and if the defense can stop the pass then 6-0 in the East is not as far off as most think.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
