Ground & Pound may have suffered a serious hiccup.
The Eagles' new path to success - a battering ground game - may be without its featured back this week as Tom Brady and the Patriots come to the Linc for a Super Bowl rematch.
Jordan Howard is dealing with a bruised shoulder and may not be available. Things got so serious that the Birds Friday reached out and signed Jay Ajayi. He could team with Miles Sanders as the Eagles likely will continue to feature their running attack.
That's because their passing game is going nowhere fast. To make matters worse, Alshon Jeffery is out this week. Jordan Matthews is back, but that is not likely to scare anyone.
Carson Wentz and the Eagles likely will feature a big dose of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, with wheel routes to Sanders probably their best deep threat opportunity.
I don't like giving Patriots' nefarious boss Bill Belichick two weeks to prepare - the Pats are coming off an off week, too - along with a loss to the Ravens.
One thing Baltimore featured that might interest Doug Pederson and the Eagles. QB Lamar Jackson's ability to create plays might suggest Wentz try using his legs as well, though it remains a dicey proposition for the Eagles to expose him to injury.
On defense, the plan for the Eagles will be what every team tries to do against Brady. Put serious pressure on him early, try to get him out of his game, don't let him get into a rhythm.
I don't see it. Instead I see Brady methodically picking apart an Eagles' defense that has feasted against lousy teams, but struggled against the better teams on its schedule.
The Eagles' best bet in this game would be to feed Sanders and either Howard or Ajayi, and keep Brady and the Pats' offense on the sidelines. They should be able to move the ball against New England's defense, but as they have done all year, it will likely be in very small bites.
THE PICK: Make it Patriots 31, Eagles 17. Belichick and the Patriots coming off a loss - and a bye - does not bode well for the Eagles. It will take the Birds' best game of the season to handle the Pats, and right now they just don't have enough weapons.
LAST WEEK: Actually two weeks ago, courtesy of the Bye Week. Still, my pick of the Birds 23-16 over Da Bears holds up pretty well against the final score of 22-14. I'll take it. With the win both the Eagles are your fearless prognosticator stand at 5-4. The Eagles proclaimed themselves very much in the playoff race after beating the Bears. The truth is a loss to the Patriots won't change that. The most important game on the Eagles' schedule now is a late-season faceoff with Dallas at the Linc.
GAME BY GAME: Eagles 32, Redskins 27. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Redskins 13)
Falcons 24, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Falcons 29, Eagles 27)
Lions 27, Eagles 24: (My Pick: Eagles 26, Lions 23)
Eagles 34, Packers 27 (My Pick: Packers 33, Eagles 23)
Eagles 31, Jets 6 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Jets 13)
Vikings 38, Eagles 20 (My Pick: Vikings 27, Eagles 26)
Cowboys 37, Eagles 10 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Cowboys 23)
Eagles 31, Bills 13 (My Pick: Bills 23, Eagles 17)
Eagles 22, Bears 14 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Bears 16)
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