New Orleans QB Drew Brees celebrates after leading his team to victory last Sunday – and throwing his 400th career TD pass. (Getty)
Are we all slightly less worried about Drew Brees’ shoulder?
A week after rumors swirled that the New Orleans Saints quarterback was looking at a potentially season-ending injury, Brees led his team on a game-winning, overtime drive against the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. It was the first victory of season for the Saints, a much-needed return to form and a big-time boost of confidence.
“I guess I was aware of it, and just kind of made that part of my thought process. I knew we were going to go out there and win this game. Right when the play call came in out of Sean Payton’s mouth for C.J., I thought, ‘This was it. This one is going the distance,'” Brees said.
Now, New Orleans looks to ride that wave of confidence into a week five matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles a team that, once again, is floundering.
The Eagles offense continued to struggle last week, failing to put together two solid halves of football en route to a 23-20 loss to the Washington Redskins. It’s another step backwards for a Philadelphia team that can’t seem to find any rhythm, on either side of the ball.
Kickoff for the matchup is slated for 1 p.m. ET. Here’s everything you need to know about the game’s betting information, per OddsShark:
Game Info
It was a tale of two halves for Sam Bradford & the Philadelphia Eagles last week as the team struggled once again. (Getty)
Line: Philadelphia -5
Moneyline: Philadelphia -239, New Orleans +211
Over/Under: 48.5
What To Watch For
Philadelphia DeMarco Murray isn’t happy with the number of carries he’s getting as part of the Eagles offense this season. (Getty)
Things have to get better in Philadelphia. They have to get better fast. And it starts with making DeMarco Murray happy.
The reigning NFL rushing leader made waves on Sunday, commenting on the number of carries he’s getting. Suffice it to say, he’s not particularly pleased.
“Do I think I’m touching the ball [enough]?” Murray said. “No, I’m not. I don’t think I am. But it’s the plays that are being called. I love this offense. I love playing with these guys. It’s just how it is.”
Murray carried the ball just eight times for 36 yards in Philadelphia’s 23-20 loss to the Redskins last week. In the three games he’s played, Murray has carried the ball 29 times for 47 total yards. So, how do the Eagles fix this?
Well, some of it is, obviously, the play calling. Philadelphia simply isn’t giving Murray the ball. Another problem, and perhaps the biggest one, is the offensive line. The Eagles offensive line is bad and it’s having an impact on the entire team, not just Murray. Sam Bradford barely has any time to drop back and Philadelphia ranks 29th in the entire league in rushing with a measly 70 yards per game.
In other words, the Eagles need to find a way to utilize the weapons they’ve got.