October 26, 2024
Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
How will Saquon Barkley follow up his major performance from Week 7 against the Giants?
The Eagles and Bengals meet in Cincinnati, with each looking to make it three straight coming off back-to-back wins (both against the Browns and Giants).
Will Saquon Barkley follow up his massive performance against the Giants last week and keep running straight through the Bengals' defense?
Or will Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase give the Eagles' secondary fits through the air?
Here's how we're feeling about the Week 8 matchup...
TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn)
RADIO: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick)
| Sportsbook | Spread | Money Line | Total O/U |
| DraftKings | CIN -2.5 | PHI +124 CIN -148 | 47.5 |
| FanDuel | CIN -2.5 | PHI +128 CIN -152 | 47.5 |
| BetRivers | CIN -2.5 | PHI +120 CIN -148 | 47.5 |
| BetMGM | CIN -2.5 | PHI +130 CIN -155 | 47.5 |
| Bally's | CIN -2.5 | PHI +120 CIN -148 | 47.5 |
Over the last two decades, the Eagles have had some really ugly games against the Bengals.
• 2008, 13-13 tie: This was the game that revealed that Donovan McNabb didn't know that games could end in a tie.
• 2012, 34-13 Bengals: On the Eagles' opening possession, Jeremy Maclin fumbled, leading to a Bengals TD. On their second possession, the Eagles went three-and-out, and boos rained down. While lined up for the ensuing punt, backup TE Clay Harbor ran out onto the field late, which drew more boos, and then the punt was blocked, lol, at which point they were booed worse than I've ever heard. The Eagles would get blown out, fall to 4-10, and Andy Reid would be fired at the end of the season.
• 2016, 32-14 Bengals: During Doug Pederson's first season as the head coach, the Eagles were down 29-0 at one point late in the third quarter against the Bengals. But worse than the score was the effort (or lack thereof) on several occasions throughout the game, most notably by Zach Ertz, who jumped out of the way of linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who was trying to track down Carson Wentz.
That was an inconsequential play during that game, but people noticed it, and Pederson was peppered by questions about the team's effort the following day in his press conference. Pederson would admit that "not everybody" played hard.
• 2020, 23-23 tie: Pederson punted with 19 seconds left in regulation from the Bengals’ 46. The more detailed circumstances of that moment can be found in our "10 awards" post from that day four years ago, if you're interested. But strategies aside, that game kinda marked a change in the fun Doug Eagles that took risks vs. the "punt from the Bengals' 46 in a tie game with 19 seconds left in regulation" not fun at all Doug Eagles. Pederson was fired at the end of the season.
So brace for the worst, I suppose.
Interestingly, the Eagles' and Bengals' last two opponents were both against the Giants and Browns, and they both came away from those games with two wins apiece. But, the Eagles looked significantly better, in my opinion.
The Bengals were outgained in those two games collectively by 118 yards. The Eagles outgained those 2 teams by 348 yards. So by that logic, I guess I'll take the Eagles.
MORE: Jimmy's Week 8 picks
I really felt like being "that guy" and making a contrarian pick here, with the rest of my colleagues taking the Eagles below. But Philly is finding its groove defensively and I really do think the defensive line could be onto something. Jimmy Kempski outlines the beat up Cincinnati offensive line in his preview this week, and that paired with the Bengals potentially being without Tee Higgins makes me think that Philly's offense might have just a bit more firepower to outscore Cincy. .
On days like last Sunday, the Eagles have the best running back and wide receiver in the NFL. Not just the best combination, the best player at each position outright. I’ve been down on the Birds in 2024, but Jalen Hurts playing turnover-free football and allowing Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown to just be the superstars that they are is an obvious recipe for winning football.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Eagles’ pass rush is heating up just as they face an offensive front susceptible to giving up sacks. Much has been made about Hurts’ propensity for taking bad sacks this season, but Joe Burrow has been sacked just as many times (18) this year as Hurts has.
I’ll say the Barkley-Brown tandem combine for 225-plus yards of total offense while the Eagles’ D comes up clutch with a late sack to pull off back-to-back road wins.
MORE: Eagles-Bengals injury report
If the Eagles keep feeding the ball to Saquon Barkley and the pass rush continues its recent tear and gets to Joe Burrow, I think they're going to be fine here.
Ja'Marr Chase is probably going to get his plays, but if the Eagles can force just one turnover in the secondary (maybe, finally a Quinyon Mitchell) pick, that'll be enough.
I don't think this will be as definitive as last week's Giants win, but I do think the Eagles are on to something now and will make it three in a row in Cincy.
MORE: The Eagles' pass rush has come alive since the bye
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