The Philadelphia Eagles will try to get to 3-0 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football, with kickoff scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EST.
The Eagles lost CB Avonte Maddox to a likely season-ending injury during their Week 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings, though they should benefit from the returns of CB James Bradberry and S Reed Blankenship for Week 3 against the Bucs. Tampa Bay will be without a few starters of their own, and three of their most important defenders — CB Carlton Davis, DT Vita Vea, LB Devin White — are all listed as "questionable." You can find the full Eagles-Buccaneers injury report here.
As we noted in our five matchups to watch, the Eagles will have to figure out a way to slow down the Bucs' potent WR duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. On the other side of the ball, Jalen Hurts will be challenged to match wits against Todd Bowles after facing Bill Belichick and Brian Flores the first two weeks of the season.
The betting line has jumped around a bit leading up to this matchup. It opened at Eagles (-6.5), went down to Eagles (-4.5), and seems to have settled in at Eagles (-5). Here are our staff writer picks as well as who some others around the country are picking. For the gambling enthusiasts, you can find my Week 3 picks here.
Feel free to discuss the game in the comments section below, while our Nick Tricome keeps the thread updated as the game progresses.
LIVE UPDATES...
10:15 p.m. – A textbook clock-killing drive (of a whole 9:22) takes the Eagles to the end down in Tampa and up to 3-0 on the season. A 25-11 final.
• Shamus Clancy's final Eagles-Bucs observations HERE.
• Evan Macy's Eagles-Bucs future headlines HERE.
9:48 p.m. – Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were going to get theirs eventually. Baker Mayfield hits Evans for the touchdown, Godwin for the 2-point conversion. The Bucs' offense finally puts something together, but the Eagles still lead 25-11 with 9:22 left.
9:38 p.m. – After getting the ball back from the safety, Hurts and the Eagles move it 55 yards downfield but stall out shy of the end zone again. Elliott hits the chip shot from 26 yards out to still tack on three. Eagles lead 25-3 early into the fourth.
9:28 p.m. – But with Tampa pinned at their own 1, the Eagles' D-line jumps all over them. Rachaad White gets taken down in the end zone by Nick Morrow and Jordan Davis. Safety. 22-3 Eagles.
9:27 p.m. – Hurts' throw to DeVonta Smith at the goal line gets picked. It really hasn't been his night tonight.
9:22 p.m. – D'Andre Swift breaks for another long run, this time 29 yards, with help from another huge hole opened up by the O-line. Landon Dickerson does get shaken up on the play though.
Swift crosses the 100-yard rushing mark for the second straight game. He's up to 119 on 13 carries so far.
9:17 p.m. – The Eagles' pass rush is getting to Baker Mayfield. The latest example: Nolan Smith just leveling Mayfield on third down as he tried to launch it downfield.
9:11 p.m. – Update on the Bucs' defensive backfield:
And on Sydney Brown, who exited earlier:
9:07 p.m. – "Tush Push" mostly never fails. Hurts and the Eagles don't get it on 3rd and goal, but they do on 4th. Touchdown and a 20-3 lead for the Birds in the third.
9:03 p.m. – Then of course, a huge 26-yard run from D'Andre Swift up the middle will wake everyone up. First down Eagles to the Tampa 16 (and look at that crater he had to run through):
9:01 p.m. – With the second half underway, and the Eagles with the ball to start it, the offense still isn't fully in sync, but finding ways to keep the drive going.
8:49 p.m. – Hurts is apparently playing with flu symptoms, per Adam Schefter on the halftime show.
8:43 p.m. – Hurts and the offense's final push before the half gets stopped short again with time expiring. Jake Elliott hits the 38-yarder to put the Eagles up 13-3 heading into the intermission. Philly will get the ball back to open the second half.
Check out Shamus Clancy's first-half observations HERE.
8:35 p.m. – Fletcher Cox and Jalen Carter break through the line and sack Baker Mayfield right away, then Carter rocks Rachaad White on the very next play to force a fumble with James Bradberry recovering to get the Eagles one more shot before the half.
8:32 p.m. – Miscommunication on a route and a pass intended for D'Andre Swift leaves Jalen Hurts dumping the ball directly into Bucs LB Devin White's arms with 39 seconds left in the half.
8:28 p.m. – "Tush Push." Never fails.
8:23 p.m. – The rain begins to fall and Reed Blankenship cuts off a Baker Mayfield pass over the middle for his first interception of the season. The Eagles' offense gets the ball back with just over two minutes left in the first half.
8:18 p.m. – On 3rd and 10 from the Tampa 34, Jalen Hurts waits in the pocket until the last possible second then threads one over top to Olamide Zaccheaus, who walks right into the end zone. Eagles take a 10-3 lead.
8:06 p.m. – With the Bucs pressing in the red zone, pressure on Baker Mayfield in the pocket forces him to throw toward the end zone but out of bounds to Chris Godwin, then, facing third down, Mayfield looked for Mike Evans at the goal line, but Sydney Brown makes a huge play to break up the pass. Tampa only gets a field goal. Game is tied 3-3 with 8:33 left in the half.
7:56 p.m. – After a break to mark the end of the first quarter, another Eagles drive goes nowhere, and they're forced to punt from their own 46. Braden Mann kicks it 38 yards down to the Tampa 16, where the ball gets spotted on the fair catch.
7:49 p.m. – The Eagles' defense forces a three-and-out, then Britain Covey makes the risky move to play the punt return on the bounce. With tacklers incoming, he still managers to cut and weave his way back to the Eagles' own 19.
7:43 p.m. – The Eagles' offense gets stopped short in the red zone again. This time they just go for the field goal. Jake Elliott hits the 36-yarder. Eagles go up 3-0 with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.
7:41 p.m. – Justin Evans has a neck injury and is questionable to return.
7:37 p.m. – D'Andre Swift continually proves himself as the feature back. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa 26, he takes off for 13 yards in the open field with help from a massive hole opened up by Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson on the right side of the line.
Injury timeout for Bucs CB Jamel Dean after the play when Tampa is already missing their other starter Carlton Davis.
7:34 p.m. – After forcing the Bucs to punt again, Britain Covey pulls off a massive 52-yard return starting from behind the five that takes the Eagles well into Tampa territory.
7:28 p.m. – Justin Evans is in the medical tent. Terrell Edmunds checks in for him at safety. Sydney Brown at slot corner while James Bradberry moves back outside.
7:27 p.m. – In the red zone, but facing 3rd and 1, Hurts tries to force it to Olamide Zaccheaus in the right corner of the end zone, but Tampa CB Zyon McCollum breaks the play up. The Eagles elect to go for it on 4th and 1 to play for seven instead of three, but a Kenny Gainwell run gets stuffed at the line. Turnover on downs. Bucs take back over at their own 14.
7:25 p.m. – On 2nd and short, Jalen Hurts hits A.J. Brown on the outside for a big 28-yard gain, then finds him again on the next play over the middle for 16 more. The two are getting things moving early.
7:22 p.m. – The Eagles' defense keeps the duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in check for the first drive to force a punt. Jalen Hurts and co. take over at their own 25.
7:15 p.m. – We're underway down in Tampa. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs get the ball first.
Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader