Final
Coverage: FOX
1:00 PM ET, October 28, 2012
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Top Performers
Passing: M. Ryan (ATL) - 262 YDS, 3 TD
Rushing: J. Rodgers (ATL) - 8 CAR, 60 YDS
Receiving: J. Jones (ATL) - 5 REC, 123 YDS, 1 TD
The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping their bye week served as the antidote to a multitude of problems.
The Atlanta Falcons also hoped to shore up a few issues during their off-week, but as the league's only unbeaten, their problems don't appear as glaring.
The struggling Eagles try to get their season back on track Sunday, but it likely won't be easy as they host the Falcons.
Under Andy Reid, Philadelphia is 13-0 in games immediately following a bye week, the longest such streak since the bye was introduced in 1990. But few of those idle weeks were as tumultuous as this one.
Reid fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo on Oct. 16, two days after the Eagles (3-3) squandered a 10-point lead in the final 3:32 of a 26-23 overtime loss to Detroit. That came a week after a last-second loss to Pittsburgh.
Secondary coach Todd Bowles has since been promoted to Castillo's old post. He will try to improve a defense that has forced just two turnovers while going 1/3 in the last four games and has seven total sacks, tied for the league's second-fewest.
"He relates to us well and we all like him as a coach, and off the field he is a great guy," Eagles safety Nate Allen said of Bowles, who played safety for seven NFL seasons. "He's smart so it's going to be a good thing. He talks to us like men. He's not real up in your face. He's not a loud guy. He expects you to know what you have to do as a man and as a professional."
The Eagles have the unenviable task of containing quarterback Matt Ryan, who is fourth in the NFL with a 98.8 QB rating and ranks sixth in passing with an average of 292.7 yards.
Philadelphia is fully aware of Ryan abilities. He tied a career high with four touchdown passes in a 35-31 victory over the Eagles last year, Atlanta's only win in the last five meetings.
Ryan, though, wasn't particularly sharp in the Falcons' last game, throwing three interceptions -- doubling his season total -- in a 23-30 home win over Oakland on Oct. 14. The run game also struggled mightily, as Michael Turner finished with 33 yards on 11 carries.
Matt Bryant ended up connecting on a 55-yard field goal with one second remaining to help the Falcons (6-0) extended the best start in franchise history. Still, Mike Smith sees room for improvement.
"We've got to be consistent in everything we do," Smith said. "We haven't run the ball consistently, and we're not stopping the run. Those two things stand out the most."
Smith, who is tied with Dan Reeves for the franchise's most wins with 49, doesn't anticipate Bowles implementing any drastic changes.
"Most of it is about us. We've got to go out, and we have to execute," Smith told the team's official website. "We've got to be prepared for some unscouted looks, and I don't think there will be a mass change in what they do philosophically because they've invested so much time into the scheme that they're running."
Michael Vick didn't have the most pleasant of returns to Atlanta in last year's meeting, as a concussion knocked him out of the game in the third quarter.
The four-time Pro Bowler is off to a sluggish start to this season with eight touchdowns, eight interceptions and five fumbles, and Reid could make a switch to rookie backup Nick Foles if Vick continues giving the ball away.
"Just protect the ball," Vick said. "It's not hard. It's not a science to it; just protect the football at all times. Despite the circumstances, I still sit back there and try to make the plays that I know I can make and that's just me and my confidence in myself and confidence in the guys."
The turnover-prone Vick will have to be especially careful against a Falcons defense that ranks fourth in the NFL with 17 takeaways. Cornerback Asante Samuel, traded from Philadelphia in the offseason, has one of Atlanta's 10 interceptions.
Vick isn't entirely to blame, though, as an injury-depleted offensive line has struggled mightily.
The banged-up line has also made things tough on LeSean McCoy, who has totaled 75 yards on 30 carries in the last two games. He had 95 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Falcons last season, and Atlanta has been susceptible against the run this year, allowing an average of 143.8 yards per game.
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Scouting Report
Falcons-Eagles: What to watch
After watching film of both teams, Scouts Inc. breaks down key elements of the Week 8 Falcons-Eagles matchup.
• Falcons will focus on McCoy: Few teams depend on a single player (other than a quarterback) more than the Eagles depend on running back LeSean McCoy. Not only is he pretty much their only threat on the ground, but he is tied for second on the team in catches. He's a receiving threat coming out of the backfield and on downfield routes. If the Falcons can limit McCoy's production and force Philly to win this game on the arm of Michael Vick, they feel like their odds are good.
Recent Blog Posts
Matchup
ATL | PHI | |
---|---|---|
W-L | 7-0 | 3-4 |
Avg Points | 28.7 | 17.1 |
Avg Points Allowed | 18.6 | 22.1 |
Home Record | 3-0 | 2-2 |
Road Record | 4-0 | 1-2 |
Division Record | 1-0 | 1-0 |
Conference Record | 3-0 | 1-3 |
Complete Standings |
Passing Leaders
Atlanta | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
---|---|---|---|---|
D. Ridder | 65.2 | 1908 | 7 | 8 |
T. Heinicke | 55.4 | 498 | 3 | 1 |
Philadelphia | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
J. Hurts | 67.6 | 2697 | 18 | 10 |
Rushing Leaders
Atlanta | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
B. Robinson | 141 | 703 | 5.0 | 3 | |
T. Allgeier | 135 | 466 | 3.5 | 3 | |
Philadelphia | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
D. Swift | 161 | 770 | 4.8 | 4 | |
J. Hurts | 114 | 410 | 3.6 | 11 |
Team Averages & NFL Ranks
TEAM OFFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
---|---|---|
Total Yards | ATL | |
PHI | ||
Yards Passing | ATL | |
PHI | ||
Yards Rushing | ATL | |
PHI | ||
TEAM DEFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
Yards Allowed | ATL | |
PHI | ||
Pass Yds Allowed | ATL | |
PHI | ||
Rush Yds Allowed | ATL | |
PHI |
Head to Head Matchups (Since 2001)
Philadelphia leads 7-3 | |
---|---|
Sep 18, 2011 | ATL 35, PHI 31 |
Oct 17, 2010 | ATL 17, @PHI 31 |
Dec 6, 2009 | ATL 7, PHI 34 |
Oct 26, 2008 | ATL 14, @PHI 27 |
Dec 31, 2006 | ATL 17, @PHI 24 |
Sep 12, 2005 | ATL 14, PHI 10 |
Jan 23, 2005 | ATL 10, @PHI 27 |
Nov 2, 2003 | ATL 16, PHI 23 |
Jan 11, 2003 | ATL 6, @PHI 20 |
Research Notes
Opponents have completed a league-low 31.0 percent of throws 15 yards or more downfield against the Eagles this season. However, the Eagles have allowed more completions in the fourth quarter on such throws than the first three quarters combined. [+]Eagles Defense on Throws 15+ Yards Downfield - This Season
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Opponents have done a better job containing Michael Vick this season, keeping him inside the pocket for 90 percent of his pass attempts (83.6 percent from 2010-11). When Vick has broken the pocket the season, he has more clear throw aways (9) than completions (7). Vick threw it away on eight attempts outside of the pocket each of the previous two seasons. [+]Michael Vick Passing Outside the Pocket - Last 3 Seasons
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ESPN Stats & Information |