Eagles Need 'Multiple Ways to Win' vs. Bucs Amid Passing Game Struggles

The Philadelphia Eagles are 29th in passing offense entering Week 3. That needs to change against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

PHILADELPHIA - Through the first two weeks of the NFL season, the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles are where they’re supposed to be at 2-0 but the path to get there has revealed some warts in the passing game early on.

The Eagles will arrive in Tampa to face the 2-0 Buccaneers with the 29th-ranked passing offense over a small sample size. No one is panicking because the talent assembled in Philadelphia still includes star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, a top-tier tight end in Dallas Goedert, who has yet to get on track in 2023, and the runner-up to MVP piloting things with Jalen Hurts.

The issues can be tied to the curve balls and unscouted looks of two brilliant defensive minds – Bill Belichick and Brian Flores – threw at the Eagles’ offense over the first two weeks.

The idea from both was umbrella coverage with eyes on Hurts to limit the quarterback run game and the unscheduled offense Hurts typically provides that can be backbreaking for opponents.

The good news is that the Eagles persevered and found ways to win against really good game plans.

First-time play-caller Brian Johnson has already started to take heat in some circles because the expectations are so high but those in the NovaCare Complex have been thrilled with Johnson’s ability to adapt and the discipline he showed to take what Flores was willing to allow.

The thought from the Vikings DC was to limit Brown (successful), Smith (somewhat unsuccessful with two explosive plays including a long touchdown), Goedert (successful,) and force D’Andre Swift to beat Minnesota on the ground.

The result was a career-high 175-yard rushing performance from Swift thanks to all-you-can-eat pancakes from the best offensive line in football and a 258 to 29 disparity on the ground between the two teams.

“It's not about me, it's about us,” Hurts said when asked about how the Eagles have been winning. “If they are doing something there for me, we'll go get 250 rushing yards. 

"There are multiple ways to win.”

On paper, Philadelphia might have to fire up Waze and take a different against the Bucs, who are traditionally a very tough team to run on thanks to Vita Vea in the middle and two sideline-to-sideline linebackers in Devin White and Lavonte David.

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Conversely, the Bucs' cornerbacks feature a banged-up Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean, who has struggled early.

The potential problem there is that no defensive mind has handled Hurts better to date than Tampa head coach Todd Bowles.

In 2021 Bowles, then the DC for Bruce Arians, got two cracks at Hurts, one in the regular season and one in the playoffs and the results were similar with dismal passer ratings of 55.8 and 60.0, the latter somewhat bolstered by some garbage time production after the Bucs built up a 31-0 lead through three quarters.

There is plenty of context to that, starting with the fact that Tampa was the Super Bowl contender back then with Tom Brady, Hurts was a first-year starter still evolving and had no Brown on his offense, and the Eagles quarterback was dealing with an ankle injury that ultimately needed surgery.

This time the Eagles are the contenders and the Bucs are trying to rebuild with Baker Mayfield.

Bowles’ plan will likely stay the same in that he tried to pen in Hurts as much as possible with his athletic linebackers and flush him left at all times, a one-time weakness that Hurts has tirelessly worked on.

Complicating matters further is that the Eagles will be without WR3 Quez Watkins due to a hamstring injury and will turn toward Olamide Zaccheaus. That’s trading speed for a little more craftiness as an inside route runner.

“Obviously Quez brings a type of speed that not a lot of people have,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I like what OZ brings to our offense. He brings a toughness. We trust him. He's a savvy route runner. He's got great football instincts.”

Ultimately the goal remains the same, however, and that’s 3-0 by hook or by crook.

"You have 1A and 1B. 1A is winning. 1B is playing to the standard,” Hurts said. “Now you can win but not play to the standard, and you're still unfulfilled. You can play to the standard, and not win, and you're still unfulfilled.

“So what matters?"

In Philadelphia, winning and playing to the standard.