Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins: 5 Things to Watch, Predictions

The Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins meet in an important primetime game in Week 7. Here are some things/predictions to watch.

PHILADELPHIA – As far as big games go, Sunday night’s matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins at Lincoln Financial Field is a huge one for both teams.

How will the Eagles respond to their first loss in a stunning defeat to the New York Jets?

Will the Dolphins finally prove they can beat a good team?

Here are five things/predictions to watch:

Receivers. Four of the best in the game will be on display under the bright lights of this national-televised game. Not only that, but a future Hall of Famer may be out there as well, and that, of course, is Julio Jones, who was signed to the Eagles’ practice squad earlier in the week.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better tandem than each team has in the Eagles’ A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and the Dolphins' Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Is there an edge here? Both teams have good running games, so that may cut into the receiving yards, but expect both tandems to each pick up more than 150 yards combined. Easy.

What a treat this will be, so enjoy the show.

DeVonta Smith (left) and A.J. Brown enjoying the blowout of the 49ers to reach Super Bowl LVII last year / USA Today

Jones and Johnson. The expectation is both the right tackle and receiver will play. Julio Jones will be on a pitch count and will likely get a dozen or so snaps. He isn’t the same receiver he was in the previous decade but he can help. Put him down for three catches for 20-plus yards. Be really daring and look for a red-zone touchdown, too.

As for Lane Johnson, his ankle did not prevent him from being a full participant in Friday’s practice, but how effective he will be or, if he can’t play every snap, is an unknown. Given Johnson’s high pain threshold, my expectation is he will play well and play the whole game.

Turnovers. Neither the Eagles nor Dolphins have had one since Week 3 and both teams are on the minus side of the ledger in the giveaway/takeaway category.

The Eagles, who were plus six after six games last year, are minus one, though they have recovered six fumbles, which was second-most behind the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had seven, heading into Week 7. The Dolphins are sitting at minus four.

Seems to me that whoever wins the turnover battle in this one will win the game.

Records. It may not mean much, since you can only play who you play each week, but it’s worth noting that the Eagles’ five wins have come against teams who are a combined 12-17. They have beaten one winning team – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – and a pair of 3-3 teams in the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams.

Their lone loss came to the 3-3 New York Jets and isn’t factored into this equation.

The Dolphins’ five wins have come against teams with a combined 5-24 record and include a win over the winless (0-6) Carolina Panthers, who held an early 14-0 lead before Miami steamrolled them, 42-12. The Dolphins have beaten three 1-5 teams and the only team they played with a winning record was the Buffalo Bills, who thumped Miami by four touchdowns.

That makes this a big test not only for the Eagles, who are looking to rebound after their first loss but also for the Dolphins, who'd probably like to prove they can beat a good team.

Haason Reddick. Nick Sirianni trusted the wrong players when he decided not to run the ball in the final two minutes and go for a first down that led to the Eagles losing the game on a terrible throw from Jalen Hurts on his third pick of the game against the Jets.

The Eagles coach should’ve trusted his defense against Zack Wilson., who would have had about a minute to play without any timeouts to go, perhaps 50-60 yards to get into field goal range. Specifically, he should have trusted his closer, Reddick.

The pass-rush star has had two straight games with multiple sacks. My bet is he will have his third in a row.

PREDICTION: Dolphins 31, Eagles 27