Jets vs. Eagles: 5 Crucial Facts to Know About Philadelphia

Here's what Jets fans should know about the Philadelphia Eagles heading into Week 5.

The New York Jets (0-3) will return to action after a Week 4 bye to take on the host Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) on Sunday afternoon. As an out of conference opponent, not much might be known about the Eagles to the average Jets fan. 

The Jets have an 0-10 record in franchise history against the Eagles.

Despite being .500, Philly may pose quite the challenge for winless Gang Green. The Eagles carry plenty of momentum into this game after their dramatic win over the Green Bay Packers (3-1) in Week 4.

If Jets fans want to know what to expect this weekend, a better understanding of their upcoming opponent would go a long way.

With that in mind, here are five crucial facts about the Eagles leading up to the Week 5 showdown. 

1. Running on the Eagles is a fool's errand

Le’Veon Bell is one of the league’s most talented running backs, but as good as he is, relying on him to be Gang Green’s offensive catalyst Sunday may do them more harm than good. 

The Eagles have been straight-up dominant against the run and have contained opposing running backs in every contest they’ve played this year, allowing 62.0 yards rushing (No. 4 in the NFL) and 3.2 yards per rushing attempt (No. 3 in the NFL).

Establishing the ground game will be an incredibly tough task, but the Jets should see success if they utilize a pass-heavy game plan because...

2. Secondary has gone to the birds

The front seven of the Eagles has been incredible to start the year, but their defensive backfield has been suspect, to put it lightly. 

The Eagles have been absolutely shredded through the air this season, allowing a league-worst 323.8 yards passing per game this year. 

New York is still experiencing some level of uncertainty with their quarterback situation, but even if Sam Darnold is unable to suit up, Luke Falk could see plenty of success against such a porous secondary.

3. Pass rush lacks its usual bite

As stout as Philly’s front seven has been so far, getting pressure on the quarterback has surprisingly been a struggle. The Eagles have recorded a league-worst three sacks and have logged just 20 QB hits (T-No. 17 in the NFL) through the first four weeks of the season. 

New York’s offensive line has been shaky to start the year but, barring a sudden turnaround, the Eagles offer the perfect opportunity for the unit to build chemistry.

4. Offense is well-rounded

The Eagles rank in the middle of the pack when it comes to total offense (357.8 total yards per game, No. 16 in the NFL), but they’ve seen a lot of success due to their balanced offensive philosophy. 

The Eagles sit firmly in the league’s top-10 in several offensive categories, including rushing attempts per game (28.8, eighth) and passing attempts (37.5, eighth). As a result, the Eagles have been able to put up points with ease, averaging 27.5 points per game (No. 7 in the NFL). 

While balance has been key, however, most of Philly’s offensive success has to do with the fact that...

5. Almost unstoppable on third down

Maintaining possession is the key for an effective offense and the Eagles are quite literally the best in the business at keeping their attack unit on the field when faced with a possible three-and-out. 

Through four contests, Philly has converted a league-best 56.14 percent of its third-down conversion attempts this season. The Jets have been a little above average at forcing opponents to punt this year (5.0 third-down conversions allowed per game, No. 14 in the NFL), but they’ll really need to buckle down third down if they want to win on Sunday.