5 Questions with Edward Kracz of Eagles Today

Edward Kracz of Eagles Today answers five questions regarding the Detroit Lions' season-opening contest with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Edward Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for Eagles Today. He answered five questions heading into the Eagles-Lions matchup at Ford Field Sunday afternoon.

1.) What is the Eagles' biggest strength?

Edward Kracz: Both offensive and defensive lines. This has been where the Eagles have typically spent the bulk of their salary-cap money.

On the offensive side, the left side of the line is mammoth-sized, with 6-foot-8, 380-pound Jordan Mailata and 6-foot-6, 335-pound Landon Dickerson at left guard. In the middle, veteran center Jason Kelce will start his 123rd straight game, with the well-seasoned Lane Johnson at right tackle and Isaac Seumalo at right guard. It may be the best unit in the league, and it's one that helped the Eagles lead the league in rushing last year.

On the defensive side, Fletcher Cox enters his 11th season with the Eagles, while Javon Hargrave will play his eighth season, three of those with the Eagles. Jordan Davis was the big add to this unit, after the Eagles traded up two spots to grab the 6-foot-6, 340-pound DT from the University of Georgia. The Eagles will use a five-man front occasionally, with what defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon calls his overhang players. This will consist of Haason Reddick, who has 23.5 sacks the past two years, veteran Brandon Graham, and Josh Sweat, who has double-digit sack ability

2.) How well constructed is the Eagles' 53-man roster?

Kracz: GM Howie Roseman made some solid offseason additions, particularly to the defense, which needed upgrading.

He bulked up the linebacker corps in free agency, adding Reddick and the Chargers’ leading tackler last year, Kyzir White. He also acquired Georgia LB Nakobe Dean. 

Roseman brought in CB James Bradberry, a salary-cap casualty of the Giants, who had four interceptions last year, to pair with Pro Bowler and former Lions DB Darius Slay.

On the last day of August, he traded for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who played primarily in the slot for the Saints, but is expected to get most of his work at safety.

On offense, WR A.J. Brown was the lone addition to an arsenal that includes tight end Dallas Goedert and former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.

3.) What are the one-two matchups you think are key this week?

Kracz: T.J. Hockenson vs. Kyzir White. The Eagles struggled to guard tight ends last year, and Hockenson was really the only Lions player who played well in last year’s 44-6 loss to Philadelphia.

Also, Aidan Hutchinson vs. whichever Eagles tackle he lines up against (LT Jordan Mailata or RT Lane Johnson). 

Lastly, the Lions’ offensive line vs. the Eagles’ pass rushers. Philly had only 29 sacks last year, next to last in the league, and the team's aim was to be better in that department. If the Eagles can’t get to Jared Goff with four or five, they are then better equipped personnel-wise to blitz.

Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

4.) The Eagles added safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the secondary. What does he add to the defense?

Kracz: The Lions are probably catching the Eagles at a good time when it comes to CGJ, who will likely have a limited set of plays after joining the team just 10 days before the two teams meet. Not only does he need a crash course on the system and terminology. But, he also hasn’t played much safety in his NFL career thus far, and it is going to likely take some time to learn. What you see of him on Sunday won’t likely be what he looks like later in the year.

5.) How do you see this Week 1 game playing out between the Lions and the Eagles?

Kracz: It’s an interesting matchup, in that the two teams had a vastly different approach on how they ran their training camps. Dan Campbell conducted a physical camp; Nick Sirianni took a more cautious approach, preferring not to do any tackling to the ground and barely playing any of his starters in the three preseason games. Sirianni's philosophy was that he wanted to keep his players healthy and fresh for the long grind ahead.

It will also be interesting to see how the Eagles manage the expectations that are being heaped on them about having the talent to make a Super Bowl run.

Bottom line: I expect a very close game with the Lions, which are out to prove they are better than last year.