The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t had things easy in 2021. Sure, they got to start their season against the hapless Atlanta Falcons, but since then they’ve had to face the:
- 2019 NFC champions (San Francisco 49ers)
- NFC East leaders (Dallas Cowboys)
- 2019 NFL champions and 2020 AFC champions (Kansas City Chiefs)
- and a rising team that was co-leader of the NFC South heading into Week 5 (Carolina Panthers)
That streak reaches its zenith in Week 6 when the defending Super Bowl champs make the trip north to the land of gas station sandwiches and other assorted jawns. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have pushed to a 4-1 start by beating overmatched opponents, squeaking past good ones, and suffering one understandable but potentially concerning loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Next up is a young quarterback capable of exploiting the weaknesses in the Tampa secondary. Jalen Hurts has pushed his passer rating from 77.6 to 93.3 this fall, proving he’s capable of being more than just a runner out of the pocket. Can he make another leap Thursday night to push Philly to 3-3 and put a dent in the Bucs’ title defense?