Who Picked The Eagles: Week 14
Photo by Jeff Fusco
When LeSean McCoy returns to town on Sunday, the Eagles will be looking to carry momentum over from their monumental win over the Patriots last week. Will it last? Or will McCoy have the last laugh? Predictions, from local and national writers, await.
Birds 24/7 Predictions
I’m not convinced that the winning ways will last. I still have my suspicions about the health of the locker room, the quality of the offensive front, the weapons surrounding Sam Bradford (who I agree is improving) and the coaching on both sides of the ball.
I simply haven’t seen enough consistency to pick the Birds. Billy Davis baffles me because, in my mind, his two best game plans of the season were for Eli Manning and Tom Brady. But where was that for Jameis Winston?
National Writer Predictions
NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison thinks Buffalo’s ground game proves to be too much for the Birds in a 30-28 Bills win.
Tyrod Taylor and the Buffalo Bills make it happen this week in Philly. Both teams are desperate to stay in the playoff race. … Buffalo is chilling out with the ” in the hunt” teams, one game back of the Jets (though the Bills have the head-to-head edge). Chip Kelly‘s outfit finds itself in a three-way tie in the worst division in the history of pro football after delivering the upset in Foxborough.
If the Eagles’ defense and special teams performs the way they did in that game, putting multiple touchdowns on the board, the Bills won’t have the aerial attack to stay in the game. And the only complaint will be from DeMarco Murray about his 10 carries (though we think that story is mostly bunk).
On that note, expect Ryan Mathews‘ touch total to be right in line with Murray’s, as Mathews returns to the lineup against a Buffalo front that has underperformed. The real RB star here will be LeSean McCoy, who is better than anyone Kelly employed this season and should surpass the 100-yard mark. He simply needs to avoid pressing, while Taylor capitalizes off play action.
FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager is still underwhelmed by the NFC East. But he thinks the Eagles win, 22-19, to move closer to the postseason.
This one’s got so much riding on it for both teams, but maybe no one person has more at stake than LeSean McCoy.
An All-Pro running back jettisoned by Chip Kelly last March, McCoy’s had a fine season in Buffalo this year, fighting injuries and a banged up offensive line. “I don’t have no issue with him,” McCoy said of Kelly via The Philadelphia Inquirer in a story published Tuesday. “There’s no problem. I don’t hate him. It’s nothing like that.” McCoy later added, “We ain’t like best friends or that, but we’re no enemies.”
Chip Kelly’s got some beef to resolve with his current running back, DeMarco Murray, now, too. For as bad as things seemed in Philly a week ago, they’re tied for first place heading into this one. In a bad division, the Eagles may be the best of the worst.
The guys at Pro Football Talk are split over what will happen when LeSean McCoy returns to the Linc.
MDS’s take: Are the Eagles the team that got blown out in back-to-back weeks by the Buccaneers and Lions, or the team that won at New England? I’m going to bet that last week’s win was an anomaly, and the Eagles will be back to their losing ways on Sunday.
MDS’s pick: Bills 20, Eagles 17.
Florio’s take: LeSean McCoy returns to Philadelphia, and coach Rex Ryan loves to indulge players with a chip on their shoulders. McCoy undoubtedly will be a captain for the game, and he surely will be a major part of the game plan. If the Eagles can shut him down, the Eagles can win the game.
Florio’s pick: Eagles 27, Bills 23.
Over at CBS Sports, Pete Prisco has full faith in the Eagles after their triumph over the Pats, and thinks the Birds pull out a 23-16 victory.
The Eagles pulled off a stunner last week at New England to save their season. At 5-7, they can still win the division. This won’t be an easy game, but the Bills are an up-and-down team. They were up last week. Down here. Eagles take it.
Just four of ESPN’s thirteen panelists picked the Eagles to top the Bills this weekend.
Beat Writer Predictions
Zach Berman, Inquirer: Bills win, 24-23
Jeff McLane, Inquirer: Bills win, 27-24
Mark Eckel, NJ.com: Eagles win
Eliot Shorr-Parks, NJ.com: Eagles win
Martin Frank, News-Journal: Eagles win, 27-23