The Philadelphia Eagles will bounce back from their free fall at the end of the 2023 season to claim the NFC East title and No. 2 seed.
Last year, quarterback Jalen Hurts regressed under first-time pro play-caller Brian Johnson, but Kellen Moore should be able to help him rebound from a disappointing season. In four out of five years as a play-caller, Moore has fielded a top-nine passing offense in yards or touchdowns.
If the Eagles offensive line loses its push without center Jason Kelce, running back Saquon Barkley could still make a significant impact on the ground. Over the last two years, he rushed for 2,274 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry behind subpar offensive lines with the New York Giants.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a respectable pro play-calling resume that spans beyond two decades.
Moreover, Philadelphia signed linebacker Devin White and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, acquired edge-rusher Bryce Huff and drafted cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean to strengthen its defense.
In this matchup, Philadelphia faces the Los Angeles Rams, who exceeded expectations as a surprise playoff team last season.
The Rams finished the 2023 campaign with the eighth-ranked scoring offense thanks in part to the emergence of running back Kyren Williams and wide receiver Puka Nacua, who broke rookie receiving records.
When quarterback Matthew Stafford is healthy, the Rams can outscore most teams in the league. The team could use rookie third-round running back Blake Corum to spell Williams out of the backfield, which would add another wrinkle to a potent attack.
Los Angeles will have to make adjustments following the loss of defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who's the Atlanta Falcons head coach, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, who retired this offseason.
Yet Byron Young, Kobie Turner and rookie first-rounder Jared Verse could be a pass-rushing trio to watch in the trenches.
This matchup could go either way.
