Jacoby Brissett has been out for almost a month, but that doesn’t mean that the backfield of Elijah McGuire, Tim Tebow and David Cobb is a healthy one. Look for McGuire to get the bulk of the work Saturday in New York. He rushed for 61 yards in his debut game, but he also fumbled once. If McGuire can keep hold of the ball on the ground, that will be a big boost to the New York offense. Cobb, on the other hand, is an excellent receiver out of the backfield, with some movement ability and a high grade for pass blocking as well. Tebow saw some time in the passing game, but his time was limited. The duo of Cobb and McGuire is an attractive one for the Jets’ offense, as both can get the ball in the air out of the backfield. Given that the Jets already have a running game that is dangerous, the decision will be whether or not they have enough weapons at their disposal to win with the running backs, rather than the quarterback. Tebow has a proven track record in the NFL. However, McGuire and Cobb need to prove that they can handle the workload.
Philadelphia will deploy its controversial “Philly Special” play on Saturday, on a play that was designed as a 4th and goal from the one-yard line. That means that the Eagles are going to go for it on fourth and goal, with just the one point being on the line. The offense prefers to throw it in this situation. Therefore, it’s hard to believe that the play won’t be called. However, even if the Eagles don’t call the play, it could be possible to hold Philadelphia down in this game. As long as the New York defense plays strong, there is no reason why the Eagles can’t find their game after a tough loss to the Seattle Seahawks. And if they find their rhythm and move the ball effectively, the Jets will definitely feel the sting.
The New York defense will face the Eagles’ huge offensive line in the trenches, trying to keep quarterback Carson Wentz from getting a chance to throw. The return of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker will be nice to see, and can take some of the pressure off Brissett. The Eagles will look to Marshall to get the offense going. If he is able to do so, it will be a boost to Brissett. Todd Bowles has a massive task ahead of him in his first trip to Lincoln Financial Field, to prepare his team for a complicated offensive attack. If his defense can step up and stop Wentz from getting comfortable in the pocket, then this might just be the Jets’ win in Philly.
NY Jets: 1 point
Philly Eagles: 3 points