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Author: Devin Jackson

  • Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    When the Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season on Sunday, they’ll face a team that plays the seventh-highest rate of zone coverage, according to Sharp Football Analysis.

    The Eagles passing offense — which has seen a lot of zone coverage — has been a roller coaster this season. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown haven’t put up the production to match the gaudy numbers they’ve produced together in years past.

    Brown still thrives against man coverage, catching 16 of his 25 targets for 244 yards and three touchdowns this season against man schemes, according to Next Gen Stats. But Brown not only has his lowest target per route percentage (20.9%) against zone coverage since joining the Eagles in 2022 per Next Gen, but has a career-low 38 yards after catch vs. zone coverages and is averaging 1.14 yards per route against zone coverage, the lowest rate of his career.

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    We took a film- and stats-based dive into why Brown is having a down year, and particularly what’s contributing to his issues against zone coverage this season as the passing game searches for consistency:

    Route variety

    For this exercise, we watched all of Brown’s targets in an Eagles uniform, beginning with his dynamo 2022 season, in which he finished with a franchise-record 1,496 receiving yards on 88 receptions with 11 receiving touchdowns.

    The playcaller that year was current Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, and the first noticeable difference from 2022 to now is the variety of routes that Brown ran in that offense.

    According to Pro Football Focus, Brown had a near 70/30 split in terms of his alignment, with 808 of his 1,187 snaps that year coming out wide, and 342 coming from the slot. This will be important later, but that unpredictability allowed Brown to be moved around to several spots and be utilized in different ways.

    One of the best ways to get receivers the ball against zone coverage is moving the pocket and utilizing shallow crossing routes. Brown had a career-best 17.5 yards per reception vs. zone coverages, and the utilization of him getting underneath or between linebackers across the middle of the field made for easy throws for Hurts.

    Even though that route wasn’t as prevalent in 2023, the Eagles brought it back more often in 2024, especially after the bye week with the Birds sitting at 2-2. Against the Cowboys, Commanders, and Rams, there was a noticeable effort to get Brown touches and space for yards after catch opportunities on those routes, and even Brown’s touchdown in Super Bowl LIX came on a shallow cross route.

    In 2025, there have been attempts to incorporate crossing and shallow routes into the offense, but the attempts have been either infrequent or unsuccessful. A shallow route passing attempt from Hurts to Brown vs. zone coverage against Denver was rushed because of pressure and fell incomplete, and a crossing route to Brown vs. zone went for a 16-yard gain against the Giants.

    The routes that Brown was known for in Tennessee and even now as an Eagle, are in-breaking routes, including slants and dig routes. Those have been a major aspect of Brown’s game, because of his ability to create after the catch, and his physicality to withstand hits that come over the middle of the field.

    A large portion of his catches in 2022 were on those routes, and he dominated after the catch that year. According to Next Gen, 40.5% of his YAC came against zone coverage, and he caught 51 of his 78 targets against zone coverages for 892 yards. He also averaged 2.62 yards per route against zone, which is still the second-highest split of his career.

    In 2023, those numbers took a dip, to 2.19 yards per route, with just 26.7% of his YAC coming against zone coverages, per Next Gen. But the in-breaking routes were more successful post-bye last year, as his numbers crept to the highest yards per route mark (2.83) of his career and his second-highest YAC percentage (29.4%) against zone.

    This season, he’s at career-low in both categories: 1.14 yards per route and just 17.8% of his YAC are coming against zone coverages. He’s averaging just 9.7 yards per reception vs. zone and has 22 catches on 187 routes run against zone this year.

    Part of that is linked to the running game’s ineffectiveness in past years, but also the increase in heavy personnel. The Eagles are running 13 personnel (one back, three tight ends) at a 6.47% rate, according to Sumer Sports, almost double the rate from last year, and 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) at a slightly higher rate this year (30.32%) compared to last year (30.16%).

    The Eagles are running more condensed formations while running 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) at the lowest rate since Brown as been an Eagle, with just 54.8% of their snaps. They’re also not throwing the ball as much either from empty formations, where Brown has thrived in previous years against both man and zone coverages.

    Add in that fact that Brown has been targeted on just 21.3% of his routes against zone coverage this season, his lowest rate since his rookie year in 2019 (20.7%), according to Next Gen, and it’s been a struggle for him to get the ball. Per Pro Football Focus, 13 of his 14 catches between the numbers this year came on passes of 10 yards or less, with just one coming in beyond 20 yards. In 2022, he had 14 catches beyond 10 yards between the numbers, 12 in 2023, and 10 last season.

    Formational changes

    As outlined above, formational changes have played a part in Brown’s struggles this season, with a shift to heavier personnel and dialing back 11 personnel. But so has Brown’s alignment, which has trended away from utilizing him in the slot.

    After playing 342 snaps in the slot in 2022, he played 259 in 2023, and 171 in 2024, which matched more of his alignment with the Titans in 2019-21 (when he averaged 131 slot snaps). This year, Brown is on pace for his fewest such snaps as an Eagle, with 52 of his 504 snaps coming in the slot, per PFF.

    He’s aligning outside the numbers over 88% of the time, which not only allows defenses to send multiple defenders his way, but also limits his route tree. Almost all of his routes against the Lions last week were outside the numbers and he played just four snaps in the slot.

    Having Brown in the slot not only creates opportunities for mismatches, but it gives him a chance to create big plays against linebackers and safeties. The 2023 season probably shows his slot usage best, when Brown had career-highs in routes (366), targets (89) and catches (62) against zone coverage with 801 receiving yards, his second-highest total behind the 2022 season.

    The route spacing this season just isn’t as sharp as years past and it seems to bring some hesitancy from Hurts in challenging those windows at times. Hurts had no problem ripping the ball Brown in 2022 and 2023 on curl or in-breaking routes, but appears not as confident in doing so this year.

    Brown had targets where he sat in the soft spot of zone coverage against Denver and Green Bay, and against the former, Hurts eventually hit him after scrambling and immediately put the ball on him against the Packers.

    What could help?

    One way to combat some of the bracket coverages and extra attention that Brown is getting from opposing defenses is to have him align on the same side as DeVonta Smith. Especially against zone coverages, the alignment puts defenses in a bind, forcing them to choose one star receiver or the other.

    A lot of Brown’s big plays against zone coverage in those situations came in either 12 personnel or empty formations, and since the heavier personnel isn’t working this year, adding more empty passes could be beneficial for Brown and the Eagles’ passing game.

    Most of the time the Eagles are attacking downfield this year, its in man coverage situations, but Hurts and the passing attack has shown the ability to hit “hole shots” which are passes in between the corner and safety in zone coverage. They did so in 2022 and 2023 to Brown, making two-high zone coverages pay for not sending help to the corner on such throws.

    The Eagles have Smith and Brown run hitch routes above league-average this year (16.5%), at 24.5% and 23.7%, respectively, according to Next Gen, and that will always be an identity of the offense. But adding in more variations, where Brown isn’t always working along the sidelines, could help open some throwing windows for Hurts.

    Whether it’s adding him more to the slot or utilizing more empty formations and 11 personnel, there has to be a more concerted effort for the Eagles to find more easy targets for Brown and find answers to their issues against zone coverage. Unlocking this dimension could be the step forward the offense needs.

  • James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    The James Franklin era at Penn State ended Oct. 12 after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, ending his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley. Thirty-eight days later, he walked into Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum with “Enter Sandman” blaring on the speakers, the song that plays when the Hokies enter each home game at Lane Stadium.

    On Wednesday, two days after making the move official, Virginia Tech introduced Franklin as its new football coach.

    Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    “Been in this profession for over 30 years, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons,” Franklin said at the news conference. “… Got my first big break in the ACC, been a head coach in the SEC, been a head coach in the Big Ten, and now obviously fortunate to have this unbelievable opportunity in the ACC at Virginia Tech.

    “All these experiences, all these lessons that I’ve learned, we’re going to pour them into Virginia Tech.”

    Before he spoke at the podium, Franklin received glowing reviews from Virginia Tech’s board of visitors member, John Rocovich, president Tim Sands, and athletic director Whit Babcock. Babcock called Franklin “a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor.” Rocovich said “Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech will be the best place he ever lived.”

    Franklin, 53, has a 128-60 record in 15 years as a head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State.

    Franklin mostly discussed his vision for the program. He did not talk much about Penn State, where he went 104-45, but he did use a moment in his opening statement to show appreciation for his former school.

    For James Franklin, his obsession over preparation truly has been key to victory

    “I want to thank Penn State. I had 12 years there,” Franklin said. “It’s very unusual in college football, to get 12 years at a place, most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here at Virginia Tech are going to find out I’m a players’ coach. That’s what it’s all about for me. That’s what it always will be.”

    Franklin also thanked several people at Virginia Tech, including former longtime coach Frank Beamer, whom he called for his blessing the night before he took the job. But Franklin got choked up talking about Brent Pry, the Hokies’ former head coach, alongside whom Franklin worked for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt and Penn State.

    Pry was Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2021. Franklin wanted to make sure his former colleague and his family “got the respect they deserve.”

    Penn State coach James Franklin (right) with defensive coordinator Brent Pry in 2021.

    “Brent’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years,” Franklin said, holding back tears. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made.”

    For the first time in a long time, Franklin said he had time to reflect and “take a deep breath” in the month in between jobs.

    “Me and my family, to take a take a minute to recharge our battery was very important,” he said.

    Virginia Tech was aggressive in its pursuit of him, Franklin said. “The very first time we met — I don’t want to speak for them, but I feel like they were ready for me to say yes that night,” he said. As the talks played out, the former Penn State coach said he used the notes app on his phone, compiling “next staff” and “things that I learned through the process.”

    “Some of those things are for public consumption. Some of those things are private for me and my family but areas that I know we need to grow and get better,” Franklin said. “People that have been following my career and the things that we did at Penn State, what I’m talking about is what you see right now, the leadership, the commitment, and the alignment. And the nice thing for me is I’m walking in here, and that alignment already exists.”

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    Franklin already has hit the recruiting trail, he said, and has spoken with more than 40 Virginia Tech pledges and most of the top players in Virginia. He even sent offers to former and current Penn State pledges, including Timber Creek’s Roseby Lubintus, an offensive tackle.

    Franklin’s recruiting philosophy largely will remain the same and rely on high school recruiting with the transfer portal supplementing the roster. Now he has the task of leading a program that hasn’t won the ACC since 2010 and has played for the national championship just once in school history (1999).

    “You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place more than me and my family,” Franklin said. “I give you my word on that.”

  • Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    Just over five weeks after being dismissed by Penn State, James Franklin has landed his next coaching job.

    Franklin finalized a deal on Monday to become football coach at Virginia Tech, succeeding Brent Pry, who was fired in September. Franklin will become the program’s 36th head coach.

    “Laura and I enthusiastically welcome Coach Franklin and his family to Virginia Tech and Hokie Nation. His experience, passion, and record of success embody our commitment to compete at the highest level,” Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in a news release. ” … James will provide the leadership and inspiration our student-athletes need, and the performance on the field that our university community, alumni, and fans expect and deserve. I can’t wait to be in Lane Stadium when he leads the team out of the tunnel for the first time, the crowd starts jumping, and we launch this winning journey together.”

    Franklin spent more than 12 seasons with the Nittany Lions, compiling a 104-45 record. He won a Big Ten title in 2016, earned a College Football Playoff berth last year, and had six seasons with 10 or more wins.

    His buyout with the Nittany Lions, once valued at $49 million, reportedly will be reduced to $9 million after negotiations with Penn State.

    Since longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer retired after the 2015 season, the Hokies’ program has struggled to find consistency, with just four winning seasons over the last decade. Justin Fuente followed Beamer, had a strong start with 10 and nine wins in 2016 and 2017, respectively, but mutually agreed to part ways with the school in 2021 after compiling a 43-31 record.

    Pry, the former Penn State defensive coordinator, took over in 2022 but had just one winning season and was fired after a blowout loss to Old Dominion earlier this year.

    Virginia Tech’s football team is 3-7 this season.

    Virginia Tech is 3-7 this season and hasn’t won the ACC since 2010.

    Franklin was an active recruiter in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area while he was at Penn State, and that ability should aid him in Blacksburg, Va. At Penn State, he finished with a top-10 recruiting class twice (2018, 2022).

    Franklin took Penn State the furthest it has been in the College Football Playoff era last season, losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals. With minimal roster turnover, Penn State was ranked No. 2 to start the 2025 season and was expected to be a serious title contender.

    Instead, the Nittany Lions lost to Oregon on Sept. 27 in overtime, then followed it up with losses to UCLA and Northwestern, prompting Franklin’s dismissal on Oct. 12.

    Less than a week after his firing, Franklin appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay and spoke publicly for the first time since he was fired. He said the decision was a “shock” to him but chose to focus on the “unbelievable moments” he had in State College.

    “I had a great run there. Twelve years. Penn State was good to me and my family,” Franklin said. “I’m a players’ coach, so walking away from all those young men in that locker room, the recruits that were committed to us, that’s the challenging part. It’s [about] the people at the end of the day.”

    Now Franklin gets a fresh start with a program desperate to compete again for conference titles and a playoff spot. He’ll be introduced at the university on Wednesday.

    “I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a news release. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this university, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”

  • Temple tight end Peter Clarke’s size is creating an advantage in the passing game: ‘He’s hard to bring down’

    Temple tight end Peter Clarke’s size is creating an advantage in the passing game: ‘He’s hard to bring down’

    On the first offensive possession of the season, Temple faced second and 9 from Massachusetts’ 21-yard line, and offensive coordinator Tyler Walker buzzed down a play call to quarterback Evan Simon.

    The play, called “Buckeye,” sent tight end Peter Clarke down the seam on a double move matched up with a UMass safety. The ball from Simon, which he says was “really overthrown,” somehow found the outstretched right hand of Clarke, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound tight end.

    “You look at his height and weight, and [he’s] just a big target who really makes my job easier,” Simon said by telephone recently. “The missed throws, or whatever you want [to call them], inaccurate throws, they have a little more leeway with [his size].”

    Walker heavily featured his tight ends as Montana State’s offensive coordinator, and he brought the same mindset to the Owls. He recalls meeting Clarke, describing him as “big, athletic, can run and catch the ball well.”

    Clarke, a native of South London, went through the NFL Academy, a platform that helps international athletes learn football. He told Walker that he watched YouTube videos to learn the basics of football, drills, and highlights.

    “He’s got great ball skills, he’s super intelligent,” Walker said. “When he told me that he learned [football] through YouTube, I was surprised, because he’s got football feel that you see from kids who’ve been playing the game their whole life.”

    Philly emulates his home

    Clarke has put up career numbers through eight games in his junior season with 23 catches, 378 yards, and four touchdowns. He entered the season with just five catches and three touchdowns.

    Football began as a hobby for him in England, where he played five-on-five games in middle school before enrolling in the NFL Academy at 16. He equates the NFL Academy to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., with the way it “emulates a college football sort of atmosphere in terms of the intensity and the weight room, the attention to detail in the meetings, the time schedule of early mornings, late afternoons, and really playing on a bigger stage than just an average high school.”

    Temple tight end Peter Clarke runs with the football against Howard on Sept. 6.

    “The NFL Academy did a great job of preparing me just for the transition of how much time, effort and intensity you put into this thing,” Clarke said. “And then once I got here, I had great leaders in my room, people like [former Temple tight end David Martin-Robinson], who’s on the Titans now, to really show me what college football was about and how to live this life.”

    When it came to choosing his future college home, Clarke said the decision was simple.

    “I wanted to go to a school that emulated something of my home environment, London, in a big city, 10 million people. I come from a very, like, inner-city part of London,” Clarke said. “So I wanted to go to a school that was in a city and Temple being in the heart of North Philly, when I came on my visit, it felt like home.”

    Top-rated tight end

    Among the tight ends across 136 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Clarke is rated No. 1, according to Pro Football Focus, with a 91.8 grade, more than four points higher than the next player.

    His value on the field has been apparent this season. Clarke averages the most yards per catch (16.4) on the team among players with five or more receptions. But his preparation is what separates him, tight ends coach Chris Zarkoskie said.

    “Since I got here, he’s been a kid who has a good skill set and can do a lot of different things, and a young man who works really hard and is ready when his opportunity comes, which is the thing I’m most proud of for him,” Zarkoskie said. “He takes pride in the whole body of work that it takes to be a tight end. And I think that he’s continuing to grow and evolve as a blocker, in-line and out in space.”

    Temple’s tight end corps has representation from three international players: Clarke, Ryder Kusch (Canada), and Daniel Evert (Germany). David Wise is from South Philly and Jake Woods is from California. Zarkoskie said getting to coach this diverse group “is the coolest part of the game that we coach.”

    Temple tight end Peter Clarke enters before a game against Miami at Lincoln Financial Field on Sept. 23, 2023.

    Clarke arrived at North Broad weighing 225 pounds and has filled out his frame. He said he relishes most in proving that he is more than a run blocker by doing “freakish stuff” in the passing game. Walker and Simon agree, and both detailed Clarke’s best play this season as a pass catcher.

    “If I had to pick one from this year so far, I think it would be against UTSA in the second half,” Simon said. “Our first drive in the third quarter, we refer to it as ‘the spark,’ and we went down, scored, and his catch over the middle with a linebacker right on him and safety over top that could have really taken his head off. He stuck in there, caught the ball.”

    Added Walker: “Evan put the ball in a window the size of a computer screen, and you saw Peter’s big mittens just coming out of the air and catching the ball above his head. And then on top of that, being able to get the yards after the catch and add on another 15 yards, his pure size, his pure mass. He’s hard to bring down. He’s a little more fluid than people would think, just based off his size.”

    Clarke added to his highlight reel with a career-long 50-yard reception during a 38-37 overtime win over Tulsa on Saturday. With one more win, Temple (5-3) will be bowl eligible for the first time since 2019. And you can bet Clarke will be in the middle of it all.

  • Gambling scandal will shake public confidence in NBA, experts say

    Gambling scandal will shake public confidence in NBA, experts say

    Attorney Bill Pascrell III was made aware of the incoming NBA gambling scandal involving Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former player and coach Damon Jones late Wednesday night, but said the magnitude of the findings “was much greater than I had expected.”

    The news of the investigation broke early Thursday morning, with the FBI arresting Billups, Rozier, and Jones, who were among 34 people across 11 states charged in connection to two schemes: defrauding sports gamblers and a rigged poker game run in connection with New York City mafia families.

    Pascrell, a gambling expert and Princeton Public Affairs Group partner, said the incident is “a black eye on the NBA.”

    “I think [the NBA] has done a very good job of getting ahead of it now,” Pascrell told The Inquirer by telephone, “and I’m sure there’s going to be a multitude of actions and punishments, and I think there needs to be an assessment by the NBA of additional internal controls.”

    “When it comes to the NBA,” Pascrell added, “they have a responsibility to the players in the league, the coaches, the referees, the families, the fans, and it’s going to take a lot of work to bring about confidence back into the system.”

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    Particularly, the involvement of Jones, who allegedly provided bettors injury information regarding two of the Los Angeles Lakers’ best players while he was volunteering with the team during the 2022-23 season, was “very troubling,” Pascrell said.

    “Those are things that are very disturbing that the league has to be vigilant about doing a better job policing,” Pascrell said. “I think the NBA is a great brand. I think they have done a great job, and, unfortunately, this mishap is going to be a tough challenge for them to re-instill confidence in the integrity of the game.”

    Dangers of prop bets

    Rozier’s involvement in the gambling scheme by leaving games or altering his performance to make hundreds of thousands of dollars on prop bets was especially concerning to George Diemer, an associate professor in Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management.

    Diemer, whose research focuses on gambling, particularly in college basketball, supports sports betting being legalized but has strong opposition to prop bets and the issues the practice brings to gambling.

    “Although I do like the gambling market — I am in favor of legalizing sports gambling — I’ve always said to myself and anybody that asks, I’m really worried about these prop bets, and they probably should not be legal,” Diemer said by phone. “A lot of my research is in trying to figure out how point spreads are impacting the game outcome. … Generally speaking, the data suggests that, for instance, like point shaving — maybe there’s too many games where the favorite team is winning the game but failing to cover the point spread, things like that. And I suspect that if I ran a similar investigation for these prop bets, I would probably find something there as well.”

    But Diemer added that, “I think these things were identified by and because sports wagering has been legalized. If we lived in a world where sports wagering was illegal, they very well could have still been doing this, but nobody would have known about it because it would have been a complete underground economy.”

    Rozier’s alleged involvement comes on the heels of former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter leaking “confidential information to sports bettors” about his planned poor performances and pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for allegedly faking illness or injury to leave games early.

    While Pascrell does not agree that prop bets should be banned in the wake of the scandal, saying that “prop bets aren’t the problem, criminal activity is the problem,” he agrees with Diemer that the monitoring systems in place to detect and notify unusual gambling activity “are going to learn a lot from this, and it’s only going to improve the integrity of the game.”

    “I’m not saying monitoring integrity isn’t an evolutionary process. There’s nothing that’s bulletproof,” Pascrell said, “and by passing laws to bet prop bets, you’re only going to move people to the dark side, which is only going to make it more challenging to discover.”

  • Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    Breaking tendencies on offense for the Eagles played a big role in their Week 7 win over the Minnesota Vikings. With a rematch looming with the New York Giants on Sunday, that formula will likely be put to good use again.

    Jalen Hurts finished the Vikings game with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and continued his trend of exploiting zone coverage for a second straight game. But the influx of under-center play-action and connecting on his deep shots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith made all the difference.

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    Can the offense carry that momentum against the Giants, while figuring out its running-game issues? Here’s what we learned from the film ahead of Sunday’s rematch between the division foes:

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts thrived passing from under center against the Vikings in Week 7.

    More under-center play-action

    Of Hurts’ 326 passing yards against Minnesota, 121 of them came on play-action, under-center throws downfield. Entering that game, the Eagles averaged just 0.8 yards from under center, which ranked 30th in the NFL, according to Fantasy Points Data.

    Hurts completed all four of those pass attempts, including the 79-yard touchdown strike to Smith. The play-action also opened up the middle, allowing the Eagles offense to attack an area of the field it has often neglected.

    The Giants, according to Next Gen Stats, are giving up the eighth-highest total of passing yards on throws traveling 10 to 19 air yards, yielding 71.9 yards per game. Hurts has completed four of six passes in that range of the field in each of his last two games.

    There are also examples of the Giants defense giving up explosive plays off play-action passes from under center. New York yielded a 33-yard gain to CeeDee Lamb during a matchup with Dallas in Week 2, and surrendered an 87-yard touchdown connection from Spencer Rattler to Rashid Shaheed in Week 5 against New Orleans.

    In their Week 6 matchup, Hurts, who has typically thrived against man coverage in his career, completed just six of 12 passes against New York’s man looks on defense, according to Next Gen Stats. And he threw his lone interception of the season, which all but ended the game.

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    Hurts’ early touchdown pass to Brown against Minnesota was proof of his improvement as a passer, making plays with his arm rather than taking off and scrambling. According to Next Gen Stats, Hurts had his first game with a positive expected points added (which measures team performance on a play-by-play basis) per drop back on scrambles without actually taking off and running.

    If Hurts can continue that trend, the Eagles should be in for another big passing day — the Giants are giving up the seventh-highest total of passing yards per game in the NFL (245.3) and the second-most passing yards on throws that travel 20 or more air yards (62.9), according to Next Gen Stats.

    Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles in Week 6.

    Keeping Dart and Skattebo in check

    In Week 6, rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo ran wild over the Eagles defense, which was without defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who left the game with a hamstring strain. And the pairing hasn’t slowed down after accounting for 156 of the Giants’ 172 rushing yards in that game.

    Skattebo was a little more subdued against Denver, rushing for 60 yards on 3.1 yards per carry. But Dart continued to make plays downfield and on the move, hurting the Broncos defense with his arm. Dart is coming off his best passing day, throwing for 283 yards and three scores.

    His connection with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson continues to grow. When he escapes the pocket and extends plays, Dart has consistently found Robinson outside the numbers or over the middle of the field for big gains — first against the Eagles in Week 6, then Denver last week.

    Tight ends continue to be among Dart’s favorite targets. He threw two more to that position group Sunday in Denver, finding Daniel Bellinger (44 yards) and Theo Johnson (41 yards) for touchdowns.

    Of Dart’s seven touchdown passes, five have gone to tight ends, and Johnson has four of them. Because of the high tight end usage, the Giants could look to attack downfield and utilize double moves against the Eagles’ secondary to spring Johnson or Bellinger.

    Against Minnesota, a double move from Jordan Addison created a 32-yard completion between Mitchell and Drew Mukuba in zone coverage. The Giants completed a pass on similar action to Bellinger, albeit against man coverage.

    But the most important thing the Eagles need to do to prevent New York from taking shots downfield is to stop the run. The Birds defense has allowed 26 runs of 10 or more yards, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL, and it particularly struggles on outside runs.

    The Giants made the Eagles pay in their previous matchup, with three of the five rushes that went 10 yards or more coming from runs outside the tackles, according to Next Gen Stats. The running-back toss play to Skattebo has been effective over their last two games.

    Although his status for Sunday’s game is in question, defensive end Brandon Graham, now back with the Eagles, could provide a huge boost in the run defending department. Graham’s reps before his first triceps injury last season showed a promising trend of setting a firm edge and knifing through offensive lines.

    He would be a major boost to a run defense that ranks 22nd in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (127.9).

    Encouraging signs for Barkley

    For the last two games, Eagles opponents entered the game struggling to defend the run but were still able to hold Saquon Barkley to 58 and 44 total rushing yards. Looking beyond the numbers, though, tells a different story.

    The Eagles are trying to get Barkley out in space and last week’s game that featured under-center play-action passing showcased an evolved plan for the running game. After finding some success earlier in the season on Barkley pitch plays to the left side of the offensive line, the Eagles called four outside toss plays against the Vikings that yielded 14 yards. It also provided some new run scheme looks from under center that can be paired with play-action passes.

    Denver ran a similar play that popped a big gain against the Giants’ defense in Week 7, with J.K. Dobbins rumbling for a 32-yard gain. Expect the Eagles to keep the toss play as a run scheme option for Barkley on Sunday.

    In addition to the toss play, the Eagles have found success in getting Barkley some daylight on split-zone runs against the Giants and Vikings that created 18-, 8-, and 9-yard gains. The action allows a backside tight end (Dallas Goedert) or motioning receiver across the formation to keep a defensive end or edge rusher from crashing down the play for a loss.

    Barkley’s rushing numbers could be even worse if not for his elusiveness in the backfield. Twice last week he had to force someone to miss right after he got the handoff to turn a potential negative play into a positive one.

    With center Cam Jurgens’ status for Sunday in question, the Eagles must continue to find ways to give Barkley room to run. Mixing in variations of run schemes should help aid a potential breakout performance.