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PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles’ offense has only scored 24 or more points in two games this season. The group ranks 21st in the league with just 22 points per game.
That’s why Sunday’s Week 11 matchup against the New Orleans Saints seems so daunting on paper. The Saints rank first in the NFL with 36.7 points per game. The offense has only scored 24 or less points twice this season. The squad’s lowest scoring total is 21 points, just above the Philadelphia defense’s scoring allowance per game (20.3 points) this year.
Pederson vs. Schwartz
The Eagles’ offense will need to score points early at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. If Philadelphia’s offense gets off to a rough start, it could be a long day for the Eagles.
“Obviously, we realize as of late they’ve gotten up on teams early, we have a ton of confidence in our defense but that’s a heck of an offense over there,” Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz said regarding the Saints on Wednesday.
“We don’t try to look too much into that because at the end of the day, we have expectations and standards on the offensive side of the ball. We realize we have things to clean up, especially in situational football – like red zone and stuff like that – so we realize we may need to score but we have a lot of confidence in our defense and we’re excited. This is going to be a fun matchup.”
The only way the Eagles have fun on Sunday is if they are able to move the ball and score against the Saints’ defense. The Eagles need to show urgency on offense and move the ball efficiently down the field. Wentz believes the Eagles have the right outlook on offense, even if the group is struggling and the team is 4-5.
“The urgency is really always there,” Wentz said. “This is the National Football League and every week is crucial and important. We know where we’re at but we are going to take it one week at a time.”
The weekly focus against the Saints may revolve around a potential shootout. The New Orleans offense has produced at least 30 points in seven different games this season.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees has completed 77.3 percent of his pbades and produced 2,601 pbading yards and 21 touchdowns in just nine games. His top weapon, wide receiver Michael Thomas, has a league-leading 78 receptions, as he has collected 950 receiving yards and seven touchdowns so far this season. Running back Alvin Kamara has been just as dangerous, producing 1,019 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns.
The Eagles’ defense is set to face off against a gauntlet of offensive precision. It’ll be on Philadelphia’s offense to step up when Brees and his pals inevitably pour on the points this weekend.
“We’d love to go out on offense and put up 50 every week and that’s the mentality we’re going to take in there, no matter who we’re playing,” Wentz said. “We’ll see how that all plays out.”
Mike Kaye may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Mike_E_Kaye. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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