Eagles should expect Matthew Stafford's best shot
Wins haven’t come easy for the defending NFC champions this year. Opposing quarterbacks seem to bring their “A-game” every week. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford is up next. Here’s what his predecessors have done against Philadelphia so far.
Mac Jones (New England Patriots)
Jones was pulled in favor of Bailey Zappe last week, but he gave Philadelphia all they could handle in the season opener. The Eagles won the game 25-20, but Jones’ 316 yards passing and three touchdowns were the best numbers he’s had in 2023.
The Patriots quarterback finished Week 1 with the fourth-most yards in the league before watching his yardage totals drop each week before being benched against the Cowboys.
Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings)
Cousins is 6-5 against Philadelphia in his career, but not even four touchdowns were enough to beat the Eagles in Week 2. His four scores are still a season-high, and it remains his only game without an interception all year. His 125.6 quarterback rating and 81.2 QBR were both high marks for the season as well.
Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
So far, Mayfield is the exception among enemy quarterbacks. His 15 completions and 146 yards were both season-lows in Tampa’s first and only loss of the season. But when you think about it, isn’t being an outlier “on brand” for a guy like Mayfield?
Sam Howell (Washington Commanders)
Howell threw for more yards against the Bears and was more efficient against the Broncos, but anyone who saw his performance against the Eagles in Week 4 will tell you it was his best game of the year.
In just his fifth start, Howell put together two fourth-quarter scoring drives to tie the game, one that included a touchdown pass to receiver Jahan Dotson on the final play of regulation.
So where does that leave Stafford? The Rams quarterback is 4-1 against the Eagles in his career with 1,180 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception. All those numbers came with Detroit, but don’t bode well for an Eagles team that just gave up 415 yards to Howell’s Commanders on Sunday.
Unless he pulls a “Baker Mayfield,” expect Stafford to top the 334 yards he had against the Seahawks, surpass the 67.5 completion percentage he enjoyed against the Colts and beat the one touchdown he’s had in three of four games.
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