'MNF' preview: Eagles, Buccaneers square off in battle of unbeatens

The Philadelphia Eagles travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers in a matchup between two undefeated teams on “Monday Night Football.” Here’s what to watch for each team:

When the Eagles are on offense

WR A.J. Brown: During last week's 38-24 win over Minnesota, the broadcast picked up Brown voicing frustration to quarterback Jalen Hurts on the sideline amid his four-catch, 29-yard performance. All parties say the incident was overblown and Brown has since assured that his displeasure wasn't about a lack of targets, adding that he and Hurts are "still on the same page." 

Regardless of whether Brown was being truthful or not, Hurts must pass the ball to him more often. Brown has a modest 11 receptions for 108 yards this season and if the two connect for the wideout's first touchdown of the season on Monday, all the controversy about their spat should be forgotten.

Will D’Andre Swift continue to lead the backfield?: The former Lion had a breakout game as Philadelphia's lead back in Week 2 after starter Kenneth Gainwell was unavailable due to a rib injury. Swift rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for six yards, but with Gainwell expected to play Monday, he likely won't see anything close to the 31 touches he received against Minnesota.

Nevertheless, seeing how much Gainwell's return will impact Swift's workload will be intriguing, considering the latter was given just two touches when the former was in the lineup during Week 1. It's worth noting that Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that the Eagles will "ride the hot hand" between the two backs in this matchup. 

An elite offensive line vs. a formidable pass rush: Despite the star-studded collection of talent on Philadelphia's roster, the offensive line continues to be its strongest unit, though it needs a stronger performance in pass protection after surrendering seven sacks in the first two games. 

That task is far easier said than done against Tampa Bay's pass rush, which collected six sacks in its last game and has eight total on the year. 

Jalen Hurts revenge game: Although Tom Brady isn't on the other side this time, Hurts aims to avenge Philadelphia's 31-15 2021 wild card loss to Tampa Bay on Monday. The final score doesn't reflect how Hurts struggled in that game. Philadelphia trailed 31-0 after three quarters, with Hurts completing 16 of 32 passes for 140 yards with two interceptions and zero touchdowns.

Fortunately for Hurts, he's much more experienced as a passer and the Eagles have a far better roster than they did during the 2021 season, so he's well-equipped to put together a strong outing. 

When the Buccaneers are on offense

A resurgent Baker Mayfield: The former No. 1 overall pick has already performed well beyond expectations to start a season that appeared to be his last chance to catch on as a starter. Through two games, Mayfield has completed 69.1% of his passes for 490 yards and three touchdowns while posting a 104.4 passer rating, the sixth-best in the NFL entering Sunday's action.

Philadelphia's secondary has been hit hard with injuries to start the season and has allowed 652 passing yards, the second-most over a team's first two games this season, which sets Mayfield up to continue building on his early success. 

Can Mike Evans keep his touchdown streak alive?: Evans, who holds the NFL record for most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to begin a career (nine), has quickly established a strong rapport with Mayfield. The 30-year-old has scored in each of his first two games this season. 

While his matchup against cornerback Darius Slay isn't ideal, the secondary has struggled to keep pass-catchers out of the end zone, allowing seven touchdowns so far this season. 

CB James Bradberry back in the lineup: A second-team All-Pro selection last season, Bradberry missed last week's game with a concussion and is expected to play Monday after recently returning to practice. Bradberry has typically lined up on the outside opposite of Slay, it appears he'll be covering Tampa Bay's slot receivers. 

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Josh Tolentino reported that Bradberry worked with the nickel coach Ronell Williams during practice this past week. 

Philadelphia's dominant defensive tackles: With their recent influx of talent from the University of Georgia, the Eagles have been dubbed the "Philadelphia Bulldogs," and the team's pair of defensive tackles, Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, have arguably been the most impressive. 

The two first-round picks were both rated as top five interior defenders over their first two games, per Pro Football Focus' grading system and their skill sets complement each other well.

The 6-foot-6, 336-pound Davis is more of a run stopper than a pass rusher, despite his 1.5 sacks on the season, while Carter, who was considered a generational prospect, is proving to be more of a pass rusher. 

According to PFF, Carter is already showing flashes of being elite, with his 11 pressures ranking as the fourth-most through Week 2.