Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Jets predictions and preview - August 27th, 2021 - NFL preseason
The Philadelphia Eagles will play their NFL preseason finale at the New York Jets on Friday night, giving the coaches another chance to see their players on the roster bubble in action.
The Philadelphia Eagles are licking their wounds after a rough shut-out 35-0 at the hands of the New England Patriots last week. The Eagles haven't announced if QB Jalen Hurts will play in the game, and they could sit him to avoid an injury prior to Week 1.
He performed well in joint practice against the New York Jets this week, and could have shown enough that he's not needed in the game. The defense needs to show they can stall momentum, unlike giving up 35 points to New England and 24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Standout LB Alex Singleton is a projected starter who has already seen a lot of action in the preseason and could rest this week, taking a playmaker from the defense. CB Zech McPhearson and the secondary need to show some sort of disruption to the passing attack, though.
New York Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson could see some playing time after a great game against the Green Bay Packers, and he wants to play the entire game. With Week 1 approaching, the New York Jets will likely only give him one quarter.
The New York Jets are surprisingly 2-0 and could finish the preseason without a loss. Rookie RB Michael Carter is making himself too valuable to not have on the field in 2021 despite being RB3. WRs Corey Davis and Denzel Mims have been impactful in the passing game, and LB CJ Mosley looks ready to return to an elite-level on the field.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets preview
Match Details
Fixture - Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets | 2021 NFL Preseason Week 3
Date & Time - Friday, August 27th, 7:30 PM ET (Saturday, August 28th, 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Philadelphia Eagles Preview
Head coach Nick Sirianni spoke this offseason about QB Jalen Hurts by saying he isn't 100% the starter this year ye,t and he needs to see much more from Hurts. It seems like Jalen Hurts could be the victim to a common occurrence when teams hire a new coach, and they want their own QB who fits better in their offense.
Hurts wasn't the greatest player in the first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (3/7 for 54 yards), and he did not play at all in Week 2, which was surprising. Joe Flacco was a highlight in the Pittsburgh game and did his best in the 35-0 loss to the Patriots.
Flacco could be in the running for QB1 with another strong outing against the Jets. Hurts will likely start Week 1, but a slow start could warrant playing the hot hand with Joe Flacco. The Eagles could have a rough season-opener after not playing their starters much.
Key Player - Joe Flacco
The former Super Bowl-winning QB seems to have a little bit more fight left in him, and seems to be playing well. Part of his good stats were from yards-after-catch, but he is calm under pressure and made minimal mistakes.
Against New England, he struggled to get any momentum going and made only a few mistakes. With Hurts' status for the game uncertain, Flacco could have a ton of playing time, and should make the most of it. The Eagles may need a quality backup if things do not pan out with Hurts this season.
Projected starting QB - Joe Flacco.
New York Jets Preview
Unlike Philadelphia, the New York Jets have played their QB and starters a decent amount and with success.
QB2 Mike White got injured against the Green Bay Packers, and is questionable for the game. Veteran 4th-string QB Josh Johnson could see his first preseason action if White is out. Free agent signing WR Corey Davis has been playing well, and is proving he can still be a WR1 with rookie Elijah Moore catching fire this offseason.
The New York Jets 2021 draft class is looking like a solid group with Alijah Vera-Tucker starting at LG, RB Michael Carter looking like a playmaker, and Michael Carter ll and Jason Pinnock adding needed depth for the secondary.
The loss of Carl Lawson will hurt the DL, but Bryce Huff had two sacks against the Giants, so not all hope is lost. TE Chris Herndon will have to catch everything thrown his way as he slowly drops down the depth chart.
Key Player - WR Denzel Mims
Just a few weeks ago, Denzel Mims was rumored to be part of a trade at any time. Now he is showing the potential the New York Jets have been looking for, and they have to figure out if it is worth keeping him around and laying off a different WR.
Braxton Berrios could be on the roster bubble if Mims performs well with the backup QBs. If he isn't as explosive as he was earlier in the preseason, the team could get a decent late-round pick for him.
Projected starting QB - QB Zach Wilson.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets Match Prediction
If Jalen Hurts sits, Joe Flacco and Nick Mullens could each play a full half. Flacco could give the Eagles a decent lead by half-time, based on his prior success this year.
If that is the case, I see James Morgan and Josh Johnson struggling to get out of the hole with the backup offense. New York Jets RB Michael Carter could have another 50+ yard game for the Jets and earn at least RB2 status heading into the season.
The Jets could make a late comeback, but Philadelphia's backup players in the secondary could make a big play to thwart the Jets.
Where to watch the Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets?
The Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets Week 3 preseason finale will air on local Philadelphia networks NBC10 and 6ABC and New York local network WCBS. You can also stream the game on both teams' websites and on NFL Gamepass.