Contrary to preseason expectations, the San Francisco 49ers come into this game with a better record than anyone could have expected, as victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks have them unexpectedly leading the NFC West. To this point, a strong defensive front seven has enabled them to overcome a lackluster offense, and the improvement of some underperforming free agent additions like Carlos Rogers and Madieu Williams has also helped them stand atop their division.
The Philadelphia Eagles, on the other hand find themselves at the bottom of the NFC East. Two blown fourth quarter leads have them in catch up mode early into the 2011 season. An ailing Michael Vick won’t help their cause, but even more troubling is the struggles of their linebackers and safeties. At weak-side linebacker, rookie Casey Matthews has been replaced by Brian Rolle while at safety Kurt Coleman has gone to the bench in favour of Nate Allen.
Here are some key matchups to note for this one
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1) Interior defensive linemen Justin Smith, Isaac Sopoaga and Ray McDonald vs. Eagles interior offensive lineman Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce and Kyle Devan
If you read PFF much, you’ll know we’re pretty high on Justin Smith, and his 19 combined quarterback disruptions (two sacks, four hits, 13 pressures) lead all interior defensive linemen. His matchup against with another PFF favourite in Evan Mathis should be fascinating. The former Bengal has surprisingly struggled a bit in pass protection this year, ranking 40th of 58 players in our pass blocking efficiency rankings.
Isaac Sopoaga hasn’t done a bad job at replacing Aubrayo Franklin, and he’ll have another favourable matchup Sunday. Jason Kelce’s rookie season started off on a high note, but he’s taken a couple of steps back in the past two games, as he really struggled in the run game against the New York Giants.
Left end Ray McDonald has always been a good player, but he’s started his 2011 season on a tear. He ranks second in our 3-4 defensive end rankings and has probably been the most complete player at his position thus far. Former Indianapolis Colt Kyle Devan has been up and down in his few starts as an Eagle, and he’s been surprisingly poor in his pass protection (-1.8), which is something that McDonald will look to capitalise on.
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2) Defensive ends Trent Cole and Jason Babin vs. offensive tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis
Trent Cole’s recent performance on national television against Sam Baker was one of the best we’ve ever graded here at PFF. If the 49ers are to move up to 3-1, they’ll need to find a way to stop him, or at least slow him down. The underwhelming Joe Staley will almost certainly have his hands full, as he has already allowed two sacks, a hit and six pressures this year. San Francisco would be wise to line up a tight end on his side, and chip him consistently with running backs.
With that being said, it’s rarely that simple, as free agent acquisition Jason Babin will be coming off of the other end. Although he’s been inconsistent against the run (-1.2) and given up too many penalties (four) his pass rushing has been as good as ever, and he already has four sacks on the season (to go along with a quarterback hit and four pressures). 2009’s eleventh overall pick Anthony Davis continues to struggle, much to the dismay of 49er fans and his 91.6 pass blocking efficiency leaves him 50th of 60 qualifiers.
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3) Tight end Vernon Davis vs. linebackers Moise Fokou and Jamar Chaney
The Eagles’ inability to cover tight ends is an issue that’s lingered for years. Vernon Davis is a matchup nightmare, and he already has 180 yards on the season. He’s also sixth in yards per pass route run (2.32), and has caught 15 of the 17 balls thrown to him, and it will be up to strong-side linebacker Moise Fokou to cover him. So far this year, Fokou has allowed four of five completions for 50 yards with a pass deflection. In the nickel, that responsibility will probably fall to Jamar Chaney, who’s allowed a quarterback rating of 120 (10 of 13 for 88 yards, 1 TD). Regardless of who's covering him, look for Davis to have a big day on Sunday.
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