The Eagles are back home this week sitting at 8-5, and they’re heavy favorites against a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team that’s limping into Philly at 2-11. It’s a short week, but this matchup presents plenty of opportunities for the Eagles to bounce back and keep pace in the NFC playoff race. Let’s dive into the key matchups that could define this game.
Vic Fangio vs. Kenny Pickett: Familiar Face, Familiar Struggles
With Geno Smith likely sidelined due to a shoulder injury, the Raiders are expected to start Kenny Pickett under center. Yes, that Kenny Pickett - the former Eagles backup who helped seal Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans just last season. While the revenge narrative is off the table after Chip Kelly’s firing as Raiders OC, Pickett’s return to Philly adds a little extra intrigue.
Pickett’s path this season has been anything but stable. After being traded twice - from the Eagles to the Browns, and then to the Raiders - he now finds himself leading one of the NFL’s least productive offenses.
He showed some life late in last week’s loss to Denver, going 8-of-11 for 97 yards and a touchdown, but 10 of the Raiders’ 17 points came in the final three minutes. The offense was largely stagnant before that.
And it’s not like the Raiders can lean on the run game to take pressure off Pickett. They rank dead last in rushing offense.
That puts the spotlight squarely on Vic Fangio’s defense, which has been dialed in lately. Expect Fangio to throw a variety of looks at Pickett and force the journeyman QB to beat them through the air - a tall task for a signal-caller still trying to find his footing.
Eagles Linebackers vs. Brock Bowers: The Rookie Test
There’s not a lot of star power on this Raiders roster, but Brock Bowers is a clear exception. The 2024 first-rounder has emerged as the team’s top weapon, racking up 53 catches for 619 yards and six touchdowns in just 10 games. After missing October with a knee injury, Bowers returned with a bang - a 12-catch, 127-yard, 3-touchdown explosion against Jacksonville - and he’s been a steady presence since.
But if there’s a defensive unit built to handle a tight end like Bowers, it’s this Eagles group. Fangio’s scheme has been lights-out against tight ends all season.
Opposing TEs have managed just 51 catches for 428 yards and three scores - the fewest yards allowed to the position in the league. The linebacking corps and safeties have done an excellent job taking away the middle of the field, and they’ll need to stay sharp against Bowers, who’s as dangerous after the catch as he is in traffic.
Eagles Defensive Line vs. Raiders Offensive Line: Advantage Philly
The Eagles’ defensive front is coming off a dominant outing, piling up seven sacks and 28 pressures against the Chargers. It was a group effort - Jaelan Phillips, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, and others all got in on the action - and they’ll be licking their chops again this week.
Why? Because the Raiders’ offensive line has been a turnstile.
They’ve allowed a league-high 50 sacks and are giving up pressure on over a third of their dropbacks. The tackle duo of Stone Forsythe and DJ Glaze has been especially vulnerable:
- Forsythe (LT): 10 sacks, 33 pressures in 10 games
- Glaze (RT): 7 sacks, 36 pressures in 13 games
With the Raiders forced to throw - and likely playing from behind - this is a prime opportunity for the Eagles’ pass rush to feast. As long as they shut down a nonexistent run game, they’ll have free rein to pin their ears back and go hunting.
Fred Johnson vs. Maxx Crosby: A Tall Task on the Edge
If Lane Johnson misses his fourth straight game with a Lisfranc sprain, Fred Johnson will once again be tasked with protecting the right side - and he’ll be facing one of the best edge rushers in the game in Maxx Crosby.
Crosby has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Raiders. Through 13 games, he’s racked up 10 sacks, 18 QB hits, 25 tackles for loss, 63 total tackles, six batted passes, two forced fumbles, and even an interception. He’s also an ironman - playing 93% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps this season, just as he has in each of the past four years.
Crosby lines up predominantly on the left side of the defense - meaning it’ll be Johnson’s job to keep him at bay. That’s no small task, especially with Crosby’s relentless motor and ability to win with both speed and power. If the Eagles want to keep Jalen Hurts upright and the offense on schedule, they’ll need a solid showing from Johnson or extra help from tight ends and backs in protection.
Saquon Barkley vs. Raiders' Stacked Front
It hasn’t been a vintage season for Saquon Barkley, but he showed flashes of his old self Monday night with his second 100-yard game of the year. And it couldn’t have come at a better time - the Eagles’ run game is finally starting to find some rhythm.
The Raiders’ run defense is middle-of-the-pack statistically, allowing 113.9 yards per game and 18 rushing touchdowns. But here’s the twist: they’re selling out to stop the run.
According to NFL NextGen Stats, Las Vegas uses a stacked box (eight or more defenders) on 50.5% of their snaps - the highest rate in the NFL by a wide margin. For context, the next closest team is the Browns at 37.6%.
That kind of commitment to the run might help explain why the numbers aren’t worse, but it also opens up opportunities for play-action and quick passes over the middle. Barkley will have to earn his yards the hard way, but if the Eagles can get him into space - or force the Raiders to back off - he could be the key to keeping the offense balanced.
Dallas Goedert vs. Raiders Pass Defense: Strength on Strength
Dallas Goedert was one of the few bright spots in Monday night’s loss, hauling in eight catches for 78 yards. He’s now up to 48 receptions for 481 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, and with four games to go, he’s tracking toward one of his best statistical years.
But he’ll be facing a Raiders defense that, like the Eagles, has been stingy against tight ends. They’ve allowed just 487 yards and three touchdowns to the position all season - third-fewest in the league.
This is a classic strength-on-strength battle. Goedert has been a reliable target for Jalen Hurts, especially in the red zone, and his ability to find soft spots in zone coverage could be a difference-maker. The Raiders may key in on him, but if he can win his matchups, it’ll open things up for the rest of the receiving corps.
Final Thought
This is a game the Eagles are expected to win - and win convincingly. But the NFL doesn’t hand out wins for expectations.
With the Raiders reeling and likely starting a backup quarterback behind a porous offensive line, this is the kind of matchup where the Eagles’ defense can take over. If the offense avoids mistakes and capitalizes on its mismatches - especially in the trenches - Philly should walk out of Lincoln Financial Field with its ninth win and momentum heading into the final stretch.