The Eagles have to rebound from their tough Monday night loss. The good news is they’re at home, the bad news is it’s the Rams, and the worse news is that they are now down some key players on both sides of the ball due to injuries. This will be a tough win if it is a win at all, and there’s one big way an Eagles rookie can help the team get there.
OK, Makai Lemon, let’s see what you’ve got.
DeVonta Smith is out. Hollywood Brown is out. Not only does this put unique pressure on Makai Lemon to step up, but also (hopefully) means the Eagles need
to use him more like a real receiver.
Dontayvion Wicks is having a strong season and will be the Eagles’ top target. I expect Lemon to line up everywhere like he normally has done, but to receive far more looks. With three weeks under his belt, Lemon should be up to speed on the playbook.
The question is: how does he fare with defenses not worrying about smith? Can he create separation as a route runner and/or make tough catches against tight coverage? The Eagles offense really needs Sean Mannion to trust him to do more, and for Lemon to show he can do more.
Other Storylines
- With Fred Johnson out, Markel Bell is the Eagles’ swing tackle. If the Eagles want to go really heavy in this game to offset their lack of wide receivers, maybe we see Bell on the field.
- Eli Stowers is eligible to return from injured reserve after this game. Let’s hope he is ready to contribute at some level since Dallas Goedert is still injured and the rest of the tight ends are providing very little.
