Eagles vs. Panthers: What's the Game Plan for Philadelphia?

The Philadelphia Eagles take on the Carolina Panthers this weekend in Sunday night's prime-time clash as both teams fight to stay at the top of their respective divisions.

The Eagles defeated the Giants 27-7 last Monday night to take pole position in the NFC East. With the win Philadelphia is now 3-3 and boasts the same record as New York after both teams started with two losses. The Dallas Cowboys sit just behind at 2-3, and the Washington Redskins bring up the rear with four losses.

The Panthers come into Week 7 with an undefeated record through five games. Carolina scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 27-23 last weekend. The Panthers sit atop the NFC South, but the Atlanta Falcons are right behind with only one loss so far this season.

Sunday night at Bank of America Stadium will determine a lot for both teams' prospects this season in tight divisional races. Philadelphia comes into this week following two consecutive wins and needs the offense to take a step forward in order to win away from home.

Offensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's offense is still struggling for consistency so far this season, but its best performances stem from a strong running game.

In the Eagles' three wins on the year, they've averaged 154.7 yards on the ground. Philadelphia only gained 52.3 yards on the ground in losses to Atlanta, Dallas and Washington. They come into the weekend following two straight home victories in which DeMarco Murray played a major role.

The Eagles signed Murray this offseason following the departure of former star running back LeSean McCoy. The former Cowboy finally showed his potential in Chip Kelly's offense this past weekend against the Giants.

Murray gained 109 yards and scored a touchdown on 22 carries last week against New York. The tailback is known for his downhill running style, and last week Kelly found a way to utilize his skill set in shotgun running formations.

The Panthers provide a tough challenge this weekend, as their opponents only average 96.6 yards per game on the ground. This stout rush defense is due in large part to defensive tackles Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei and inside linebacker Luke Kuechly.

The defensive strengths of Carolina could prove difficult for the Eagles, but last week showed Murray is finding holes behind Philadelphia's offensive line. His ability to hit the hole fast and then bounce it outside in the second level could be effective against the Panthers.

Last week may have been Murray's first 100-yard rushing game in Philadelphia, but the talented tailback also showed signs of a breakout the week before with 83 yards on 20 carries against New Orleans. Kelly utilizes all three tailbacks throughout the game, but Murray receives the majority of the workload.

In order to earn a victory Sunday night, Kelly needs to stay committed to the running attack and maintain a balanced offensive strategy. A multifaceted attack will keep the defense honest and open space up for the passing game. 

Defensive Game Plan

Philadelphia's defense has exceeded expectations so far this season, but it will face a unique challenge this weekend against Cam Newton and the Panthers.

Defensive coordinator Billy Davis will need to game-plan to limit Newton's effectiveness, and it starts with shutting down Greg Olsen. The tight end is the best weapon in Newton's arsenal, and Carolina's offense depends on him because it lacks a true top wide receiver.

Olsen showed his ability to come up big in clutch situations last week with a 26-yard touchdown reception to give the Panthers the lead against the Seahawks with less than a minute remaining. The University of Miami product finished with seven catches for 131 yards and the touchdown against Seattle.

Philadelphia may struggle to limit Olsen, who provides an interesting matchup problem. The Eagles are thin at inside linebacker with injuries to Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans, and Carolina will likely target this area Sunday night.

The Giants marched down the field against Philadelphia's defense last week and scored a touchdown. New York consistently targeted Philadelphia's linebackers and exploited them in coverage.

Olsen naturally causes mismatches as he is too fast and athletic for linebackers and too big and physical for defensive backs. In order to keep the tight end in check, the Eagles will need to dedicate extra attention to the playmaker.

In previous weeks, Davis focused his defensive game plan on stopping dynamic wide receivers such as Brandon Marshall and Odell Beckham Jr. Philadelphia blanketed the other team's primary target by using a cornerback underneath and providing cover with a safety over the top.

In order to limit Olsen and slow down Carolina's offense, Philadelphia will need to employ a similar tactic Sunday. The Eagles should use another linebacker to slow the tight end down and then Malcolm Jenkins or Walter Thurmond as protection.

Key Players and Matchups

Philadelphia traded for Sam Bradford this offseason from the St. Louis Rams, and he has not lived up to expectations so far this season. While the quarterback shows flashes of potential, he still makes too many bad decisions that hinder the offense's momentum.

Bradford struggled to take care of the ball as he threw nine interceptions in the first six games of the season. Peyton Manning leads the NFL with 10 interceptions on the year, and Matthew Stafford is tied with Bradford's total.

In a new offense with a lot of new personnel this season, some of Bradford's turnovers come from a lack of continuity, while others result from just poor throws. Last week against New York, he threw three interceptions in an ugly battle with a division rival.

Meanwhile, Carolina's defensive backs will look to take advantage of Bradford's mistakes. Josh Norman leads the NFL, along with Charles Woodson and Mike Adams, with four interceptions on the year. The cornerback may force Bradford to hesitate as he goes through his reads.

Kelly and the Eagles shifted to a more dynamic passing game in the past few games, and a lot of their play-calling stems from well-timed shots downfield. Bradford connected with Riley Cooper for a touchdown on a deep pass last week off play action, but he also underthrew receivers several times.

One of Bradford's interceptions last week came from an attempt to find tight end Zach Ertz in the end zone. However, the quarterback underthrew his target, and safety Landon Collins came down with the pick. If Bradford short-arms passes against Norman, the 27-year-old will make the quarterback pay. Norman has the ability to rise up and make a play on the ball like a receiver.

Bradford also threw a poor interception last week when he was not on the same page as Cooper. The wide receiver stopped running his route, but Bradford let the ball fly deep into the secondary for an easy interception. Norman has already returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season, and the former Oklahoma quarterback cannot afford to give the cornerback any easy chances.

Philadelphia's offense scored 27 points last week and 39 points the week before, despite Bradford's turnovers. Against a stiff defense this week, the quarterback can ill afford to make mistakes and leave possible points on the board.

Prediction

Philadelphia comes into Week 7 at the top of the NFC East after climbing back from its 0-2 start to season, but the Eagles will face their toughest competition yet this weekend.

Carolina hit the ground running in 2015 and is still rolling with five wins and zero losses. Doubts about the strength of competition plagued the Panthers until they defeated the Seahawks last week in dramatic fashion.

The Eagles are gaining momentum on their season, and some of it comes from their ability to make the big play on either offense or defense. Last week Philadelphia's defense forced three turnovers, and offensively the Eagles tried to take a few deep shots downfield.

Cooper emerged as a target for Bradford in Philadelphia's deep passing attack. Cooper changed the game last week against the Giants, as he made a difficult catch in traffic to reel in the 43-yard touchdown grab.

Against Washington, the University of Florida product made a similar impact as Bradford connected with him for a 72-yard touchdown score. However, Cooper is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with a knee injury, according to Philadelphia's injury report. But if the wide receiver is able to play, look for him to make a big play on the few play-action passing attempts for the Eagles.

However, Carolina provides a unique threat for Philadelphia this week as Newton is starting to enter the conversation for the NFL's MVP. With few weapons around him, he is putting up points and leading his team to victory.

Newton is also a different kind of threat for the Eagles because he utilizes both his arm and legs effectively. Philadelphia did not have to worry about the quarterback run against the likes of Eli Manning and Drew Brees, but it will have to keep an eye on Newton. The former Heisman winner has run for 225 yards and three touchdowns through five games this season.

Newton's ability to run the ball does not take away from his ability to throw the rock around the field. The 26-year-old also has 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns through the air this season.

Philadelphia's defense is outperforming expectations, and the offense is slowly seeing progress, but Carolina is producing on both sides of the ball consistently. The Panthers will win the turnover battle and come away with their sixth win of the season, as Philadelphia falls to 3-4 on Sunday night. 

Prediction: Panthers 24, Eagles 17