Week 13 may be the most difficult game the Philadelphia Eagles will play all season. They take the M&T Bank field to face the Baltimore Ravens. Fans of both teams will witness a fantastic head-to-head matchup.
The matchups and subplots in this one are endless. We'll focus on one of the more obvious. The offensive backfields are fantastic.
The QBs are among the best dual threats. The RBs are competing with one another for the NFL's rushing title. They won't be on the field at the same time, but Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley duke it out with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
So, who will prevail?
Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson are among the NFL's elite tier of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Jalen Hurts may never get the respect he deserves. He's aware of that, but instead of letting it ruin his development or psyche, he feeds off of it. Through 11 games, he has thrown for 2,376 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has also produced the best career completion percentage and passer ratings of his career.
On the ground, he's been just as deadly. He has added another 456 yards and 11 touchdowns to this season's resume. He is constructing big plays as both a passer and scrambler.
During the game that began the current winning streak, Hurts threw a beautiful 40-yard pass to A.J. Brown. That secured the win against the Cleveland Browns. In Week 8 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, he offered a season-high 132.5 passer rating.
One week later, he threw a beautiful touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. That one came during a 3rd and 22 scenario. He shredded the Dallas Cowboys with 202 yards passing, 56 yards rushing, and four total touchdowns. Overall, he boasts a 45-22 record (including five playoff games) and has recently led the Eagles to a 7-0 record since bye week.
MVP candidate Lamar Jackson is also playing some of his best football. He leads the league in passing yards (3,053) and touchdown passes (27). His QB rating (75.9) and passer rating (117.9) are also tops in the NFL.
No one has to be reminded that Lamar is an elite rusher. He has run for 599 yards and three touchdowns. Baltimore hasn't enjoyed its bye week yet that comes after Sunday, but so far, Jackson hasn't looked fatigued or matched by anyone.
Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry race towards rushing title.
Stop us if you have heard this. The Eagles and Ravens both field elite running backs. Both are among the best in the game. Both are vying for the NFL's rushing title. Following Monday Night Football, Derrick Henry asked Saquon Barkley to "slow his (expletive) down".
There aren't enough positive words to describe Barkley and his impact on Philadelphia's offense. He played the best game of his career in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Barkley notched 255 rushing yards and set a franchise single-game record while doing so. He has already notched 1,392 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season. We'd like to see him end this streak of QBas winning the MVP trophy.
Before that happens, Barkley must keep Derrick Henry at arm's length. The King is 67 yards behind the former New York Giant and eager to place his name back at the top of the pecking order.
Henry has grit, and he's difficult to tackle. Heck, as big and as powerful as he is, why would anyone want to try? Eye-popping moments are certain when the Eagles meet the Ravens on Sunday. Both employ unique styles and techniques on offense. Philadelphia enters this match as a 2.5-point underdog.
We'll just have to see about that, won't we?
