The Panthers are an entirely different challenge for the Eagles and not just because they're 5-0.
On top of Carolina having the first mobile — and the most uniquely skilled — QB the Eagles will face this season, the quarterbacks of Carolina's defense also pose a threat. Chip Kelly didn't couch his admiration Thursday, calling the Panthers' linebacker tandem of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis the best on the Eagles' schedule.
Kuechly, who's had three straight 150-plus tackle seasons, returned from a concussion in the Panthers' four-point win over the Seahawks last Sunday and registered 14 tackles.
And the ageless Davis is still "one of the fastest linebackers in the league" at age 32, Kelly said Thursday, echoing an opinion held throughout the NFL. Davis is playing at an extremely high level in 2015, with two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and 44 tackles already.
"He's a true three-down linebacker," Kelly said of Davis. "He's sideline to sideline. One of the fastest linebackers in the league. And now with Kuechly back with him, that's why I said that pair is the best pair we're facing. They don't come off the field and they shouldn't come off the field.
"They can cover tight ends, they can cover running backs, they can cover sideline to sideline."
And that right there is what makes the Panthers' defense substantially different than the last two the Eagles have faced. The Saints had allowed the third-most yards per game to tight ends when the Eagles faced them, and the Giants have a weak pass rush, mediocre linebackers and a porous secondary.
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The Panthers have a stout defensive front led by DTs Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. They have a secondary headed by one of the game's elite, emerging cornerbacks in Josh Norman. They have two linebackers who are both capable of stifling Zach Ertz and the Eagles' stable of RBs.
That's significant because Sam Bradford loves throwing to his running backs. One-third of his 144 completions this season (47) have been to RBs.
In his 228 pass attempts this season, Bradford has targeted a running back 63 times. That's more than 10 throws per game to the running backs. The Eagles use DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles in the pass game to pick up easy chunks of yardage and first downs. It's a crucial component of an offense that did not find consistency in the running game until these last two weeks.
But against a tackler as sure as Kuechly and a LB as versatile and speedy as Davis, it will be more difficult for the backs and the tight ends to get open. Davis has the ability to stay with them in the seam, and Kuechly can jam at the line of scrimmage and cover as well.
"Probably the best pair in the league, honestly," Ertz said. "They're both very athletic, very instinctive players, so it's hard to fool them with run-action away and play-action passes. They can step out, whether it's a run or play-action pass.
"Both of those guys are tough against tight ends because they're very good athletes."
That makes it even more important for Bradford to get his receivers involved. He's done a better job of that lately, even though the QB himself struggled against the Giants. Riley Cooper has reemerged as a deep threat, Jordan Matthews continues to catch the intermediate balls, Miles Austin has hauled in some long passes, and Josh Huff stood out against the Saints.
That's got to continue on Sunday night, not only for the Eagles to beat the Panthers but also to adjust the way teams defend them.
Kelly said Thursday that the Eagles have faced man-to-man coverage 51 percent of the time this season, a staggering difference to last year's ratio of 60 percent zone, 40 percent man. If you recall, the Eagles faced about 60 percent man coverage in Kelly's first season and set records for big plays.
That led to defenses backing off in 2014 to eliminate the deep ball. But this season, with Jeremy Maclin gone and no true burners in the Eagles' receiving corps, teams have manned up against the Eagles because they don't deem any player worthy of double coverage. That helps the safeties play the ball and stop the run.
It's an important game for the wide receivers. The Panthers are allowing just 3.6 catches per game to tight ends and that's been without Kuechly most of the time.