The Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons will start off the 2015 NFL season with the first Monday Night Football game. To say the least, there's plenty of interest surrounding both. Offseason acquisitions Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray will run the show for the Eagles, while new head coach Dan Quinn is looking to revamp Atlanta's defense in 2015. To top it all off, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly made his fair share of big moves this offseason, but the question now becomes, will they pay off?
Here are three keys to the game for both the Steelers and the Patriots.
EAGLES:
1. Attack the middle of the field
The Falcons were one of the worst defenses against the pass over the middle of the field in 2014, and this was in large part due to the poor pass coverage of middle linebacker Paul Worrilow. Quinn brings in a new scheme, but Worrilow is projected to play a major role again in the middle of the field. The Eagles already do an excellent job attacking the middle zone with crossing routes and designed passes to the halfback, and they will want to increase the volume in this area in Week 1.
2. Shut down the running game first
The key to every Kyle Shanahan offense is the running game. Shanahan has installed his zone-blocking scheme that attacks the outside zones and cutback lanes, and he will lean heavily on rookie running back Tevin Coleman. Already one of the fastest backs to suit up in Week 1, the Eagles' linebackers will have to concentrate on playing contain on the edges and in the cutback zones of the field.
3. Don't be afraid to give extra defensive attention to Julio Jones
The Eagles made free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell one of the richest defensive backs in the league this offseason, and they have hinted that they might use him to shadow opposing No. 1 receivers at times in 2015. This is not the game to do it. In Shanahan's offense, the "X" wide receiver is heavily targeted, and that man is Julio Jones. The Falcons will look to get Jones going often because they have unproven talent at the skill positions in addition to a 34-year-old Roddy White. The Eagles would be smart to take him away and force the Falcons to go another route.
FALCONS:
1. Test Sam Bradford
Bradford hasn't played in a regular season game since Oct. 20, 2013. Will there be rust? Maybe. If there isn't, the Falcons need to find out. This is a defense that gave up the most yards in 2014 with 6,372. The unit also gave up 26.1 points per game, which ranked it No. 27 in the league as well. The defense is going to have a new look under Quinn, but in order to win this game, it will need to slow Philadelphia's offense. Specifically, the Falcon defense must test Bradford and attempt to shake his confidence early.
2. Don't force it to Julio Jones
It's obvious that Jones will be the best receiver on the field. With that said, Matt Ryan simply can't force the ball to hims. As talented as he is, the Eagles are likely to focus in on attempting to slow him down. Jones will get plenty of catches and a whole lot of looks, but Ryan needs to be willing to check down and make the easy pass if the opening isn't there to get it to his star receiver.
3. Don't give up on the run game
The Falcons have named rookie running back Tevin Coleman their starter, which makes for an interesting storyline. Regardless, the team still has Devonta Freeman, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, as well as home run-hitter Antone Smith. Atlanta can't let this matchup against the Eagles turn into a shootout, so controlling the clock and playing smart is the best way to win this one. Expect a heavy dose of Coleman, Freeman and Smith.
