Eagles v Patriots: Will the Starters Play.

Will the Starters Play?

When the Eagles fly into Foxborough to face off tonight against the Patriots, the question on everybody's mind is: Will the starters play?

The NFL switched from four games to three to bring more regular-season games to its fans, a shift that caused us to lose decades of data on team strategy for playing their starters in preseason.

Looking at week 2 last season, this was the week that most teams gave reps to their starters, before placing them on the bench the following week. While not all teams are going to deploy the same game plan with respect to their starting squad, it is our only data point.

If this trend holds true, we should finally get to see Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley together in the backfield, something NFL fans have been waiting for. If the starts do play, this game will feel more like a regular-season game at the beginning than a preseason one.

This weekend will be invaluable for fans wanting to see their favorite stars, another data point in the ever-changing sports landscape that is the preseason.

Psalm 23