Eagles-Chargers scouting report

Recent history: The Eagles defeated the Chargers at the Linc on Oct. 23, 2005, 20-17. San Diego leads the series, 5-4.

Eagles: 338.5 yards per game (15th)

Chargers: 335.4 yards per game (17th)

Eagles: Donovan McNabb's been all over the map this season. He's had two games with 140-plus passer ratings (wins over Bucs and Giants) and two with sub-70 ratings (losses to Raiders and Cowboys). He's 29th in the league in fourth-quarter passing (51.6 completion percentage, 5.13 yards-per-attempt).

Chargers: With an unproductive ground game that is averaging just 3.1 yards, Chargers have become a throwing team, and Philip Rivers has responded. He's thrown 11 TD passes and just three INTs in the last five games. He's playing with a lot of confidence. His receivers know if they get open, he'll get the ball to them.

PICK: CHARGERS

Eagles: Injuries to Brian Westbrook have forced the Eagles to lean on rookie LeSean McCoy much more than they expected. McCoy is averaging 4.2 yards per carry, but has a tendency to dance too much. Westbrook, once one of the game's best pass-catching backs, is averaging just 7.6 yards per catch.

Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson isn't the same player he was before his knee injury and neither is his line. He's averaging just 3.2 yards per carry and has had more than 20 carries just once this season. Darren Sproles will get 6 to 8 touches from scrimmage and can hurt you in space.

PICK: EAGLES

Eagles: DeSean Jackson is the Eagles' most dangerous receiving weapon. But with defenses starting to double and bracket him, Donovan McNabb is going away from him. He's had more than five passes thrown in his direction just once in the last five games. The Cowboys had success jamming rookie Jeremy Maclin at the line.

Chargers: The Chargers have three big wideouts, who pose matchup problems for smaller corners. Vincent Jackson (6-5, 230) has developed into one of the league's top wideouts. He has great size, outstanding speed and good hands. TE Antonio Gates has a basketball player's feel for positioning.

PICK: CHARGERS

Eagles: Eagles have given up 21 sacks, just two fewer than they gave up all of last year. The big money they spent on LT Jason Peters and RG Stacy Andrews so far has paid few dividends. Peters has been inconsistent and can't seem to play four quarters without getting hurt, and Andrews has been a shell of his pre-torn-ACL self.

Chargers: This unit is the main reason Chargers are 32nd in the league in rushing. LT Marcus McNeill went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in '06, but hasn't played at that level for a while. C Scott Mruczkowski is big (6-5, 325), but could have problems dealing with the Eagles' A-gap blitzes.

PICK: CHARGERS

Eagles: 304.5 yards per game (10th)

Chargers: 309.8 yards per game (11th)

Eagles: With the Eagles suddenly missing two of their top four corners, they must get a consistent pass rush on Philip Rivers. They'll need to get inside push from their tackles to prevent Rivers from being able to step up and avoid outside rush of RE Trent Cole and LEs Juqua Parker and Jason Babin.

Chargers: The loss of Pro Bowl NT Jamal Williams was a big blow. His ability to get inside push was the key to the Chargers' pass-rush success off the edges, because QBs couldn't step up to avoid the rush. His replacement, ex-Eagle Ian Scott, is a lunch-bucket type of DT who is better-suited for a 4-3 than a 3-4.

PICK: EAGLES

Eagles: The Chargers put a lot of pressure on opposing LBs with their passing game. WLB Akeem Jordan (knee), the team's leading tackler and the guy who often would be matched up with RB Darren Sproles, probably won't play. That's going to force the Eagles to shuffle MLB Will Witherspoon to WILL and SLB Chris Gocong to the middle.

Chargers: Shawne Merriman has just four sacks, all in the last two games. He's not the dominant player he was before his knee injury. Both he and the other OLB, Shaun Phillips (five sacks), have been impacted by the loss of NT Jamal Williams. Without Williams, QBs have been able to step up in the pocket.

PICK: CHARGERS

Eagles: Ellis Hobbs' season-ending injury and Joselio Hanson's suspension have left the Eagles dangerously thin at CB. Hanson is one of the league's best slot corners, and Rivers is sure to test his inexperienced replacement, Dimitri Patterson. With the exception of FS Sean Jones, this unit will be at a major size disadvantage.

Chargers: CBs Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie are big and likely will try to jam the Eagles' two smaller wideouts. Cromartie is faster than Jammer, but is a gambler who can be fooled with double-moves. Jammer is more conservative and plays smart. Safeties Eric Weddle and Keith Ellison are not very good in coverage.

PICK: CHARGERS

Eagles: Ellis Hobbs' injury not only cut into the cornerback depth, but also cost the Eagles their top KR. DeSean Jackson is third in the league in PRs and will be going against the league's 31st-ranked punt-coverage unit. PK David Akers has just three misses in 19 FG attempts.

Chargers: Darren Sproles is one of the league's most dangerous return men. He's averaging 12.5 yards per attempt on PRs and 25.0 on KRs, and has a PR for a TD. P Mike Scifres is averaging 45.7 yards per attempt, but punt-coverage unit is second worst in the league (13.5). PK Nate Kaeding is one of the league's most accurate kickers (85.8 career accuracy rate).

PICK: CHARGERS

1. Eagles WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin vs. Chargers CBs Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer: Jackson and Maclin need to be factors for the Eagles to win. Cromartie and Jammer can be exploited if Donovan McNabb has time to throw deep. Advantage: Eagles

2. Eagles OTs Jason Peters and Winston Justice vs. Chargers OLBs Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips: Merriman and Phillips have combined for seven sacks in the last two games. Peters is playing on a bad ankle and Justice is unreliable. Advantage: Chargers

3. Eagles CBs Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown vs. Chargers WRs Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd: Samuel and Brown have combined for nine interceptions this season, but are going to have problems dealing with Jackson's and Floyd's size. Both are 6-5. Advantage: Chargers

HOT:

Eagles: DE Trent Cole. Has team-high 7 1/2 sacks, team-high 11 hurries and five tackles for losses.

Chargers: WR Vincent Jackson. Has 18 receptions for 303 yards and four TDs in the last three games. Had the game-winning TD catch Sunday vs. Giants.

NOT:

Eagles: QB Donovan McNabb. Has completed just 56.4 percent of his passes in the last four games and has been sacked 15 times in his last 124 attempts.

Chargers: RB LaDainian Tomlinson. Is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. Had 22 yards on 12 carries last week vs. Giants.

Chargers 31, Eagles 24