Eagles-Raiders scouting report

Recent history: The Eagles defeated the Raiders, 23-20, at the Linc on Sept. 25, 2005. The series is tied, 5-5.

OFFENSE

Eagles

368.8 yards per game (8th)

Raiders

191.6 yards per game (32nd)

Quarterback

Eagles

Donovan McNabb's still-healing rib wasn't a problem for him last week as he threw for three touchdowns and had just five incompletions in 21 attempts against the Bucs. He is one of the best in the league at spreading the ball around and keeping opposing defenses off-balance.

Raiders

JaMarcus Russell plays like a deer in headlights even though he's in his third season. He's got a big arm, but isn't at all accurate, can't read coverages and holds on to the ball too long, which makes him a perfect target for the Eagles. He was sacked six times last week by the Giants and lost three fumbles.

Pick: Eagles

Running back

Eagles

Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy each got only eight touches last week as the Eagles ran just 48 offensive plays. That should change against a Raiders team that is last in the league in time of possession. Westbrook, who has just three runs of 8 yards or more, has yet to regain the explosiveness he had 2 years ago.

Raiders

The Raiders had planned to wear out teams with a rotation of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush. But Fargas got hurt early, and now McFadden, the best of the three, is out with a knee injury. Fargas is a strong, tackle-breaker with speed to the perimeter. Bush is a tackle-to-tackle runner.

Pick: Eagles

Receiver

Eagles

The Eagles' plethora of pass-catching weapons makes it difficult for a defense to focus on any one guy. Last week, the Bucs rolled their coverage toward DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin had six catches for 142 yards and two TDs. Eagles receivers have as many 100-yard games (five) as all of last year.

Raiders

All of the Raiders' wideouts are fast, but young and raw. Starters Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy both are rookies. Heyward-Bey has 4.29 speed, but just two catches. Tight end Zach Miller is the closest thing JaMarcus Russell has to a go-to guy. He's got good skills, can get open and make catches.

Pick: Eagles

Offensive Line

Eagles

This unit has managed to weather early injuries to LG Todd Herremans and RT Shawn Andrews fairly well. Eagles are ninth in the league in sacks allowed per pass play. But the run-blocking has been inconsistent. Take out the Wildcat and Donovan McNabb's scrambling and they're averaging 3.5 yards per carry.

Raiders

Injuries to LG Robert Gallery (broken fibula) and RT Cornell Green (calf strain) have weakened what was nothing more than a functional unit to begin with. All of the position juggling they've done has led to a string of protection breakdowns, and now they have to deal with the Eagles' blitz.

Pick: Eagles

DEFENSE

Eagles

272.3 yards per game (3rd)

Raiders

382 yards per game (31st)

Defensive line

Eagles

RE Trent Cole has been a force against the run and the pass. He's third on the team in tackles and has a team-high 3 1/2 sacks and four hurries. Rookie DT Antonio Dixon saw his most extensive playing time last week and was effective lining up over C Sean Mahan and getting penetration.

Raiders

This unit played well in the first couple of games, but has tailed off. Richard Seymour is by far their best lineman. He can play both the run and the pass and is most effective when they move him inside in nickel. LE Greg Ellis has a team-high four sacks, but is a liability against the run.

Pick: Eagles

Linebacker

Eagles

Jeremiah Trotter played 19 snaps last week, primarily on first down and in short-yardage situations, and looked like a guy who hadn't played in a while. It looks like Sean McDermott may give his LBs more blitz opportunities than Jim Johnson did. They've already got 3 1/2 sacks.

Raiders

This unit suffered a serious blow last week when SLB Ricky Brown went down with an ankle injury. His replacement, Jon Alston, is undersized and is no better than an average player from the line of scrimmage. WLB Thomas Howard is a very good all-around player. MLB Kirk Morrison is a very instinctive player.

Pick: Eagles

Secondary

Eagles

With Sean McDermott expected to blitz JaMarcus Russell at least as much as he did Josh Johnson last week, the corners will face a lot of one-on-one situations. Raiders TE Zach Miller is a good receiver, but won't present the speed problems for FS Macho Harris that Kellen Winslow did.

Raiders

Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the league's top two or three corners and quarterbacks don't often challenge him. That means a lot of action for their other corner, Chris Johnson, who is a big, physical player with pretty good speed. The Raiders have four good safeties.

Pick: Even

Special teams

Eagles

The coverage units haven't given up any long runs yet, but haven't been dominating, either. They're only 25th in kickoff coverage and 16th in punt coverage. PK David Akers is off to an excellent start. He has made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts. His only miss was a blocked 51-yarder in Week 1.

Raiders: P Shane Lechler and PK Sebastian Janikowski are one of the league's best kicking tandems. Lechler is averaging an NFL-best 52.4 yards per attempt. Janikowski is 7-for-7 on field-goal attempts. PR Johnnie Lee Higgins is only averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, but is a legitimate threat.

Pick: Raiders

Key Matchups

1. Eagles WR DeSean Jackson vs. Raiders RCB Nnamdi Asomugha: Asomugha is a shutdown corner whom teams generally throw away from. Jackson already has two 100-yard receiving games. Advantage: Raiders

2. Eagles RDE Trent Cole vs. Raiders LT Mario Henderson: Henderson is an athletic left tackle who will have his hands full against the high-motor Cole, who has a team-high 3 1/2 sacks. Advantage: Eagles

3. Eagles TE Brent Celek vs. SLB Jon Alston: Celek leads the Eagles in receptions. Alston is an undersized SAM who could have problems with the much-stronger Celek. Advantage: Eagles

Hot and Not

Hot

Eagles: WR Jeremy Maclin. Had six catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns in just his second NFL start.

Raiders: P Shane Lechler. Leads the league in both gross average (52.4) and net average (44.5).

Not

Eagles: RB LeSean McCoy. Rushed for just 14 yards on six carries in win over Bucs.

Raiders: QB JaMarcus Russell. Has a league-worst .421 completion percentage and has just one TD pass in 121 attempts.

DOMOWITCH'S PREDICTION:

Eagles 31, Raiders 9