The Eagles are engulfed in the most difficult phase of their 2021 schedule and as the Birds work to avoid falling to 1-4 on the season, we had some questions about their Week 5 opponent.

We sat down with The Panthers Wire for five questions about Matt Rhule, Sam Darnold, Philadelphia’s own D.J. Moore, and a final prediction.

1.

Oct 3, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Rhule seems to have reinvigorated Sam Darnold thus far and he has a history of successful reclamation projects. What has Rhule done to help Darnold turn the corner? What role has Joe Brady played in Darnold’s ascension?

A new environment has done Darnold well thus far.

In addition to the stronger coaching structure he has to lean on in Rhule and Brady, the fourth-year quarterback easily has the most help he’s ever had on a football field. It must be pretty nice to look up at DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Christian McCaffrey as your targets.

But, from a finer standpoint, the key has been the expectations set on Darnold by the staff. Even though he has the big arm and, apparently, the athleticism with his league-leading five rushing scores, the Panthers aren’t asking him to be the second coming of Cam Newton.

They don’t need Darnold to put the whole franchise on his back. They’ve only needed him to be good enough, whether that means making the easy throws or just protecting the rock.

2.

Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore reportedly is holding out of mandatory minicamp.
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Is Stephon Gilmore a one-year rental, or will he usher in a new era of dominant Panthers cornerback play when paired with Jaycee Horn?

Nobody knows for sure, even Carolina and Gilmore themselves. As stated by both he and general manager Scott Fitterer, the soon-to-be free agent is going to allow the rest of the 2021 season to play out. The two sides will then go from there.
But there is very much a possibility he re-ups with his hometown squad come this offseason. Fitterer has promoted a culture of taking care of the organization’s own. If Gilmore helps the younger defensive backs grow and proves to still be one of the game’s best, the Panthers may not mind opening their wallet.

3.

Oct 3, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (95) against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of defense, the Panthers are quickly ascending and currently have one of the NFL’s top units. Where has the transformation come from?

The ascension can be attributed to a heck of a plan, one that actually came together a year quicker than initially thought.

That started with the maturity of their key cornerstones—defensive linemen Brian Burns and Derrick Brown and defensive backs Donte Jackson, Jeremy Chinn and even Jaycee Horn. And when they’re growing up alongside very good veteran talent in linebacker Shaq Thompson and another pair of linemen in Haason Reddick and Morgan Fox, that helps makes for a deep pool of versatile talent.

Defensive coordinator Phil Snow, as a result, has been able to dip into that pool in orchestrating his unit. His flexible approach, a method that has benefitted from their players’ versatility, has allowed him to present a myriad of different looks and alignments to opposing offenses.

4.

Oct 3, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore (2) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

DJ Moore is a Philly guy. What does he bring to the Panthers’ offense?

Moore, quite simply, brings life to the group.

While many may make the simple comparison to franchise legend Steve Smith Sr., the fourth-year wideout is much more of the Percy Harvin variety. He’s essentially a receiver in a running back’s body, as he utilizes those elements of balance, deceptive footwork, and durability you normally get in rushers.

Everyone in and around the organization has known, for quite some time, that Moore is a star in the making. It seems as though 2021 is the year everyone else finds that out.

5.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) runs the ball during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

5. Who wins and why?

Philadelphia isn’t as sluggish as their 1-3 start may imply, especially when those losses came against San Francisco, Dallas, and Kansas City. So this one should be closer than most might think.
But we’ll trust that ascending and versatile defense of Carolina to bounce back against an already shaky Philly trench that’ll be without Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks on the right side.