Yes, it’s the same for both teams. But the Panthers and Eagles will have a tough task all around Thursday when they try and best eachother to earn win No. 5 in Week 6.
On a typical week, Monday would be a day to study film, Tuesday would be the players day off, Wednesday-Friday would be practice days and Saturday would be a walkthrough ahead of gameday Sunday.
This week, the teams have to do all of that in three days.
“You have a short couple of days and you can’t prepare and do the things like you would on a normal week,” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said. “But it’s about the players and how healthy and rested can I get the players with only a couple days before travel. We got to get on a plane later today and travel and making sure that they’re doing and I’m doing everything in their behalf to make sure they’re fresh for Thursday night.”
The Eagles had a walkthrough type of day on Monday and have hit the field for practice Tuesday and Wednesday. There won’t be a lot of time to study the Panthers on film (luckily, as Jim Schwartz says, their scheme is a lot like their Week 2 opponent’s the Chiefs) nor will injured Eagles like Wendell Smallwood or Lane Johnson have much time to recooperate. Instead it will be football based on instinct and limited prep work.
“You have to be extra prepared,” Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount said Sunday after a 34-7 win against the Cardinals. “You have to make sure that you stay locked in and know that you have a game within the next few days… Me myself, I’m going to start tonight. We have to make sure that we gather all the information that we can gather about them with such a short time period.”
The short time to prepare almost overshadows the fact that this is a battle between arguably two of the best three teams in the NFC. The winner will have a big lead in their respective division — so perhaps less time to worry about the high stakes the better.
“It is great for us. It is great talent for us. We are getting better,” Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills said of the Thursday Night slate. “At the same time, this is a big challenge. They are 4-1, we are 4-1. Let the best team win.”
