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PHI at IND: 3 things you need to know

Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE / Reuters

After dropping their season opener to the Denver Broncos, the Indianapolis Colts return home to host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.

[Courtesy: PhiladelphiaEagles.com]

Here are three things you need to know...

Fumbling Foles

The Eagles struggled mightily in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, falling behind 17-0. Nick Foles lost fumbles on Philadelphia's first two possessions (he had two all of last season) and was sacked five times.

Foles eventually pulled it together, finishing 27-of-45 for 322 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as the Eagles scored 34 unanswered points. Still, it was a disappointing start for a quarterback coming off a near-perfect 2013 campaign.

"I was definitely inaccurate on a few throws, and you just have to keep playing through them," Foles said Wednesday after watching film of his performance, via CSNPhilly.com. "But when you watch it on film, it sort of excites me in the sense that it's correctable.

"It's not something where there's nothing you can do about it. All the stuff I saw on film is very correctable. We'll work on it throughout the week. There's always something to correct, you come out here and work on it and you try to get better."

Colts pass-rushers under pressure

The loss of linebacker Robert Mathis to a season-ending Achilles injury dealt a serious blow to the Colts' pass rush, as they must now rely on second-year linebacker Bjoern Werner and a number of other unproven players to create pressure. 

Mathis had a career-high 19.5 sacks for the Colts last season, and while his four-game suspension was unfortunate, it was at least manageable. Now that he is out for the entire season, Indianapolis must scramble to find a long-term solution.

Werner is the most likely candidate to replace Mathis, as he was expected to start the first four games of the season anyway. He managed just 2.5 sacks in his rookie season, but had an impressive training camp and preseason. 

Head coach Chuck Pagano said the team will consider all options, so it's possible they could look outside the organization for help.

Offensive line woes

Philadelphia's biggest question mark entering Monday's game is its offensive line, as Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis and starting right tackle Allen Barbre were both placed on injured reserve Tuesday. 

Mathis will not be eligible to play for the next eight weeks as he recovers from an MCL sprain, while Barbre, who was filling in for the suspended Lane Johnson, is out for the remainder of the season with a high-ankle sprain.

David Molk replaced Mathis at left guard in Week 1, but given his limited experience at the position, the Eagles will likely look elsewhere this week. Andrew Gardner is expected to get the nod at right tackle once again. 

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