Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Ravens will feature two of the top running backs in the game: LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice.

Both are in their primes, and both got paid this offseason. McCoy got a six-year, $46.5M deal, with $20.8M guaranteed. Rice got a five-year deal worth $35M, including $24M guaranteed.

So how do they stack up? Here’s a look.

Here are 10 things to know about the matchup between the Eagles’ defense and the Ravens’ offense Sunday afternoon. We’ll go over the Eagles’ offense and Baltimore’s D on Friday.

Every Thursday we select a few of your Twitter questions and provide the long-form answers they deserve. For a chance to have your question published on Birds 24/7, send it to @Tim_McManus.

Let’s start with 97.5 The Fanatic Phillies beat reporter Pat Gallen, who is demonstrating his multitasking skills by both documenting the Phils’ improbable rise from the ashes and submitting Eagles questions for the mailbag at the same time.

Michael Vick and Jason Kelce do extra film study together for about a half hour each week, usually on Fridays, to help ensure they are on the same page when it comes to pass protection. They are working out the kinks of a new set-up where the center and quarterback share responsibility at the line of scrimmage for identifying what the defense is doing and aligning the protection accordingly.

While the duo was in lockstep for the most part, they did hit a snag.

A thin wide receiving corps takes another hit.

Andy Reid revealed that DeSean Jackson will not practice Thursday afternoon because of a sore hamstring. No other details were immediately given.

Jeremy Maclin (hip) will also sit out of practice.

Here are observations on the Eagles’ offense after having looked at the All-22 coaches’ tape. DeSean Jackson had an impact even when he wasn’t catching the football.

If you missed the take on the defense, click here.

The NFL gave football geeks everywhere our wish this offseason, announcing it would release All-22 coaches’ film to the public (for a small fee, of course).

Unlike TV footage, the All-22 angles account for every player on the field on any given play.

I took a look at the coaches’ tape and came away with some new observations from Sunday’s Eagles-Browns game. We’ll start with the defense here and post offensive observations next.

Mike Freeman of CBS Sports, after talking to various assistants and scouts around the league, draws the conclusion that the book is out on Michael Vick. 

One unnamed scout supposedly told him: “No one is scared of Mike Vick anymore.”

As we mentioned earlier, Jeremy Maclin did not practice today.

Meanwhile, safety Kurt Coleman (facial lacerations), wide receiver Riley Cooper (fractured collarbone) and cornerback Curtis Marsh (hamstring) were limited. Andy Reid has already ruled Cooper out for Sunday’s game against the Ravens. Coleman was in the locker room before practice and sounded like he fully expected to play.

Ray Lewis watched the Eagles-Browns game live, wanting to get an early look at two teams coming up on the Ravens schedule. He saw Michael Vick throwing off-balanced and across his body and struggling for much of the day. That is not the quarterback he anticipates seeing Sunday in Philadelphia.

“I think you come in and you play the same guy, but you know there is that spectacular guy with the football that can throw the ball 80 yards, that can run the ball out of the pocket, that can make you miss and can make incredible plays out of the pocket,” said Lewis. “That’s what we have to prepare for.”

Andy Reid on Wednesday was asked to clear up a gray area when it comes to this Eagles offense. Once and for all, who is calling the plays?

“Marty [Mornhinweg] does,” said Reid. “He does a good with that. The thing we have is have great communication during the game. We keep things wide open.”

There you go. If you are looking to assign blame for the decision to throw the ball 56 times against the Browns, the offensive coordinator owns a good chunk of that.

Michael Vick was asked about the aerial show on Sunday, and whether he prefers it that way or would like the running backs to carry more of the load.

“I think we could balance it out a little bit,” said Vick.

Andy Reid did not have any particular interest in discussing the failed marriage between the Eagles and Jaiquawn Jarrett.

“With J.J., I really don’t have anything to say. I have respect for the kid. I know he’s going to hook on with a team that probably plays a little more his style in the secondary,” said Reid. “I know he’ll do a great job. The kid’s all class.”

Jeremy Maclin’s status for Sunday’s home opener against the Ravens is up in the air, but he won’t practice today, Andy Reid said.

“He’s actually made progress here over the last couple days so that’s a good thing,” Reid said. “He’s feeling better. I wouldn’t list him as out today. That’s now how I’d list him, but he’s not going to practice.”

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is downplaying the severity of safety Ed Reed‘s hamstring strain.

“Everybody’s fine,” he said via the Baltimore Sun. “Nothing serious with anybody.”

Reed injured the right hamstring during — what else — an interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati. In the process, Reed became the all-time NFL leader in career interception-return yards (1,497), topping Rod Woodson.

Time to check in on what the national media are saying about the Eagles this week. You probably could have guessed, but Michael Vick and Andy Reid are the focus of criticism around the country. Here’s the roundup.