EAGLES 26 – Commanders 18
EAGLES STATS:
Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (18/28– 64.2 – 221 – 0 – 0)
Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (26 – 146 – 5.6 – 2 – 0)
Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (8 – 5 – 65 – 13.0 – 0)
Drive Killer: S Reed Blankenship (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (3way tie) (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3)
Special Teams Ace: TE Dallas Goedert (5 – 5 – 61 – 12.2 – 0) Onside kick recovery
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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: COMMANDERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run ‘Em Down: I said lean on the run. We did it. We ran the ball 40 times and threw it 28. I said do it, even if it’s not working early. We did it. And eventually the Commanders ran out of gas and were gashed for a 23 yard TD, followed by a 39 yard TD run. Those two scores are what won us the game.
I called for 30 non-QB runs in this one, and we hit that number exactly on the head. I said Barkley needs to go over his typical 22 carries and he logged 26. We stuck to our guns in this one, and were rewarded for it in the end. (DONE)
2) Torment Single-high Coverage: We really didn’t get anywhere close to this one. While Washington didn’t give us a lot of Single-high looks, when they did, the routes seemed to shy away from exploiting it. Which is what helped make things more difficult for Saquon early on. (NOT DONE)
3) Hit Their Quarterback: You know what’s hard to heal while playing football, every week? Broken ribs. Especially on a frame without much padding. I had my suspicions that QB Jayden Daniels (22/32 – 68.8% – 191 – 1 – 1) would still look labored while playing and this game absolutely confirmed what I thought.
We sacked him three times, and hit him a bunch more. When he ran the ball, instead of being a weapon, he was almost a liability (7 – 18 – 2.57 – 0 – 0). He also threw a number of passes that hit the ground short of their target. (DONE)
4) Jump A Couple of Short Passes: Oh yeah! LB Zack Baun (14 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) had a nice pass breakup of a crossing route over the middle with a diving swat. And while it wasn’t exactly a “short” route, Reed Blankenship’s interception out of Robber Coverage, was a TEXTBOOK example of jumping a route.
A few more picks like that, and more opposing QB’s will start holding the ball longer, simply because they don’t trust their eyes. This game helped to set a beautiful precedent. (DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4 things. If not for the sluggish start, this game could have been a runaway. Regardless, we got the ‘W’. Now we get a little extra rest, and prepare for the Rams not tomorrow, but the following Sunday night. That’s right, kiddies! It’s a prime time game. So those of us with a gray hair or two, may want to get a nap around 2:00. Wake up around 6 and have some chili. Damn. I have a plan now.
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Game Hero: RB Saquon Barkley – The team kept hammering him into the defense. Not like the slashing blade, but like the pommel of a sword. Beating, and badgering forward, stubbornly. We made it a war of attrition, and we just kept hitting Washington in the ribs.
We worked the body until the head came down, and once it was exposed, Saquon JFK’ed them. Twice. He scored on a 23 yard run off the right side; and a 39 yarder directly through their heart. If I hadn’t already turned off my conscience, I would have felt bad for the poor Redsk- oops! Commanders.
Game goat: K Jake Elliott – (2/4 FG, 2/3 XP) That’s seven points that he LEFT on the field. Three kicks that went wide left of the uprights. Three in a row! It wasn’t particularly windy. His LS and Holder were the same as always. He just was off. And stayed off for too long.
On The Whole: Believe it or not, unlike most, I have not spent the season harping on the team’s slow starts. However….
Look, this is a problem that needs to be solved. We are seven games away from the playoffs. That caliber of team will not just let us up for air, if we find ourselves drowning 3 – 10, in the third quarter. We have got to get better at hurting opponents early.
That said, let’s get to enjoying being in first place.
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