EAGLES run over Rams.
EAGLES 37 – Rams 20
EAGLES STATS:
Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (15/22 – 68.1% – 179 – 1 – 0)
Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (26 – 255 – 9.8 – 2 – 0)
Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (7 – 6 – 109 – 18.1 – 1)
Drive Killer: LB Nakobe Dean (TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DT Milton Williams (Sacks: 2.0/ FF: 1/ Tackles: 2)
Special Teams Ace: TE Dallas Goedert 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: RAMS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Don’t Get Cute: As the second part of this key, I said that TE Dallas Goedert (5 – 4 – 19 – 4.7 – 0) should see eight targets in this game. He didn’t, because we were already killing them with the first part of this key. My exact words were: “We are a running team, and our rushing attack is led by RB Saquon Barkley. Stick to that.”
SHEESH! Did we ever! We ran for 314 yards and 3 TD’s. Our Offensive Line cut off backside pursuits, while providing holes big enough for a motorcycle. Saquon had a 70 yard touchdown run, on the first play of the second half; and a 72 yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter. He was hardly touched for either. This is unfair. I love it! (DONE)
2) Send the Dawgs: The Rams tried to scare us early, with their rushing attack. On their first drive, they notched 47 of the 92 rushing yards that they’d get all night. Then we forced a fumble and recovered it, ending that drive. As I said in FT, they can’t make a living on their run game, so they must lean on the pass (17 runs, 38 dropbacks).
So the call in FT, was to beat up on the opposing QB. Well, we sacked him four times, and knocked him down a bunch more. He didn’t turn the ball over, but we did get him to fumble, and kept him rattled to the tune of 0 for 8 on third down. (DONE)
3) Get An Early Touchdown: We got just one drive in the first quarter, and it became a field goal. (NOT DONE)
4) Blitz Over Their Right Tackle: I don’t recall a single edge blitz in this game. When we did blitz, it was through the middle. We didn’t really need to bring extra bodies, since our Front Four were doing such an effective job. (NOT DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. We need to solve our first quarter scoring issue. We can’t have a serious discussion about a deep playoff run, if we don’t. Playoff caliber teams will make short work of us.
Speaking of playoff caliber teams, our next match-up is a measuring stick against one. Specifically the Baltimore Ravens, who come in with the NFL’s #2 rusher. Take a guess at who’s #1.
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Game Hero: RB Saquon Barkley – (Admit it. That segue was Hall Of Fame worthy.) He piled up 255 rushing yards, on 26 carries, vs Hurts 22 pass attempts. He set an Eagles all-time rushing record for a single game, and he even showed off as a receiver (4 – 4 – 47 – 11.7 – 0), bringing his individual yardage total to 302 yards.
Game goat: Injuries – It was bad enough to lose CB Darius Slay (3 tackles) to a concussion; but losing DE Brandon Graham (2 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) to a torn tricep for the remainder of the season, was a stab in the belly. Finding out that the injury could be the epitaph of his career, was just twisting the knife.
On The Whole: Except for a few big plays by the Eagles, this game was largely a fist-fight in a phone-booth. The Rams seemed like they wanted to go toe-to-toe with us on that, but in the end, they simply didn’t have the stamina for it. Once a few of the LB’s were thrown out the club, they seemed to lose the desire to play tough.
Funny thing is, the Eagles were shorthanded with WR DeVonta Smith, out with a hammy. And it didn’t seem to disrupt much. We largely didn’t do anything fancy, and honestly, it felt like we were trying to milk the clock, from the moment we first got the ball.
It was a good, solid, no-nonsense win.
How the Eagles roll into Los Angeles:
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 