THE Eagles are solidly the NFL’s chiefs now.

EAGLES 20 – Chiefs 17

 

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (15/22 – 68.1% – 101 – 0 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (22 – 88 – 4.0 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (6 – 4 – 53 – 13.5 – 0)

Drive Killer: S Andrew Mukuba (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR:0 / 4^th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DT Moro Ojomo (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott (2/2 FG (2 from 50+), 2/2 XP)

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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: CHIEFS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Right Side, Strong Side: We didn’t do many shifts at all along the Defensive Line, but LB walks-ups? Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio, uncharacteristically leaned heavy on the blitz in this game. Rookie LB Jihaad Campbell (7 tackles) spent a lot of time not just walking up into the gap between the RDT and RDE, he also was sent on blitzes, and put hits on the opposing QB.

We collected 2 sacks in this game, and 1.5 came from the right side of our D-Line. Moro Ojomo (2 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) got a solo, and newly signed RDE Za’Darius Smith (4 – 0.5 – 0 – 0) helped finish a sack started by rookie Andrew Mukuba (6 – 0.5 – 1 – 0). We got what we needed and didn’t allow their QB to trust his blindside. (DONE)

2) Trigger Their PTSD: Like the Super Bowl, the Chiefs not only ran loaded boxes, but they ran run blitzes to stymie our run game. This was to expected. At least by me. The Eagles from Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo, to QB Jalen Hurts, seemed confused and surprised by it.

Instead of adjusting and calling hot routes and crosses, to get the ball out of Hurt’s hand and burn the blitz, it seemed like every route was for twenty yards or more. If Patullo adjusted his approach, or if Hurts had audibled a route here or there, it might have made our Offense’s night easier all around. (NOT DONE)

3) Much Smaller Cushions: CB Quinyon Mitchell (3 tackles) and NCB Cooper DeJean (8 tackles) seemed to get the memo. However, CB Adoree Jackson (1 tackle) continued to be a fucking liability out there. We should just cut him, and if CB Kelee Ringo (2 tackles) is truly a worse option than Jackson, we should just cut him too.

I would like to say that since two-thirds of the CB’s got the message, this is a passing grade. However, given how inviting Jackson makes anyone he covers, we’re like a car on three tires and brake rotor. (NOT DONE)

4) Spread the Ball Around: No fewer than seven different Eagles caught a ball in this game. SEVEN! That ball was indeed spread around this week. This one was indeed done.

It is however, the emptiest “done” I can recall in a long time. Our top two receivers combined for 80 yards on 9 catches. There was just one completion for a gain of double digits. Seeing that, you might assume that Hurts spent the day burning the blitz. He did not. What he did, was stand in the pocket for too long, too often. But still… (DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4, and if it was lower we’d be looking at a loss. Next week, we get another 2024 – 2025 playoffs re-match. This time against the 2 – 0 Rams.

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Game Hero: S Andrew Mukuba – His interception in the endzone, killed a potential Chiefs scoring drive and set us up for the 20 – 10 lead, that would carry us past a late Chiefs rally. He also got home, on our first sack of the year. (Although it took Za’Darius Smith’s help to finish it off.)

Game goat: QB Jalen Hurts – While new OC Patullo is the man responsible for strategizing our attack, Hurts is the one under Center, reading the defense and making adjustments, pre-snap. At least he’s supposed to be. Right?

The problem is, we have two straight weeks of him being stymied by the same defensive element, namely heavy blitzing. He has yet to throw a short pass to hot route, that burns the defense for serious run after the catch yardage. We will continue to see this element, until he demonstrates that he will make teams pay for it.

On The Whole: It’s a “W”. Earned in the home of a Super Bowl caliber team, that everyone was calling a potential dynasty and expecting to three-peat, just 219 days ago. Whatever excuse people were willing to make for the Chiefs Super Bowl loss, the Eagles even in an ugly game, proved that the excuses are invalid and we are simply the superior team now.

The Eagles, not the Chiefs are the team to beat in the NFL.

The Eagles, not the Chiefs are the class of the NFL.

The Eagles, are now the team to be discussed as a potential dynasty.

The Eagles are the team climbing to repeat as World Champions.