HURTS pockets another win.
EAGLES 24 – Titans 20
EAGLES STATS:
Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (26/37 – 70.0% – 264 – 2 – 2)
Rushing: RB Tank Bigsby (13 – 33 – 2.5 – 1 – 0)
Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (13 – 10 – 117 – 11.7 – 1)
Drive Killer: N/A
Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (1.0 – 0 – 3 )
Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott (1/1 FG 3/3XP) 58yard FG
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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: TITANS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Our Power vs Their Size: I think we got a little cute this week and we paid for it. Instead of just having backup LG Drew Kendall fill in for injured LG Landon Dickerson; the coaching staff decided to start Kendall at C, and move C Cam Jurgens to LG. The result was RB Saquon Barkley (4 – 9 – 2.2 – 0 – 0) being hit in the backfield and getting a stinger on the first play.
Barkley returned to the game for a few downs, but will need further evaluation. The rest of the day was spent trying to cobble together a run game, between Bigsby and RB Will Shipley (7 – 24 – 3.4 – 0 – 0). While Bigsby can be an “all gas and no brakes” runner as a back-up, in the lead role, behind this line he was mostly pedestrian. (NOT DONE)
2) Unleash DeVonta: It was time to demonstrate to the world that DeVonta Smith is indeed our WR1. Friends, the Eagles went and planted the fuck out of that flag. The goal was 100 yard receiving or two scores. Well, he had over 100 yards and a 22 yard score.
WR DeVonta Smith scores from 22
Yet his best catch of the day, was a 19 yard snag down the sideline, between two defenders, that set-up the game winning touchdown. Today, DeVonta was clutch like a handbag! Proving once again, that One plus Six equals seven. (DONE)
3) Our DE’s Must Contain Better: Our pass rush in this game, was much more disciplined than last week’s. So we didn’t have to spend the day watching their QB break contain and extend plays. In fact, he ran for just 7 yards on only 4 carries. Two of those runs were scores, but they were both from inside the five yard line. (DONE)
4) Let’s Have Sacks: As a result of improved pass rush discipline, our Defensive Line was able to post both of our sacks.
DT Jalen Carter notches a sack
OLB Nolan Smith gets a sack
Despite playing with a cast on his hand, DT Jalen Carter (1.0 – 1 – 0 – 0) was able to notch one of them. Not much more than that needs to be said. (DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4. Normally that would indicate a larger margin of victory, but the Offensive Line was still shaky today. Next week, we visit the 1 – 1 Chicago Bears, in prime time! (I’m hoping for the all black uniforms.)
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Game Hero: QB Jalen Hurts – He hit nine different receivers in this game, including WR Darius Cooper (3 – 2 – 26 – 13.0 – 1) for the game winning score, with justs nine seconds left in the contest. He ran sparingly (5 – 16 – 3.2 – 0 – 0), and instead carved up the Titans defense, mostly from the pocket.
WR Darius Cooper’s first NFL touchdown, is a game winner
On a day when he was playing behind a shuffled O-Line, lost Saquon on the first snap, and TE Dallas Goedert (2 – 1 – 4 – 2.0 – 0) during the game; Hurts kept a cool head, and guided the Offense past every obstacle. All at once, the Offense’s struggle were evident, but Hurts put on a clinic in how to shoulder past adversity. Proving once again, that when the going gets tough, the tough hands you a fucking loss. Eat a dick, Jeffery Simmons.
Game goat: The Coaching Staff – I’m not sure who’s idea shuffling the line was, but it was bush league. It reeked of amateur hour, and showed just how far Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper is from Jeff Stoutland. We can bury the narrative that Philadelphia has one of the best O-Lines in the NFL. Our interior is an absolute mess right now.
On The Whole: I said in Four Things that all season long, the Offense was going to be a work in progress. For at least the first eight games, you have to expect some messiness. That said, the Eagles put up three touchdown drives of nine plays or more. Even the two drives where we turned the ball over, were eleven plays or longer. So there’s a stability looking to assert itself, once the players start to master the system.
Defensively, we didn’t generate any turnovers. Again. It’s hard to complain about that too loud, when this same Defense helped us win this game, despite losing the turnover ratio 0:2. However, if the Eagles could win a turnover battle, these final scores might not be so close, so often.
