Recap
The Eagles were absolutely demolished by the 49ers last week; the game ended with a score of 42-19. This game wasn’t competitive past after the 1st quarter, with San Fransisco scoring 14 points in each of the 3 remaining quarters. The Eagles defense looked suspect, giving up a total of 456 (!) yards. The Eagles offense struggled to be consistent and left a ton of points on the field. The Eagles simply didn’t look good on Sunday.
Positive Observations
1.) AJ Brown
In a game where there wasn’t many positives, AJ Brown put up a respectable day with 8 receptions for 114 yards. It was nice to see Brown get more involved in the offense after a few quiet weeks from him. Brown has shown that he is a threat at all levels of the field & should be featured in the offense.
Negative Observations
1.) Defense
The defense looked atrocious against San Fransisco; among giving up 456 total yards, they also allowed San Fransisco to convert 72.7% (8-11) of their third down attempts while allowing 8.0 yards per play. The Eagles defense couldn’t get off the field and had issues with tackling during the entire game. To put things in perspective, the defense gave up touchdowns on 6 straight drives for the first time since 2000.
2.) Offense
The Eagles offense looked rough on Sunday as they struggled again in the red zone. Their first two drives were great, but stalled in the red zone which changed the momentum in the game. The most frustrating part of the Eagles offensive performance on Sunday was their refusal to commit to the run game; Swift, Gainwell, and Scott COMBINED for 9 carries for 20 yards. Although the 49ers have a great defense, being able to run the ball is imperative in the NFL.
3.) Play calling
Brian Johnson had another rough outing as the play caller for the Eagles offense; he found a nice rhythm at the beginning of the game before completely falling off the wagon. Besides stalling in the red zone & giving up on the running game, he completely abandoned the quick passes that were moving the Eagles down the field. The offensive play calling was an issue yet again, and the Eagles weren’t able to overcome it.
Upcoming Opponent
The Eagles (10-2) travel to Dallas (9-0) to face them for the 2nd time this season. Although it pains me to say this, Dallas has been playing well this season; their defense has been outstanding while Dak Prescott has been playing at an MVP caliber level. We’ve seen that the Eagles typically respond well after a loss, but this game will certainly be a test. The key factors in this game will be whether or not the Eagles can neutralize WR CeeDee Lamb, TE Jake Ferguson, and the Dallas defensive line.
Final Prediction: PHI- 28, DAL- 24
NFC East Standings
The updated NFC East standings are as follows:
- Philadelphia Eagles: 10-2
- Dallas Cowboys: 9-3
- New York Giants: 4-8
- Washington Commanders: 4-9
Final Thoughts
Although Sunday’s game was certainly a disappointment, if you had told me that the Eagles would be 10-2 entering Week 14, I would be completely content with that. The Eagles struggled on Sunday, but I believe that they have the talent it takes to turn it around. With that being said, both the coaching and the execution need to improve for the Eagles to make a deep run in the playoffs. This upcoming game against Dallas will be a tough one, but a win would be a massive momentum boost for the Eagles. As always, Go Birds!
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Nate Eichner is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Nate, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.