The birds fell to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday (shocker) with a score of 42-30. Let’s dive in on the state of the Eagles as well as look ahead towards their matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
Recap
Andy Reid came back to Philadelphia with Kansas City and became the first Head Coach in NFL history to win 100 games with two separate teams; although I dislike losing, it’s fitting that Andy Reid broke that record in his former city. The Eagles looked somewhat competitive against a rough Kansas City defense who allowed the Eagles to score 30. With that being said, the Eagles defense struggled yet again this week, allowing 40 points in back to back weeks. The Eagles offense looked much better on Sunday than they did last week which is somewhat comforting; however, the defense looked lost and could not stop the run game to save their lives. Although a loss is never fun, I can’t say that I expected a win.
Positive Observations
1.) 2nd Straight week with a takeaway
The Eagles defense forced their second takeaway on Sunday with an interception by Eric Wilson, which is their first interception this year. There were not many bright spots regarding the defense on Sunday, but this was certainly one of them.
2.) The Jalen Hurts show
Jalen Hurts looked comfortable and poised during this game which is a stark contrast from last week’s outing against the Cowboys. Hurts threw for 387 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 66% completion percentage. Hurts would have thrown for over 400 yards and would have had 4 touchdowns if not for penalties. It is comforting to see Hurts bounce back after a rough week at Dallas. Hurts definitely made a few mistakes throughout the game, but overall it was a good game for him, and I expect him to continue to elevate his play as the season goes on.
3.) Devonta Smith
Smith had his first career 100 yard game on Sunday with 10 targets, 7 receptions, and 122 yards. He would have added another 35+ yards and a touchdown on his stat line if he didn’t get called for an illegal touching penalty, which was questionable at best. In addition to this, Smith has not dropped a single pass during his tenure as a Philadelphia Eagle, which is an underrated part of his game. Smith is having a decent start to his professional football career.
4.) Offensive line?
This is the 4th different offensive line combination that the Eagles have used in four games, which is giving me flashbacks to last year’s abomination of an offensive line. With that being said, the offensive line played well for the most part. They were nowhere close to perfect, but they played much better than I would have expected.
Negative Observations
1.) Penalties penalties penalties
I’m starting to get tired of writing about penalties, although it doesn’t look like I’ll be stopping anytime soon. The Eagles were penalized 9 times for 49 yards. The most aggravating part of these penalties is that they happen during key times in the game; the Eagles had at least 21 points taken off the board as a result of penalties. The Eagles are still the most penalized team in the league and if Nick Sirianni wants his team to be competitive, he needs to get them disciplined sooner rather than later.
I will also note that beloved 1st round pick, Andre Dillard, had 4 penalties called against him on Sunday. I’m hoping that Mailata will be back in the starting lineup come next Sunday.
2.) Death, taxes, and a personal foul on Derek Barnett
Derek Barnett has easily been one of the most frustrating players to watch this season. Every week he seems to lose his temper or make a boneheaded play. If he continues on this track, I wouldn’t expect him to be on the team next year.
3.) Sirianni’s red zone playcalling
Sirianni once again decided to neglect the run during Sunday’s game. This is becoming a trend which is simply frustrating to see. The Eagles have a young quarterback in Hurts; help him out by running the ball more often, especially in the red zone. By neglecting the run, the Eagles’ offense becomes one dimensional and much easier to defend against. The Eagles also have a great back in Miles Sanders, as well as a rookie in Kenneth Gainwell; use them.
4.) Defense, or lack thereof
The Eagles defense allowed 40 points to be scored against them in back-to-back weeks; this is not a great start of the season for new Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The Eagles defense consistently played conservatively during Sunday’s game, and the Chiefs certainly took advantage of that by running the ball down our throats. Gannon seemingly made little adjustments throughout the game, which allowed the Chiefs to move the ball at will. The Chiefs never punted, and scored during every one of their possessions, with the exception of Eric Wilson’s interception.
NFC East Standings
This was a rough week for the Eagles, not only due to the fact that they lost, but also because every other NFC East team was able to secure a victory this week. The current NFC East standings are as follows:
- Dallas Cowboys: 3-1
- Washington Football Team: 2-2
- Philadelphia Eagles: 1-3
- New York Giants: 1-3
Upcoming Game
The Eagles travel to Carolina to play the Panthers this coming Sunday at 1pm. The Panthers are fresh off a loss against the Cowboys and will be looking to hand the Eagles their 4th loss of the season. The Panthers are a 3-1 team, and honestly have played well under the leadership of Sam Darnold. This is a winnable game for the Eagles, but Carolina boasts a dangerous rushing attack in Christian McCaffrey. If Gannon continues to play conservative, the Panthers will have no issue moving the ball against our defense. Although the Eagles might pull this one out, I do expect us to leave Carolina with a 1-4 record next week.
Final Thoughts
Let’s call this what it is; the Eagles are a rebuilding team who are still searching for an identity under Nick Sirianni. With that being said, the Eagles are fairly close to being a competitive team; the offense is seemingly finding their groove, and I do expect Sirianni to start figuring out what works in this league and what does not. Hurts is essentially a rookie, and he’s played well thus far. This is a young team with much to be excited about in the future. Eagles fans: pump the breaks a little bit; don’t call for the jobs of Sirianni, Hurts, Gannon, or anybody else for that matter just yet. These are young players and coaches who are still finding their footing. 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.
