Recap
The Eagles continued their winning streak on Sunday, beating the Doug Pederson-led Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 29-21. The game was played in the remnants of Hurricane Ian, which was a tropical depression by the time it impacted Philadelphia. Due to the heavy rainfall, it was a sloppy game that was closer than it should have been. With that being said, the Eagles showed incredible grit and determination, fighting back from a 14-0 deficit and scoring 29 unanswered points to secure the win.
Positive Observations
1.) Defense + Jonathan Gannon
I gave Jonathan Gannon some criticism at the beginning of the year, and it looks like I may have been wrong. He has put together some fantastic game plans for the past few weeks, most recent being against the Jaguars. The Eagles forced 5 turnovers in Sunday’s game; 4 fumbles and 1 interception. What makes this stat even more impressive is that the Eagles defense did this without the help of Avonte Maddox. The secondary was playing at an elite level on Sunday.
The defensive line also had an incredible game; they held Jacksonville to only 71 yards on the ground as well as racking up 4 sacks. The defense as a unit is certainly improving, and their recent success is in part to the monstrous defensive front. The Eagles defense has 10 forced turnovers this season, tied for most in the NFL alongside the Baltimore Ravens.
2.) Grit
I legitimately became worried after the Eagles found themselves trailing 14-0 with the Jaguars driving down the field. After a great 4th down stop, the Eagles became alive and never looked back. It took grit and determination to come back and the Eagles delivered. Big time props to Sirianni & Co for never quitting; it is encouraging to see how this young team responded to adversity early in the game.
3.) Howie Roseman
Alright, I think its time for me to admit it: Howie Roseman has landed himself back in my good grace. He certainly has had some ups and downs during his time as the Eagles’ GM, but this offseason might have been the best one that he’s had throughout his tenure. He drafted extremely well this offseason while also improving the team through the use of free agency. This team is one of the best Eagles teams on paper that I have seen; its time to put some respect on Howie’s name.
4.) Offense
The Eagles offense has been nothing short of outstanding this year, and their versatility showed on Sunday. In a game with 20 MPH gusts of wind, the Eagles were still able to march the ball down the field. Coming into the game, the Jacksonville Jaguars were the number 1 rated run defense and the Eagles were able to rush for 210 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. This offense is an absolute threat; its been so much fun to watch them.
Negative Observations
1.) Slow start
Although it was encouraging to watch the Eagles fight back from a 14-0 deficit in the first half, the Eagles should have never been in that position in the first place. If the Eagles want to be the team that Eagles fans are hoping for (and the team that I personally think that they realistically can be), this cannot happen. Don’t get me wrong, Jacksonville is a good team; they legitimately have a shot at the AFC South title this year. With that being said, the Eagles need to start faster if they want to continue their success.
2.) Injuries
The injury bug bit Philadelphia during Sunday’s game; the Eagles were without 2 starting Cornerbacks, their starting Left Tackle, starting Right Guard, and starting Receiver at some points during Sunday’s game. Thankfully, none of these injuries seem incredibly serious, but its never good to see starters go down this early in the season.
Standings
With Sunday’s win, the Philadelphia Eagles continue to be the lone undefeated team in the NFL. The Eagles have skyrocketed in power rankings across all platforms, most of which are putting the Eagles in the number 1 spot. With that being said, at the end of the day, power rankings mean nothing; the Eagles must continue their success and ride their momentum throughout this season.
Another team that has quietly had some success this season is the Dallas Cowboys. I assumed they would be struggling without Dak Prescott, but as much as it pains me to say: Cooper Rush has really impressed me this season. The Cowboys have won 3 straight, leaving them in contention for the NFC East crown. The updated NFC East standings are as follows:
- Philadelphia Eagles: 4-0
- Dallas Cowboys: 3-1
- New York Giants: 3-1
- Washington Commanders: 1-3
Upcoming Game
The Eagles travel to Arizona to play the Cardinals at 4:25pm this Sunday. The Cardinals are a decent 2-2 team with losses to the Chiefs and the Rams. The Eagles secondary will be without Avonte Maddox, Jake Elliot, and most likely Jordan Mailata. This game will be a test, but I think that if the Eagles defense can contain Kyler Murray, the Eagles will be leaving Arizona as a 5-0 team.
Final Thoughts
What’s most impressive to me about the Eagles’ victory on Sunday was the fact that they had to come from behind to do it. We know that they can create big leads and sustain them, but this was the first game where the Eagles were punched in the mouth and had to rally. Although this season is still young, the Eagles are looking like a complete team; both sides of the ball are playing at an exceptionally high level. Each week the Eagles have impressed me and I’m excited to see how they play on Sunday. 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.
