This week was kinda difficult to pick my favorite plays from. Not because there was a lack of plays to pick, but because there were too many to chose from. I believe the kids nowadays call that “a good problem to have.”
Almost Plays
10. Hassan Ridgeway Forced Fumble
This one hurts. It’s not as if Ridgeway forced a fumble and the offense fell on it. Matt Ryan lost the ball as he was manhandled by #98. However, the Falcons were bailed out by a penalty that negated the turnover. The score was 22-6 in favor of the Eagles at this point, but it would be nice for the Eagles to get their first turnover of the season.
Group Plays
9. No-Fly Zone
Darius Slay and Steven Nelson held Matt Ryan to under 200 yards on 21 completions (7.8 Y/A). Calvin Ridley was the only one who could get anything going through the air. Even then, he only had 51 yards. Avonte Maddox(!) held Kyle Pitts to 31 yards. After struggling initially, Jonathan Gannon did a great job of adjusting after halftime. One thing that people were sure would be good about Atlanta was their offense, and Gannon kept them out of the end zone. That’s worthy of applause. If Gannon can maintain a level of consistency over the next few months, than he can quiet any concerns that his defense generated over preseason (as well as the first half of the Atlanta game).
8. Goal Line Stand
Context is my favorite word in football. The importance of this goal line stand goes beyond the offensive line saving four points, it’s also a matter of morale. If the offense scores, it puts the entire team in a hole. If the defense stands up, it invigorates the entire team and crowd (assuming the game is being played at home). Fortunately, the Eagles have a good history in the red zone against the Falcons.
7. Offensive Line Played Bully Ball
My god, the offensive line blew the defensive line off the ball all day, including for multiple rushing touchdowns. Starting Mailata, getting getting Brooks and Johnson back, relying on quick screens that take pressure off the line while still letting lineman pull and block downfield. One notable instance is Mailata absolutely blowing up Richie Grant, springing Jalen Reagor on a touchdown run. If this team can stay healthy, if Sirianni continues to diversify playcalling and get the ball out quickly, if the Eagles keep using their speed as a weapon to overwhelm defenses, then Tony Romo might be right about us being better than most people expect.
Individual Plays
6. The Puntisher: Arryn Siposs
Cameron Johnson was one of my favorite special teamers over the past couple years, and for good reason, as it felt like every time he had to punt, he was burying it deep in enemy territory. Ao, if Sadly, we let him walk in free agency after three years on the team. There’s always a level of uncertainty when replacing tenured players in the league, and there is nothing that is ever certain in the NFL (shorthand for Not For Long). So, imagine my surprise when there was little drop off in poor field positioning for the opposing team. If he keeps this streak going, I might just by a Siposs jersey as a sort of ode to a more niche player on the team (I can’t buy a Siposs jersey before a Hurts one, though).
5. Javon Hargrave sacks #2 twice
They call him Gravedigger in Pittsburgh. After a slow start to last season, fans saw him start to pick up steam as the season concluded. And thus, he kicked off the season with two sacks, arguably making him the Eagles’ defensive player of the week. No matter what the Falcons tried, the Eagles defense made life hell for Matt Ryan, and Hargrave was a big part of that, including a big sack on fourth down with six minutes left.
4. Kenneth Gainwell TD
Gainwell was heralded as a steal in the NFL draft, coming from Memphis in the fourth round. He was intended to be the pass-catching back due to Sanders’ regressing receiving abilities. Ironically, perhaps for the sake of deception or keeping the defense on its toes, Gainwell took a handoff right up the middle for an 8-yard run. Whatever the reason, the play ended with an additional six points on the board. The TD was a simple halfback draw that was sprung wide open by a fully healthy offensive line that simply outmuscled Atlanta’s paper mache defense all day.
3. Dallas Goedert TD
Dallas Goedert has been one of Roseman’s most consistent picks on either side of the ball in recent years. He’s looking for big money in the coming months, and beating two defenders on (I presume) a hitch route is a good way to start. If you follow Goedert on the bottom of his route to the point where he leaves the TV/screen, he remains physical while maintaining inside leverage, and then turns right in the end zone for the catch. Overall, an impressive route that evokes shades of the Wentz-Sanders TD against Washington in 2019. Goedert is one of the most tenured players on offense, barring the offensive line. While crazy to think about, his physicality and Hurts’s play-extending ability are what made this TD, and such will likely earn him a large payday in the near future.
2. Devonta Smith TD
The Devonta Smith touchdown was special in a certain way. It felt like the beginning of something, a 20-yard beginning of a new to a franchise. The rekindling of the old connection between Hurts and Smith gives a reinforced sense of optimism for two young players who were drafted high. It also helps that the Smith touchdown put a dagger in the heart of Giants fans who watched Kadarius Toney have two receptions for -2 yards against Denver. Also, notice the ball placement by Hurts on this and the Goedert TD.
1. Jalen Reagor TD
This has already been pointed out by other Eagles pundits, but this is the exact play Atlanta ran to give them the lead in 2019. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and after Atlanta took the lead from the Phillies in the NL East and eliminated the Sixers from the playoffs, this is just the cherry on top of the contrapasso sundae. The only issue is that the play was hard to identify in real time, but once you know its history and realize that it’s the exact same design, you can’t help but laugh. The reason that this was my favorite play is that it a. felt like a release of Philly’s anger towards A-town over the past few years and b.put the game out of reach once and for all. The only way it could have been better is if the touchdown resulted in us leading 28-3 (though we were facing a 3 & 28 situation earlier in the game).
Subscribe to our posts and bookmark these feeds:
* * *
Dylan Patrowicz is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Dylan, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
Image Caption: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons passes during the 2021 Week 1 NFL game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles on September 12, 2021 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
