Eagles Beat 49ers 10-33 Good and Bad

Eagles Beat 49ers 10-33 Good and Bad

Robert Lewis Knuckles

Eagles improve their record to 7-1 after beating the winless 49ers on a rainy day but I have to say that this was probably the Eagles worst game of the season so far. Now let’s talk about the good and bad from this game.

Bad:

1. Offense: The offense had a really ugly start in the first three quarters. They couldn’t get anything going. The running game was rough . Every time they ran to the weakside they didn’t make any progress. You can make the argument that not having Jason Peters was part of the reason the offense struggled and it showed. Another issue is the quarterback Carson Wentz holds onto the ball too long. The more we see Wentz doing that it's only a matter of time until he gets sacked and he got hit at least three times. Now the Eagles did get things together towards the end of the third quarter but you have to play well all four quarters because in the future when facing a good team they might have a huge lead making things more difficult.

Good:

1. Defense: The defense for me gets the game ball. Despite the offense having their struggles the defense kept the Eagles in this game. The defensive line kept eating and getting pressure on the quarterback. You have players stepping up big time like second year corner Jalen Mills got a pick-six so you see him improving and already has three picks so far this year. You have both linebackers Mychal Kendricks and Nigel Bradham step up as well with Jordan Hicks being out for the year. The rookie Derek Barnett continues to impress me. Barnett had two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and blocked field goal. Many people believe that Barnett will be defensive rookie of the year and it's starting to look that way.

In the end I really don’t have a lot of things to say in this game. I feel as though this game might’ve been a wake up call for the Eagles. You aren’t invincible in every game. The 49ers played them tough and they are still looking for their first win and despite playing a very ugly game The Eagles still won but every given Sunday any team can win. Offense just need to play ALL FOUR QUARTERS. I’m liking rookie receiver Mack Hollins more and he might get more playing time. I don’t see Hollins starting because Torrey Smith is still starting and I have to say Torrey Smith really needs to step up because he’s been missing in action at this point he’s only used for a decoy and defenses are going to notice. I also believe Corey Clement is starting to impress me as well now he does have to clean up his holding on to the ball cause we see fumbles but although he was playing in garbage time he’s still making nice runs. Last but not least I want to talk about the rookie Derek Barnett again. I’ll say this i was scratching my head when the Eagles drafted him because I didn’t think we needed another defensive end but it's turning out really well. He’s playing lights out and improving each game. I mean he couldn’t be in a better position when he’s playing with guys like Chris Long, Vinny Curry, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and you have Jim Schwartz as your defensive coordinator is a huge advantage and I think it's time to put the Marcus Smith 2.0 to rest. Smith hasn’t played the way Barnett had in his first year.

It’s good to see this team 7-1 but the players aren’t letting this distract them. Center Jason Kelce said “last time I checked they don’t give awards when you're 7-1.” They are focused on the bigger picture and plus you already have Super Bowl Champions Chris Long and Legarrette Blount coming from New England and playing for Bill Belichick records don’t mean squat. You go on to the next game and Eagles next game is going to be tough when the league's number 1 defense the Denver Broncos come into town. So it’s very important that the Eagles and coach Doug Pederson watch tonight’s Monday Night Football game when Denver faces Kansas City and try to find a blueprint to beat Denver. Let me know what you guys think about this game.

Eagles Beat Skins 24-34 Good and Bad

Eagles Beat Skins 24-34 Good and Bad

Robert Lewis Knuckles

The Eagles have improved their to 6-1 against the Skins so let's dive into the good and bad. Now I was only able to watch the second half of this game and I had people fill me in on what happened in the first half.

Bad:

1. Slow Start: I had a very strong feeling as well as almost every Eagles fan probably knew that they will probably have a rough start because its been 10 days since the last time they played and they did have a rough start. Washington receivers were just eating up the Eagles secondary and got the early lead. Also the Eagles first drives all had flags which is very struggling
2. Giving up big plays: Once again our secondary continues to give up plays on 3rd and long. We’ve seen this WAY TOO MUCH and it will continue to be an issue especially when it comes to facing a team in the playoffs. Now I understand our corners are young but this issue has to be fixed ASAP.
3. Running Back Rotation: This running back rotation really confuses me. It seems like every week a new player gets more touches. I still feel as though Blount should be getting more touches and I’ll admit the running game wasn’t effective but you really have to give Washington’s front seven credit. It’s very hard to run against that team.
4. Jason Peters and Jordan Hicks: The big win came with a big cost with Left Tackle Jason Peters tore his ACL and middle Linebacker Jordan Hicks tore his achilles. Both guys are out for the year and you can say both guys are leaders on their side of the ball. It’s a huge loss losing both guys but just like in the NFL next man up.

Good:

1. Carson Wentz: I mean what can I say about this kid? He continues to impress me especially in his second season. Wentz was 17-25 and threw for 268 yards and threw for four touchdowns. Wentz also rushed for 63 yards one of those rushes came on 3rd and 8 where it looked like he got sacked but somehow got out and ran for a big gain. Without him making that play we would’ve punt the ball back to Washington and they might’ve gotten a touchdown to tie the game. But man it really is something special when Wentz is on the field.
2. Zach Ertz: Ertz finished the game with 5 receptions for 89 yards and touchdown. He’s having a breakout year. We always ask when is Ertz going to have a breakout year and to Ertz’s defense he had to gain a relationship with a different quarterback and after already having a year with Wentz he’s leading all Tight Ends in receptions and touchdowns. The Wentz and Ertz combination is deadly and the NFL has to watchout.
3. Everyone is a Weapon: We knew coming into this game Josh Norman was inactive and maybe Alshon Jeffery was going to have a big game but that wasn’t the case. Almost every receiver played well this game. Jeffery had a decent game, Nelson Agholor had a good game, Corey Clement had a good game and Mack Hollins got his first touchdown from a 64 yard pass from Wentz. Everybody is a threat and sure the Eagles don’t have that receiver that’s like a Julio or Odell but you have to watch out for everybody on this Eagles offense.
4. Swept a divisional rival: The Eagles last year lost to each of their divisional rival but this year they are 3-0 in the division and swept the Skins pretty much almost putting the nail on the coffin for them to win the division. The NFC East has to watch out for the Eagles.
5. Defensive Line: The Defensive line continue to bring pressure all over the place and giving the Skins no running game. Chris Thompson didn’t have a good game and he’s always been a huge problem for the Eagles. Cox, Graham, Curry, Jernigan, Allen, Long and rookie Barnett are always fresh and causing havoc. You can rotate these guys anywhere and it can still be a problem for offensive lines. This is arguably the best defensive in football and just having so much depth it can be extremely helpful.

In the end I’m really happy to see the Eagles at 6-1. A lot of people including myself didn’t see the progression of Wentz develop already when he’s only in his second year. He’s already 3-0 in the division and he’s playing like an MVP candidate. Now it's definitely early to say he’s the MVP but you can’t ignore the numbers he's making I mean he’s leading the NFL in Touchdown passes. Now it's not just Wentz playing well but the whole team around is playing well. The offense is playing at an extreme level. Everyone is a threat on that side of the ball. The defense is playing like a top ten defense now granted the secondary is the biggest weak point but it's a bend but don’t break defense. I’m also impressed to see the rookies doing well. Hollins got his touchdown on a beautiful pass from Wentz, Clement the undrafted home town rookie is making an impact on the team with his touchdown pass from Wentz when it almost looked like Wentz was going to get sacked and Barnett the Eagles first round draft pick had two sacks and a couple tackles for loss. Now I said before the biggest loss was losing Peters and Hicks. You can’t replace like Peter's but whoever takes his spot has a big role and the same goes for whoever takes Hicks spot.

The Eagles control their own destiny but they need to take one game at a time and take their opponent seriously. Their next game is against the 49ers and they are still looking for their first win and it could be a trap game. The Eagles CANNOT take the 49ers lightly. Take every game seriously as if it's a playoff game. Let me know what you guys think about this game.

Eagles beat Panthers 28-23 Good and Bad.

Eagles beat Panthers 28-23 Good and Bad.

“Statement Game”

The Philadelphia Eagles played their first prime time game of the season against a tough Carolina Panthers team. A lot of people were skeptical about Eagles due to their prior wins against the Giants, Chargers, Cardinals and others. Not only did the Eagles shock America by winning this game they also beat the refs on many questionable calls against them. So let's talk about the Good and Bad.

Bad:

1. Pass Protection: Coming into this game we knew losing Lane Johnson was going to be a huge factor and it showed during the game. Big V took Johnson's place as right tackle. Julius Peppers beat Big V on the Eagles first drive and caused a fumble. That first drive could’ve led to maybe a touchdown or field goal. Not only was the right side of the O-Line was struggling but the Panthers kept blitzing and hit Carson Wentz at least eight times. The running backs couldn’t stop the blitz and it only showed that the Eagles really missed Darren Sproles. The Eagles have to do a better job at picking up the blitz. You can’t have your franchise quarterback take many hits.
2. Running Back Rotation: Legarrette Blount had 14 carries for 67 yards. Corey Clement and Kenjon Barner weren’t a huge factor. The biggest issue was that the Eagles didn’t keep feeding Blount more. He was clearly doing the best out of the three running backs. I’ve said this before but it seems as though when something is working with Coach Doug Pederson he’ll go away with that. I’m not sure who’s doing the running back rotation but if Blount is outperforming the other three it's no question he should be getting more touches.
3. Clock Management: There were a couple of times where the Eagles could’ve ran the clock out and end the game. After Jalen Mills interception with around three minutes left in the game all the Eagles had to was the run ball and just ice out the clock. The first running play was good, second running play Ertz missed a key a block that cost them a few yards and the third play we threw the ball which ended poorly. Putting the pressure back on the defense.
4. Refs: It's no question that refs were terrible. The Eagles were called for 10 penalties for 126 yards and Panthers were called for one penalty for one yard. Two pass interference were called on Jalen Mills on crucial plays on third and long and an interception from Rodney Mcleod. Pete Morelli was head of the officiating crew. It seems as though him and his crew have it against the Eagles. I mean one penalty on the Home team is just ridiculous. Eagles fans definitely remember Morelli from the game against the Detroit Lions last year and he cost us a win.

Good:

1. Carson Wentz: Thursday night was Wentz biggest night so far in the season. Having a great game against the Cardinals and having a short week in a hostile environment against the Panthers whose defense is ranked third in the NFL had a pretty good performance. He threw for 222 yards out of 16-30 attempts. Now it wasn’t his best game but he still managed to win the game against a very tough defense and threw no interceptions.
2. Nelson Agholor: Nelson Agholor is having a great season. He had four receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Now the numbers don’t jump out to you but you just see the confidence in the kid and he’s having so much out there. Putting him in the slot and having these veteran players on offense believing in him help out.
3. Defense: The Eagles Defense was the MVP of this game. Fletcher Cox made his return from his injury and showed his dominance. Cox pushed the center back to Cam and managed to tip the ball which caused an interception. The front four kept pressuring Cam and his running backs. The longest run the Panthers had was 1 yard. The Eagles defense made Carolina’s offense one dimensional and it worked to their advantage. The Eagles defense racked up three interceptions and two sacks. The defense stepped up when the game was on the line when the Panthers had one last drive to win the game and the Eagles stopped that!!
4. Winning Without Key Players: Once again the Eagles are winning without their big time players. Lane Johnson was out and Jordan Hicks suffered an ankle injury during the game and didn’t return. Nigel Bradham and Mychal Kendricks stepped up big time in this game.  All the players stepped up and that's what makes a good team. Next man up has always been the message when a player goes down and the Eagles never panic.

The Eagles next game is Monday Night Football against Washington on Oct. 23. So the Eagles get a long break. The Eagles are 5-1 and are currently the highest ranked team in the NFC right now. The Eagles are taking one game at a time and they know they are far from perfect and need to fix a couple of things. They continue to impress me and you just wonder what’s this team is going to look like when everyone is back. This was a huge statement win but the Eagles know there’s more work to be done.

Eagles Beat Chargers 26-24 Good and Bad

Eagles Beat Chargers 26-24 Good and Bad

“Running Game Part 2”

Running game led the Eagles to defeat a very dangerous desperate Los Angeles Chargers team that needed its first win. So let's talk about the good and bad.

Bad

1. Score More Touchdowns: The Eagles offense was on the role with the passing and running game and there were plenty of opportunities to score touchdowns but they failed to make first down in Chargers territory so instead the Eagles settled with field goals. Now I understand getting points on the board is good but the more field goals we make over touchdowns we still keep the other team right there with us.
2. Giving up Huge Plays: If it's one thing that's a huge weakness is the Eagles Secondary. We gave up huge plays on third and long to keep the Chargers from coming back. Corners are the biggest weakest point. Jalen Mills has been playing okay and Rasual Douglas is only a rookie so he’s going through rookie pains but they have to stop the 3rd downs and long.

Good

1. Running Game: The running game was great for the second week in a row was a huge factor that led the Eagles to a win. Wendell Smallwood, Corey Clement and Legarrette Blount all had a great game. Blount ran for 136 yards but the biggest play had to be the 68-yard run when he went full Beast Mode on the Chargers.
2. Jake Elliott: Coming off a great win against the Giants Elliot was 4/4 on all his kicks. It showed that the 61 yard field goal wasn’t a fluke. He showed consistency and that’s we need from him.
3. Left Tackle and Right Tackle: I really have to give the offensive line a huge credit they manage to make holes for the running backs but the tackles Lane Johnson and Jason Peters did really well. Both tackles manage to keep Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram out the game. You barely heard those two guys being called in this game. Peters and Johnson showed that they are possibly the best left and right tackles in the league right now.
4. Carson Wentz: Wentz had another good game. He was 17/31 throwing for 242 yards and no interceptions. This is his second game in a row without throwing a pick. We continue to see growth from Wentz in his second year keeping the play alive and changing the play when he doesn’t like what he see’s. Wentz is only going to get better down the road.
5. Finishing Games: The Chargers scored a touchdown with Hunter Henry to be behind the Eagles by two points. There was about four minutes left in the game and using the clock the Eagles ran the ball down the Chargers throat to ice the game. We see that the Eagles are finishing games. We saw last year that the Eagles were struggling to finish games but we see last week and this week the growth this team is making.
6. Winning Without Big players: This is the second game the Eagles won without their important players. Running Back Darren Sproles is out for the season with an ACL injury and Defensive Tackle Fletcher Cox is still out with his calf injury. Cornerback Ronald Darby is still out with his ankle injury. The secondary is still thin with Jaylen Watkins and Corey Graham out but the Eagles are still finding a way to win games. Darby, Graham, Cox and Watkins are all coming back so the defense will be in full effect.
7. Home Crowd: This had to be one of the first games where I see the away team have more fans than the home team. The Philly fans came to in full effect in Los Angeles. I even saw LB Jordan Hicks told the crowd to bring the noise. Now to be fair this is due to the effect of the Chargers leaving San Diego but overall it was cool to see how so many Eagles fans showing support.

It seems that the Eagles are finding their identity by running the ball and having a very balanced offense. I have to give it to Eagles’s coach Doug Pederson. The last four minutes of the game when the score was 24-26 the Eagles had the ball and Pederson stuck with the run and didn’t panic. We are seeing a different Eagles team finishing games, having a running game and having good receivers. The front seven of the defense is great. They stopped Melvin Gordon on almost every play. The secondary is thin but it's bend don’t break but we will get the whole crew back later in the season. Let me know you liked and disliked about this game.