It was a lot closer than it should have been, but the Eagles held off the top seed with a 34-31 overtime win on Sunday and are 4-0 on the season.
After the Dolphins’ loss, the Eagles and the 49ers, who also won on Sunday, are the only undefeated teams in the NFL.
Let’s get to the notes:
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts: 25/37, 319 yards, 2 TDs, 112.3 rating; 9 rushing attempts, 34 yards
Hurts had his best game of the season. Even though it wasn’t perfect, he trusted the playmakers to make the plays, and they did. He distributed the ball, made good decisions and didn’t give the ball away. Hurts’ second touchdown pass to Brown was a perfectly placed ball. There were also moments in this game where he seemed really good at escaping pressure in the pocket and making a run.
Note: A-
Run back
DeAndre Swift: 14 carries, 56 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 catches, 23 yards
Swift’s performance wasn’t great, but he made some great runs and finally managed to get the better of the field in crucial situations towards the end. In overtime, Swift caught a short pass and delivered his birdie just before the corner to score 11 points and gain the first down. Kenny Gainwell added 4 carries for 14 yards and had 2 carries for 7 yards, but Swift is clearly the best linebacker and deserves that spot.
Note B
Recipient
AJ Brown: 9 catches for 13 targets, 175 yards, 2 touchdowns
A monster game from Brown, who became the first Eagles player to have more than 130 receiving yards in consecutive games since Jeremy Maclin in 2014. Of course, he should know better than to take a cynical penalty late in the fourth quarter. The production was incredible. And then DeVonta Smith also had a big game with seven catches for 78 yards, including a nice catch on a 50-50 ball late in the first half that set up a field goal.
Note: A+
tight end
Dallas Goedert: 2 catches on 4 targets, 25 yards
The Eagles started with 12 players but didn’t use them in this game after using them so much in Weeks 2 and 3. Goedert was very quiet early this season and he and Hurts didn’t seem to be in a good spot. The same page several times. But in this case, he moved the sticks of both catches. The offense needs to get him to do more.
Note B-
Offensive line
Some early struggles from Jordan Mailata against Chase Young, who hit him to pick up a sack. The Eagles no longer had control over the course of the game as they had in recent weeks. But they eventually gave Hurts enough time to throw the football. Cam Jurgens injured his foot and was replaced at right-back by Sua Opeta. Jurgens left the locker room with a walking boot on his right foot, so that’s something to keep an eye on moving forward.
Note B
Defensive line
Josh Sweat: 5 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 QB-Hit, 1 TFL
The Eagles didn’t go after Sam Howell in this game like many expected. But Haason Reddick had a dominant performance in the fourth quarter, which included his first sack of the 2023 season. Josh Sweat also recorded a sack and Brandon Graham hit Howell’s arm on a play that nearly resulted in an interception. The leaders had some success on the ground with 107 yards, but only gained 3.8 per attempt.
Note B–
The linebacker
Nicholas Morrow: 11 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 3 QB-Hits, 1 FF
Before Sunday’s game, Morrow had four career sacks in 81 NFL games. And then he goes out and works his way to a three-sack performance against the Leaders. While there were moments when the Commanders pushed Morrow and Cunningham into cover, for the most part they held up well. Cunningham led the Eagles with 13 tackles, while Morrow recorded 11.
Note B
secondary
Reed Blankenship: 8 Tackles, 2 PBUs
Blankenship’s play against Terry McLaurin in the third and fifth overtime periods may have been the difference in this game. Blankenship managed to get McLaurin to hit out-of-bounds on third and fifth, and the leaders were forced to punt. As you would probably expect, leaders Terrell Edmunds and Josh Jobe attacked as much as they could. The Eagles were without and missed Justin Evans (neck) and Sidney Brown (hamstring) in this game. Howell finished with 290 yards and a touchdown, while McLaurin had 86 yards on 8 catches.
Note: C–
Special teams
Jake Elliott: 4/4 on field goals, 54-yard winner in overtime
Elliott is just an absolute stud. He made all of his field goals, including the game-winner in overtime. Although punter Braden Mann had a rough start to this game, his 47-yard kick that tied the Leaders to their own 7 in the fourth quarter was a thing of beauty. Britain Coffey continues to impress as a returning player. He had three returns for 38 yards, including a 20-yarder.
Note: A+
Training
Balance: 4:0
There are things that you have to pick up. Calling plays late in the game, particularly Kenny Gainwell, who ran on 3rd-and-11 from Washington’s 16-yard line early in the fourth quarter. And you can also question the streak that resulted in a touchdown in regulation time instead of running out the clock to score a field goal. But the Eagles have found a way to win, and they have done so every week so far. Training isn’t just about X’s and O’s. Sometimes it’s about putting together a resilient team that can overcome obstacles; Nick Sirianni appears to have done just that.
Note B-
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2023-10-02 03:39:14
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