Section 215
Fansided

Eagles Armchair: Same Result, Different Feeling

By Tucker Bagley

facebooktwitterreddit

The most comprehensive weekly look at the Philadelphia Eagles on the internet. 

WALK THROUGH

On October 19, 2014, Eagles fans went to bed happy. Their heads hit the pillow minutes after watching the team dismantle the New York Giants on a national stage. The Eagles were on top of their division and everything felt right.

On October 19, 2015, things felt a little differently. The Eagles dismantled the Giants on a national stage. They are now in first place of the NFC East. But, fans did not go to bed happy last night. Things do not feel right.

It’s an odd feeling, being displeased with a first-place team. How can you be upset when your team beat up the previous division leader by 20 points, your running back gets his first 100-yard game and your defense picks up four sacks and four turnovers?

Well, when your quarterback throws three picks against a depleted secondary, leads the NFL in red-zone interceptions by a wide margin and is leading a unit that is more inconsistent than the Broad Street Line.

At this point of the season, Sam Bradford is the weak link of the Philadelphia Eagles. His inability to cut down on the careless mistakes is alarming. Through six games as an Eagle, Bradford has four contests with multiple interceptions. Nick Foles had just three games with two picks in his 18 starts for Chip Kelly.

Downgrade? Seems like it.

How long can the Eagles keep putting Bradford out there before his ineffectiveness proves too costly for the team to succeed? Sadly, if he is healthy, Kelly will trot him out there. Kelly invested Foles, $13 million and a second-round pick in Bradford and there is no way he can cut his losses this early. Bradford will play out the rest of the year and he will sign long-term with an NFL team. Whether that team is the Eagles or not remains to be seen.

The one thing Bradford has excelled at through six weeks is throwing off play action. That bodes well, considering the Eagles put up 155 rushing yards on what was the league’s top ranked unit defending the run. DeMarco Murray showed up in a big way, contributing 109 yards and a touchdown and Ryan Mathews added 40 yards of his own.

The one positive the Eagles have is their defense. Missing both Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso, the Eagles have allowed just 18.6 points per game this season. That’s good for sixth in the NFL. Led by Vinny Curry‘s 1.5 sacks, the Eagles front seven made Eli Manning‘s life miserable, allowing just 167 yards after an 80-yard touchdown drive to start the game.

So the Eagles defense is playing at a near-elite level, the team has over a 60% chance of winning the division, according to ESPN and Murray has turned a corner.

And yet, happiness eludes us.

INJURY REPORT

DNP: Nelson Agholor, Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks

DeMeco Ryans – After playing a quarter and a half of inspired football, Ryans left the game with a strained hamstring and did not return. Ryans turned the tide of the game, ripping the ball away from tight-end Larry Donnell for an interception that set up the Eagles first scoring drive. After the game, Ryans told reporters that he didn’t think the injury will affect his status for next week’s game.

Josh Huff – Huff limped off the field after returning the opening kickoff in the second half. He ended up returning to the game late in the third quarter.

Darren Sproles – Sproles got hit hard early in the second half and was tested for a concussion. He was cleared by team doctors and was able to return to the game.

MEASURABLES

10 – The Eagles have won 10 of their last 13 meetings against the Giants. It seems like no matter how well New York is playing, the Eagles always find a way to beat them convincingly.

1 – Running-back Shane Vereen had just one catch last night for six yards. It is amazing how well the Eagles are able to cover backs in the passing game. But when you consider they are forced to go up against Sproles during practice, any other receiving back should be a piece of cake.

.750 – The Eagles sport a .750 winning percentage against the Carolina Panthers, including last year’s 45-21 demolition of Cam Newton‘s squad on Monday Night Football. The Panthers are currently 5-0 and they have won nine straight regular season games, dating back to last year.

SECTION 140

The referees did a much better job in the second half, but their first half performance was one to forget. Missed calls on both sides that really hurt the quality of the game.

I don’t know why, but the Eagles first quarter offense under Kelly is incredibly interesting to me. They are 7-0 when scoring on their opening drive, 15-4 when scoring a touchdown in the first quarter. I’ve never seen an offense that can predict the entire game’s outcome based simply on their production early in the game.

I’m assuming both fanbases are disappointed in their team’s performance and there was a lacking of physical confrontations following the game. Still, this is a good guide on how to survive Philadelphia as a visiting fan.

WEEKLY AWARDS

The Leading Receiver Award – Riley Cooper

That’s right. Riley Cooper’s three catches for 76 yards made him the top receiver in last night’s game. He was able to make good plays on a pair of terribly underthrown balls by Bradford and finished with 15 more receiving yards than Odell Beckham Jr. That’s why you play the game, I guess.

The Fountain Of Youth Award – DeMeco Ryans

It was hard to watch the first half of last night’s game and not comment on how much of an impact Ryans made. His interception completely turned the tide for the entire game and he stepped up and made a few plays to set the tone in the run game. Despite missing the entire second half with an injury, Ryans may have been the defensive MVP for the Eagles. Not too shabby for a guy coming off his second torn Achilles tendon.

NO HUDDLE

  • The Eagles defense is playing at a level that hasn’t been since Jim Johnson was patrolling the sidelines. A lot of criticism has been thrown towards Bill Davis and his group, but the fact is, they have completely outplayed the Eagles offense since the beginning of last season.
  • One thing I noticed last night  was Bradford’s refusal to step up into deep throws. Anytime he wanted send the ball down the field, Bradford put all of his weight on his front foot and slowed down his throwing motion, guiding the ball down the field. I don’t know if this is due to injury or a lack of confidence, but it led to a number of receivers being underthrown. It is definitely something worth watching moving forward.
  • Last night was the first game that Murray outplayed Mathews. For Murray and the Eagles’ sake, hopefully that is a trend that continues. Murray doesn’t seem like a guy willing to tear apart a locker room over his touches, but he is paid like a top running back and needs to play like it.

WHO’S NEXT

The Eagles will be featured in prime time once again this week, facing off against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday Night Football. The Panthers are 5-0 and may be the biggest test for the Eagles to-date.

One thing worth watching is the Eagles ability to defend the run. Carolina has called the highest percentage of run plays in the NFL and for good reason, considering their lacking of outside weapons. If Fletcher Cox and the rest of the front seven can stifle the run and keep Newton in the pocket, the Eagles have a shot of pulling out a big statement win.

Next: Phillies Rumors: J.J. Picollo 'Heavy Favorite' to Become Phillies' GM

More from Section 215

Home/Philadelphia Eagles