Five Big-Picture Takeaways From Eagles Week 14 Win vs Bills
By Somers Price
Dec 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) runs after the catch as Buffalo Bills strong safety Duke Williams (27) attempts to make the tackle in the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Philadelphia defeated Buffalo 23-20. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
3.) Zach Ertz Looks Like He’s Finally Figuring it Out
It seems like since the Eagles drafted him towards the top of the 2nd round in 2013, Zach Ertz has been a ‘breakout candidate’. For one reason or another, Ertz has maintained the categorization of a player expected to perform without actually doing so. There have been flashes of potential in his two-plus years in the league, but never the sort of weekly production typical of some of the league’s top tight ends. To say Ertz is a disappointment to this point is probably unfair. That doesn’t mean the Stanford product hasn’t left something to be desired.
When the Eagles fell to the Dolphins a few weeks ago, it looked as if Ertz’s season might be cut short due to a scary-looking concussion. Ertz managed to avoid missing substantial time and returned with Bradford to inject a much-needed boost to the Eagles offense. Ertz scored his first touchdown of the season against the Patriots after having a couple of them washed out earlier in the year due to penalties. Against the Bills, Ertz caught five passes for 98 yards. Ertz dropped what could have been a touchdown pass with the team in the red zone, but was otherwise the type of matchup problem many envisioned when Ertz was drafted.
Given how big and athletic Ertz his, he has the potential to maximize a quarterback like Bradford who depends on accuracy so much. It’s difficult for smaller defenders to get around Ertz and he possesses the necessary speed to stretch the opposition thin. Hertz delivered perhaps his most notable play as a pro on the Eagles game-winning field goal drive. On a 3rd down and short, Ertz took a quick out pattern beyond the first down marker and displayed his entire package as a skill player on one 41-yard run. He showed speed, athleticism, strength, and smarts as he positioned the offense to deliver the go-ahead score.
It always seems as if great quarterbacks have a dependable tight end option to hitch their wagons to. Ertz has the talent to be that, and more. He will still need to show he can deliver these types of performances on a weekly basis, but there seemed to be an emphasis on getting him the ball in big spots. That can go a long way for a young player’s confidence. Here’s to hoping it has that type of effect on Ertz going forward.