How sweet it is! The Philadelphia Eagles pulled off the upset over the Green Bay Packers by a final score of 34-27.
The good:
The Ground Game: The Eagles ran the ball effectively all night. Leading the show was Jordan Howard, who finished with a total of 115 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. However Miles Sanders was a big part of the action too. Sanders finished the game with 72 yards on 11 carries. Sanders also had a big kickoff return that sparked a touchdown drive. In total, the Eagles rushed for 176 yards, by far their best performance of the season so far. Most of the credit should go to the offensive line, who stepped up in a huge way tonight. After two sub-par performances, the big guys gave Howard and Sanders plenty of room to run. So much for Green Bay’s stout rushing defense.
Doug Pederson: This was about as close to a must win game as there is in Week 4. Doug Pederson was able to pull off a huge upset in Green Bay. One of the biggest issues thus far in the season was that Pederson wouldn’t run the ball enough. He clearly got the message, and as a result the Eagles got the win. One side note: The decision to challenge pass interference wasn’t smart. Pederson should know that it’s almost impossible to overturn, however challenges have been something that he’s struggled with during his tenure in Philadelphia.
Derek Barnett: Granted, Barnett had one of the worst late hits I’ve ever seen on Jamaal Williams. I genuinely wish the fastest recovery possible for him. With that said, Barnett was a constant force all night long. The biggest play of the game for him was right after the two minute warning:
He beat his man, forced a fumble out of Aaron Rodgers’ hand, and the Eagles went on to take an eight point lead. Barnett’s sack was the only one of the game for the team, but it was a huge play nonetheless.
Craig James: Who? Essentially a nobody, James entered the game with under 30 seconds left. He made the biggest play of the night, tipping a ball that ended up in the hands of Nigel Bradham.
The Eagles Redzone Defense: Talk about bend don’t break. Not once, but twice did the Eagles stop Green Bay inside the five yard line. Part of that can be attributed to Matt LaFleur’s play calling at the goal line, but the Eagles’ defense didn’t exactly lie down and die either. Great showing by the Jim Schwartz’s in the redzone.
The bad:
The Eagles Defense Everywhere Else: Aside from the Barnett forced fumble and the two goal line stands, the defense was mediocre at best. Davante Adams tore the secondary up all night, catching 10 balls for 180 yards. One has to wonder what would have happened had Adams not hurt his toe in the fourth quarter. The defense also gave up a maddening drive at the end of the first half which resulted in a Green Bay touchdown. The secondary must get better, and with some notable names on the trade block, there’s a chance it does by the likes of Jalen Ramsey or Patrick Peterson.
Carson Wentz: Wentz really didn’t play that well. Throwing for just 160 yards, Wentz took on the roll of a game manager more than anything else. He was able to lead the team to multiple touchdown drives, however he missed a few big throws. One of said throws was when the Eagles had a chance to ice the game on offense. Wentz overthrew Alshon Jeffery on a 3rd-and-5 in the fourth quarter, giving Green Bay a chance to tie the game with over five minutes remaining.
The I don’t know’s:
There really weren’t a lot of question marks throughout. If anything, I don’t know how this team lost to Atlanta. They’ve clearly turned out to be a non-contender.
Overall: This was a huge win for the Eagles. Not only do they advance to 2-2 on the season, but they also most likely have a leg up on the Dallas Cowboys, as Green Bay should go into Jerry’s World and smack them. Likewise, the Eagles should smoke the Jets next Sunday, as New York has turned out to possibly be the worst team in football.
All stats come from ESPN and Pro Football Reference
Daily Sports Blogger 