The Eagles ended their week 5 showdown with the Saints on a monumental high. There were still a few bumps in the road but on the whole, the Eagles looked like a dominant force on both sides of the ball for the first time this season. There were also plenty of big performances, we decided to rank our top 5 standouts from the Eagles’ second win of the season.
5: Josh Huff
Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated breakout in the roster came in the form of Josh Huff. The second year receiver had the best game of his career, finishing with 78 yards and four catches but most notably an emphatic 41 yard touchdown to give the Offense that spark needed to light the fire. Huff has had a tricky off-season off the field, having to go through a lot of personal stuff and then suffered another knock back a couple of weeks ago with a minor injury. He stormed back onto the scene today to score his first ever touchdown as a rookie, and became a constant target for Bradford as the game progressed.
The 41-yard TD was nice enough.
But that Josh Huff front flip into the end zone?
Mercy. #NOvsPHI http://t.co/SDoVwTRScY— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2015
4: DeMarco Murray
We predicted it in our analysis mid week but finally DeMarco Murray had the big game he needed. After politely inferring that he wants more touches, last years rushing leader went on to rush for 83 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. What was interesting about today was that the Eagles began to experiment. Murray was still running out of the shotgun but then burst up the gut in the I formation, swept to the outside and began to create his own holes. He’s not only learning how to run in this scheme but he’s learning how to do it successfully. All signs pre-game pointed towards a Murray breakout and today we got a firm statement that Murray has a lot left in the tank.
3: Sam Bradford
This may cause a few debates because we’re still yet to see Bradford string together an entire four quarter performance..but overall he played brilliantly. The first signs were very promising, a third down conversion to kick things off (something that had been missing entirely until this week) was unfortunately followed by an INT that could have been oh so easily prevented. It was a poor decision to throw to a guy who was outmatched and in the wrong position to make the play.
The second one is where I have the issue because if Matthews had made the catch before (despite the penalty) it would have been a touchdown. There were at least three drops in the first half and if two had been caught then the following interceptions may never have happened.
But that’s all if’s, but’s and maybe’s..the facts are simple. Sam Bradford came back from the edge of an abyss to a dominant win. He sustained drives (34 minutes total possession) and moved his team down the field with an authority about him..something that again had been absent. He ended with a passer rating of 88.5, his ninth career game of 300 yards or more, two touchdowns and a 32/45 completion rate…an impressive comeback.
2:Malcolm Jenkins
This man just does not have an off day. Jenkins stepped up against his former team and laid down a message early on..that this was his house. Jenkins made plays all over the field yet again with his most impressive being a tackle on a Saints running back out of nowhere. He some how saw an outside zone from behind the trenches, charged to the left hand side and made a huge tackle…he’s a born playmaker.
Jenkins ended the game with 6 total tackles and 2 tackles for a loss. He was a huge part in giving this Defense such a rabid drive and his presence on the field was felt by just about everyone. The leadership qualities demonstrated were second to none..he lead that secondary to an almost perfect performance.
1:Fletcher Cox
There isn’t a more deserving man to get a game ball on the roster. Cox has been a complete monster on the Defensive line since he joined the Eagles and after narrowly missing out on a Pro Bowl spot last season, he’s almost certain to get it this year after todays performance.
Three sacks and two forced fumbles don’t do Cox justice, six tackles don’t even do it justice. His fumble recovery became the cherry on top of the cake in a game where Cox didn’t just play…he dominated. Three of the turnovers caused put the Eagles in scoring position..Cox just did not let up. This may have been the most explosive we have ever seen the man play and it inspired the entire line to do better.
What do you think? Let us know your top 5 in the comments below!
ICYMI: Our founder, editor and beat writer Liam Jenkins appeared on the OFFICIAL Philadelphia Eagles Post Game Show to provide some analysis, check it out!
