The Eagles Defense was rampant on Thursday night, shutting out the Steelers and racking up four interceptions. It may only be preseason, but there were plenty of encouraging signs to take from what was a simply dominant affair. However, there are some interesting statistics that are worth noting.
Penalty yards:
The Eagles were penalized 12 times in their second preseason win, for a total loss of 96 yards. Considering that they struggled with a similar issue in week one and that the Offensive Line was plagued with penalties in 2015, this is probably the biggest concern coming out of tonight’s loss. It’s something that Doug Pederson noted before halftime..and something he simply has to iron out ahead of the regular season.
Quarterback accuracy:
If you combine the passing charts of Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and McLeod Bethel-Thompson, you see a direct contrast to what we saw in week one. The combined numbers would be 26/39. Considering that Chase Daniel was sacked 4 times in just 10 passing attempts seven days ago, this is a huge difference. The Eagles were able to sustain drives and throw for a combined total of 207 yards as a result.
Bonus stat:
The Eagles are still yet to score a passing touchdown under Doug Pederson.
Pick city:
The Eagles have seven interceptions in just two preseason games. Considering that the Secondary is supposed to be the weakest area of the Eagles Defense on paper, this is a huge positive for Jim Schwartz.
Turnering the corner:
For the second consecutive week, Paul Turner led the Eagles in receiving. The undrafted rookie caught three passes for 44 yards against the Steelers in a bid to secure a spot on the final-53 man roster..a bid that’s becoming ever more impressionable.
Offensive identity:
The committee backfield in Kansas City was a large part of the Chiefs playoff push in 2015 and is expected to be equally as imperative in Philadelphia under Doug Pederson. However, the Eagles have veered more toward the pass than you might think. 39 pass attempts to 27 rushing attempts may not sound like a big swing, but when you consider the 36 passing attempts and 26 rushing attempts from a week ago, we start to see that Pederson’s Offense is a little harder to read than we first thought.
