The Eagles fought through adversity on Sunday en route to a 24-15 victory, battling against errors and no-calls in among a bundle of setbacks. However, the team hung tough and were able to overthrow Matt Ryan and the Falcons in an impressive won. So who had a day to remember..and who had a day to forget?
Winners:
Ryan Mathews:
Rushing for 100 yards for the first time since week 3 last year, Ryan Mathews re-asserted his authority over the Eagles committee backfield, running rampant against the Falcons and scoring two touchdowns. There will be a more in-depth feature on the emergence of Mathews later today, but the Eagles running back found himself in a very difficult and overcrowded situation..one where a game like this could mean everything come the end of the season.
Not only did it help finally give Carson Wentz a helping hand in balancing the Offense and take weight off of his shoulders, but it made a very clear statement..that Mathews can still and most likely will still rush to a high level in this league when healthy.
Malcolm Jenkins:
The Eagles Safety has had a relatively quiet season on the surface so far due to being asked to contribute in just about every facet of the Defense. The win over Atlanta was no exception, but Jenkins thrived on Sunday. Leading the team in tackles with 8, Jenkins was simply all over the field on Sunday..from rushing the passer and killing the run game, to covering some of the Falcons most dangerous receivers, something that was imperative in keeping the explosive Atlanta Offense quiet.
Isaac Seumalo:
The Eagles haven’t exactly had the most pleasant rookie debuts when it comes to the Offensive Line, but filling in for Allen Barbre at LG was third round pick Isaac Seumalo. Breaking the trend, Seumalo had a very consistent debut, only committing a a few minor errors including a penalty.
The Offensive Line allowed just 2 sacks and 3 QB hits on Carson Wentz..which considering two rookies were playing is incredibly impressive. Seumalo certainly left a good impression on the Eagles coaching staff after his debut..which given how tough the remaining games on the schedule are shaping up to be, could be a blessing if injuries hamper the line.
Jalen Mills:
A week after lining up against Odell Beckham Jr, the seventh round pick out of LSU was lined up against Julio Jones from the very opening plays of the game, expressing plenty of physicality and a confidence in his own ability. Six tackles on a day where Nolan Carroll left the game early with a concussion and keeping Julio out of the endzone altogether, Mills can hold his head high after this one.
Losers:
Caleb Sturgis:
Sturgis had been money from range this season..but at home against the Falcons, the Eagles kicker completed just 3/5 field goal attempts. While we can be happy that Doug Pederson chose the more conservative options this week, it’s up to Sturgis to convert them as often and consistently as possible..which for the first time this season, he failed to do.
Nelson Agholor:
The Eagles need production out of their skill positions, desparately..but against the Falcons, Wentz was forced into seeking out Matthews, Sproles and Ertz on a rotational basis. Why? Nelson Agholor played in 91% of snaps yesterday, catching just two passes for seven yards..out of five targets.
It just wasn’t a good day to be Nelson Agholor, from a drop to a completion that was only ruled so due to a challenge flag..he simply struggled to get going against the Falcons.
Dorial Green-Beckham:
Similar to Agholor, DGB had yet ANOTHER bad game. However, this was even worse than his performance against the Giants, as the former Titans wideout received for a whopping zero yards on zero targets, despite playing in 56% of snaps.
That’s two consecutive concerning games for Dorial Green-Beckham..is there more to this than meets the eye?
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
