The Eagles soar into halftime with a careering 31-9 lead over the ruthless Denver Defense. The Birds have done well to keep Osweiler and company in check, but offensively, an explosion of creativity has taken center stage.
No Ertz, no problem
When Zach Ertz was listed as inactive, the consensus was the Eagles would at least lose some offensive spark, But due to the versatility of Trey Burton, who has 41-yards and a TD reception in the first half, and the physicality of Brent Celek, the Eagles have been able to manage just fine. Celek may be 32-years old, but he’s still a tank with the ball in his hands. They may be without their top target, but Burton and Celek have done an admirable job so far.
Backfield rotation
It didn’t take long to get a good look at the Eagles backfield. Jay Ajayi already has 5 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown in his debut despite limited playbook knowledge. Corey Clement caught his second receiving touchdown of the year, while Blount continues to barrel his way past defenders. The one outlier? Wendell Smallwood. Apart from that, this Eagles backfield is as versatile as it is powerful…and this team is just incredible.
What’s wrong with being confident?
From the very first play of the game, the Eagles defensive backs were lining up in press. Something we have rarely seen from Schwartz or his corners this season. While there were some minor mistakes in the early stages, the Eagles have done well to keep Osweiler and the Broncos wideouts at bay. The confidence is running through the Jim Schwartz Defense at levels previously unseen…and with Robinson’s interception and a bulk of pass breakups and tackles, it’s fun to watch.
Cadence from Carson:
Watching Wentz and his hard-counts is a thing of beauty. Reminiscent of Andrew Luck, Wentz has forced Denver into three penalties for false starts with his prowess at the line of scrimmage. Denver has suffered miserably with discipline today, and the cadence of Carson is only making it worse.
Pederson’s perfection:
Remember the days when Doug Pederson was unfairly criticized for his play-calls? Well, those are long gone. From play-action’s and mismatch inducing nightmares, Pederson has been prolific and enjoyed arguably his best day as a play-caller. Without Ertz, Pederson has shown his creative side more than ever and it is simply a joy to watch.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
