The Eagles swept the New York Giants in rollercoaster fashion on Sunday afternoon in a 34-29 victory. A game filled with plenty of highs and some worrying lows have painted a picture of intrigue for the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are some quick takes from the win.
Foles can get it done:
Nick Roles threw 4 touchdowns in a single game for just the second time of his career, the first of course being that glorious win over Oakland in 2013. Nick Folean Dynamite exploded into life on Sunday, throwing for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns, doing exactly what the Doctor ordered. Foles had some bumpy moments along the way, but taking some big hits and making even bigger throws, Foles showed that he hasn’t lost any of the spark that made him so dangerous in 2013. Super Bowl hopes are still alive and well…for now.
The Defense however…:
Allowing 29 points and 429 passing yards against a New York Giants team who averaged 3.3 yards per carry isn’t good enough. Tackling was inconsistent and poor for the fourth consecutive week and although the pressure up front was good, the performances in the secondary were anything but impressive. The Giants scored a season high 29 points on an Eagles defense that is struggling to wrap up ball carriers. This cannot continue if they are to have any hope of succeeding in the playoffs. The defense continues to allow shootout instances to occur and the Eagles won’t be able to overcome the might of Minnesota if it continues. Tackling was simply atrocious.
The Eagle were the most penalized team in the league over the last three weeks coming into this matchup and left with that trend set to continue. Complacency has seemed to set in from a fundamental standpoint and the Eagles have to do a better job in the back-end. Rodney McLeod had a nice resurgence, but the rest of the outfit struggled heavily and it showed.
Special teams are special:
A blocked extra point, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal? A regular day at the office for Mr Dave Fipp and his special teams unit. If it wasn’t for the explosiveness of Fipp’s grouping, the Eagles would not have been in a situation to tie the game or swing momentum in their favor. Football is a game won in all three phases and the Birds showed that today.
Two big paydays:
Brandon Graham was a monster today, amassing 2 tackles for a loss and a sack in a game where he was consistently in the backfield harassing Eli Manning. Nigel Bradham on the other hand simply always seemed to be around the ball. A team-leading 11 tackles don’t do the former Buffalo Bill justice, who swatted passes and made a crucial tackle for a loss. While Graham is still awaiting his big payday, Nigel Bradham is just as uncertain his will be with the Eagles. The pending free agent continues to light up opposing offenses but it’s unclear how the Eagles will handle both contract situations. Losing any of these two standouts would be a killer offseason blow, losing both could be catastrophic.
Every dog has his day:
It took a while, but Jay Ajayi had the Lion’s share of carries on Sunday. 12 rushing attempts headlined an afternoon where Ajayi averaged 4.1 yards per carry and rushed for 49 yards. Almost doubling the amount of time on the field seen by Blount, Ajayi broke off some big runs along the way. The Eagles were able to balance the offense, despite rarely rushing the ball on two or more consecutive plays.
Sharing is caring:
Four touchdowns, four different receivers. Just because Carson Wentz is sidelined, it doesn’t mean that the same mantra doesn’t apply here. Foles found Agholor, Jeffery, Burton and Ertz against the Giants, picking apart the defense piece by piece and pushing the offense into contention. It’s this lone aspect that makes the Eagles so dangerous and it’s not void with Foles in the mix.
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Philadelphia Eagles Carson Wentz Jersey
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
