The Eagles enter halftime of a defensively focused contest with Dallas tied 0-0. It has been anything but pretty, in fact this has been the first time a game has been scoreless at halftime since 2011. So what did we learn in the opening two quarters?
Foles wobbles:
In a game that would leave a lasting taste in the mouths of fans as the wait for the playoffs arrives, Foles played poorly yet again. Pulled after 11 passes, Foles completed just 4/11 and threw a horrific pick along the way. The offense lacked any kind of rhythm after the opening drive and Foles did anything but exude confidence during his short time on the field. The Eagles will have plenty of questions to answer moving forward, especially with a dream playoff scenario at stake.
Blount struggles:
Jay Ajayi was rested on the sideline, but 8 rushes for 28 yards so far hasn’t exactly painted a positive picture. Blount has looked slow off the mark during the first half and if not for one 8-yard rush, this would be a very different point to be making. Meanwhile, Corey Clement has conversely seen little action, as is the case with Wendell Smallwood. Kenjon Barner had a 14-yard gain early on, but it will be interesting to see if the Eagles do hand the ball off to Clement and company a little more in the second half.
Sudfeld steps up:
When Foles was sent to the sidelines, cementing his day, Nate Sudfeld stepped in. A rocky first drive saw everything from a stumble, to an impressive 3rd and long completion to Marcus Johnson, avoiding a pass rusher and threading the needle only for it to be negated with a penalty. Sudfeld certainly didn’t have a problem slinging the ball, but will need more accuracy in the second half.
Defense mens business:
The Eagles run defense has been terrifying in the first half. Holding Zeke to just 28 yards and amassing 3 TFL’s, Vinny Curry and Steven Means are among those making a dominant impact early on. The secondary has been just a impressive. Despite some close shaves for Rasul Douglas, seeing Sidney Jones line up against Dez Bryant in man-coverage was incredibly exciting to watch. The defense has set the tone, holding Dallas scoreless in the first half.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
