We’re now three quarters into the 2019/20 NFL season and it hasn’t exactly gone as Eagles fans had hoped. Sitting at 5-7, there are four ‘relatively easy’ easy games remaining, with playoff hopes and divisional bragging rights up for grabs. But how have the Eagles performed over their last four games? It’s time to get the whiteboard markers out again!
Vs Bears (W)
Vs Patriots (L)
Vs Seahawks (L)
@ Miami (L)
Quarterback
Wentz has had a topsy-turvy four games to say the least. He’s gone from some really impressive moments, to some worrying lapses in concentration and an inability to read pressure. Although, to exclaim he’s been let down by his receivers would be the understatement of the decade.
Through the last quarter of the season, Wentz completed 62.9% of his passes, throwing 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Less than ideal, but could easily have been a lot worse. Wentz has missed a lot of easy and open throws but has completed others that most simply couldn’t. However, he’s also fumbled 6 times in that span, which is a far more worrying statistic.
Wentz continues to flash what makes him so special, while also leaving a lot of meat left on the bone in certain situations. It’s hard to be brutally tough on Wentz knowing that his receivers struggle with gaining separation and drops are an issue still as prominent as ever. There is only so much Wentz can do, although he hasn’t exactly been his own best friend over the last month or so.
Grade: D
Running back
Jordan Howard’s 19-carry rampage against his former team left fans purring until news of a stinger injury emerged. A stinger that has kept him sidelined ever since.
The Eagles have really struggled to establish the run in recent weeks. Like, really struggled. For the first time in franchise history, they’ve gone 3 consecutive games with 40+ pass attempts and 23 or fewer rushing attempts (Hat Tip Reuben Frank).
Against New England, the run-game was invisible, with the Pats doing all they can to eliminate Miles Sanders from the gameplan entirely. Talking of the rookie, Sanders has made some impressive steps forward this month, averaging 4.52 yards per carry, along with 85-receiving yards. He still shows a lack of vision and patience at times, but Sanders is steadily improving during his rookie season.
As for the lack of Jay Ajayi usage? I wish I knew.
Grade: C
Offensive line
There have been good games, there have been bad games. There was also a game where the line missed both Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks, with Andre Dillard being thrown to the wolves at a position he’s never played before (RT).
Overall, the line play has been ‘okay’, but Wentz being sacked 14 times in 4 games is hardly something to write home about.
Grade: C-
Tight end
This is tricky. On the surface, seeing Zach Ertz as the team’s leading receiver as he continues to blister every record in his path, is really encouraging. But dig a little deeper and we still see a struggle to get open from Dallas Goedert and some questionable open-field decisions as a blocker from Zach Ertz.
Ertz has 312 yards and 2 touchdowns in 4 games. A lot of this volume can be attributed to the lack of wide receiver contribution, but it’s still an impressive feat.
Goedert has been a behemoth in the red-zone and his recent inclusion as a lead-blocker and as a pass-catcher on tight end screens have provided an injection of life into a sputtering offense.
However, Ertz letting two TD passes slip through his fingers against the Dolphins, combined with Goedert’s struggles to create separation and reliance on physical size to win at the catch-point will ultimately bring this grade down a little.
Grade: C
Wide receiver
If not for an Alshon Jeffery resurgence against Miami, this would be almost ungradable. Having said that, it was the Dolphins, so does it really count?
I’m honestly lost for words at this point. With Alshon and Agholor missing time, Mack Hollins still provided absolutely nothing, Arcega-Whiteside made one big third-down conversion before his first touchdown a week later, and it took the promotion of Greg Ward Jr. for the Eagles to find any kind of life at the position.
Frankly, the fact Agholor and Jeffery did their job against one of the worst defenses in the NFL does not atone for the sins of a positional group that has chained the offense to the ground for a month now.
Grade: F
Defensive grades listed on the page below.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
