Stock Up/Down from Eagles 20-17 walk-off win in Arizona

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NFL MVP
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The Philadelphia Eagles moved to 5-0 on the season thanks to a combination of clutch offensive play and mental mishaps from Arizona. Fans of the Eagles weren’t too pleased coming off the 20-17 win on the road, but there was plenty to get excited about whe examining the bigger picture.

Let’s look at whose stock is rising and falling after week five.

Stock Up: Jalen Hurts

The Eagles quarterback didn’t turn the ball over, but made a few bad reads, and relied nearly exclusively on screens during the game.

So why is his stock up after a game that showed how far the quarterback has to go?

Simple: when the Eagles needed their quarterback to make a big throw, Jalen Hurts stepped up and made it. On 3rd & 11 with just about four minutes to go in the game, the Eagles had the ball on the Cardinals 35 yard line. An incomplete pass would leave a brand-new kicker out to dry and most assuredly cost the game.

With Arizona bringing the blitz, Hurts stayed in the pocket, found Dallas Goedert, and kept the chains moving. People can be quick to say that Hurts hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in two weeks all they want.

The Eagles have won because of Jalen Hurts this season and not in spite of it.

Stock Down: Coaching

Jeff Stoutland was the only assistant coach that really looked good on Sunday. Outside of that, it was an extremely disappointing showing from the entire coaching staff for Philly.

There was Nick Sirianni not challenging when Rondale Moore ran for a first down on 3rd and 17 when he was two yards short. There was Shane Steichen not updating the play calls when he lost three of his five starting linemen.

And who can lovingly forget that Jonathan Gannon inexplicably went straight zone against Kyler Murray in the second half and was bailed out just because of a missed field goal attempt?

The coaching staff now for a few weeks has shown the inability to make necessary adjustments to their opponents in the second half. The Eagles staff, at least Sunday, looked unprepared and the team was disappointed in response to that.

Things will need to change from this staff and soon with Dallas, Green Bay, and others coming up on the schedule.

Stock Up: Jordan Davis

Sunday was the first game where I felt Jordan Davis LOOKED like a future stud in the NFL. Whether it was stout run defense, unlimited hustle, and pass-rush prowess, Davis held his own and is getting more and more defensive snaps because of it.

There were at times the Eagles’ pass rush looked limited at times, but I think that was more about the team trying to keep Kyler Murray in the pocket, than the team not getting a pass rush.

Stock Down: TJ Edwards and Kyzir White

Edwards wasn’t bad on Sunday. Neither was Kyzir. But there was a fundamental flaw with both linebackers on Sunday that could be cause for concern in later weeks: speed.

The Cardinals are one of the fastest teams in football and it showed on Sunday. Whether it was quarterback draws that had Edwards on an island, or Kyzir White being lost in zone coverages, neither played particularly well for the first time in 2022.

The Cowboys, Packers, and other teams aren’t as fast as the Cardinals which should offer some comfort, but it’s something that will need to be addressed soon.

Stock Up: Offensive Line

Whether it was Jack Driscoll, Sua Opeta, Landon Dickerson, and others, the Eagles’ offensive line kicked ass when they needed to on Sunday. There is a fundamental reason why calling a quarterback sneak on third and fourth and one is the smart move: your offensive line.

Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi was quoted saying “if you can’t gain a yard, you don’t deserve to be champions.”

That mindset fits the Eagles very well. The offense may feel simplistic, but when you have the best offensive line in football, there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. The group looked amazing on Sunday even with a rash of injuries.

Stock Down: Injuries

Well…we’re back to where we were a few years ago with the injuries. Darius Slay, Jason Kelce, and Landon Dickerson were all banged up going into the game on Sunday with Kelce and Dickerson leaving for extended periods.

With Avonte Maddox, Jake Elliott and Jordan Mailata still out with their injuries, it’s hard to ask the Eagles to sustain this level of success when a third of the starting lineup is out with injuries.

The bye week can’t come soon enough, but it’s hard to beat Dallas when their skill set coincides perfectly with where the Eagles are banged up.

AP Photo/Matt Slocum