The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders on Sunday but it was far from what anyone expected. After the Dolphins game, many people were encouraged by the defense and the thought was that they would take a step forward this week. Even with Kevin Byard in the secondary the defense was gashed for nearly 400 passing yards.
Yes, you read that correctly. Sam Howell threw 4 passing touchdowns and 397 passing yards against the Eagles and it nearly cost them the game. Philadelphia was able to sneak by with a 38-31 victory but at no moment was this an easy contest for the Birds.
With that said, let’s take a look at our Eagles stock market to see who’s trending in the right direction and who’s backpedaling into uncharted waters.
Stock Up
A.J. Brown
Is there a better player in the football right now? Sure, Tyreek Hill has crossed the 1,000-yard mark but he’s only 75 yards ahead of A.J. Brown. What Brown has done this season is masterful. He has gone six straight games with 125+ receiving yards, passing Calvin Johnson for the all-time NFL record.
Brown has been nothing but impressive and the chemistry that he and Jalen Hurts have is second to none at the moment. He tallied another 130 receiving yards against the Commanders and made some big-time plays. Brown’s stock at the moment is breaking the ceiling!
Jalen Hurts
Don’t tell him this but Hurts had his best outing to date against the Commanders. He was an impressive 29/38 with 319 passing yards and four touchdowns. Hurts was decisive and trusted his pocket more than I’ve seen this season.
Jalen found a way to distribute the ball to all of his playmakers and helped the offense overcome two red zone turnovers. While many people have been asking Brian Johnson’s head, I feel the offense is finally coming together at the right time.
Haason Reddick
In case you haven’t noticed, Haason Reddick is back and is in full rage mode. Reddick had a key strip sack that led to a turnover on downs. Outside of that, Reddick has been on a complete tear as of late as he now has 6.5 sacks on the year.
Reddick has been the anchor of the defensive line as of yet, even when the defense couldn’t find their groove, Reddick was there to save the day.
Stock Down
Eagles Secondary
They allowed Sam Howell to pass for 397 yards and four touchdowns after limiting the Dolphins offense. Not sure what the game plan was but there seemed to be a lot of miscommunication in the secondary. Bradberry and Blankenship were continuously getting beat.
Blankenship may have saved the day with his interception but the coverage has to be better. Especially against Dallas. I’m curious to see how Desai adjusts heading into the big game against Dallas. One way or another though, this secondary has to be better.
Kenny Gainwell
It’s been an odd season for Kenny Gainwell. The once efficient change-of-pace running back has taken a bit of a step back this season. I’m not sure if there’s a lingering injury or the plays that are being called when he’s in but the burst doesn’t seem to be there. Then there’s the whole issue of him answering a fan on his phone during halftime.
While he did make up for the fumble with several catches to close out the first half, the Eagles need Gainwell to be who he is as they head into a tough stretch of the season. If not then it may be time to trust in Boston Scott some more or finally include Rashaad Penny.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
