The Eagles have won 9 in a row, which ties the longest streak in franchise history, but there was not a festive feel in the locker room at the end of the game.
The offense knew it had struggled without having many answers as to why and the defense knew it was an Xavier Leggette drop away from giving up a game-winning touchdown.
On the bright side, the Birds won and clinched a playoff berth. If they win two of their final four games, they will clinch the NFC two-seed, at worst.
Eagles Offense:
The Eagles ran for over 200 yards for the fifth time this season behind strong offensive line play. The passing game struggled to find a rhythm but did enough to get the win.
Jalen Hurts excelled in the ground game but had an odd day statistically. Jalen had just 108 yards passing, but he had 2 TD passes (both 4 yards) and a 110.8 passer rating. He added another TD on the ground for a total of 3 for the game. Jalen rushed for 59 yards, including his longest scramble of the season, 35 yards, to set the Eagles up with first and goal to start the 4th quarter.
His early game struggles rarely persist or snowball, but he will need to find his rhythm with the receivers over the next weeks to prepare for tougher competition in the postseason.
Saquon Barkley passed LeSean ‘Shady’ McCoy for the Eagle’s all-time single-season rushing record on a 9-yard carry in the fourth Quarter. He only had nine carries in the first half and ended the game with twenty, good for 124 yards and a 6.2 yards-per-carry average. He has not shown any signs of wearing down and with a strong finish could challenge the all-time single-season record held by Eric Dickerson.
Kenneth Gainwell continues to thrive in his niche role. He has played well in pass pro and provided a key block during Jalen Hurts 35-yard scramble. He added 26 rushing yards on three carries.
AJ Brown caught all 4 of his targets for 43 yards. Winning is everything, but the receivers have seemed perturbed that they are not a larger part of the game plan. The Eagles will need to start feeding their star receiver.
DeVonta Smith cashed in on a CJGJ interception with a 4-yard TD reception. He finished the game with four catches for 37 yards. The Slim Reaper was a welcomed addition back, and he draws a lot of attention from defenders, which opens up a lot in the running game. He is also a good run blocker and was again today.
Jahan Dotson made his weekly one catch, this time for 5 yards. At this point, it appears doubtful that he will find a larger role in 2024.
Grant Calcaterra hauled in his first NFL TD on a 4-yard reception. He has some of the best hands on the team this season. Grant has made 20 receptions on 23 targets. He continues to step up in Dallas Goedert’s absence.
Jake Elliott missed another 50+ yard field goal, 0–5 on the year. With three minutes left in the game, the Eagles chose to punt rather than attempt a 55-yard goal that would have given them an 8-point lead. It is fair to wonder if his confidence is waning or if the Eagles are with him.
Eagles Defense:
The Panthers had 302 total yards, 118 rushing and 184 passing. The defense struggled to contain Panther’s 1000-yard rusher RB Chuba Hubbard at times and had a harder time stopping Adam Thielen. This was one of the few games this season the Eagles had more yards against them than they managed to net.
Josh Sweat played 46 snaps (65%) and seems stronger at this point of the season than last year. Keeping Sweaty fresh for the deep playoff run will go a long way toward hoisting a Lombardi trophy in February.
Nolan Smith had a relatively quiet game, he brought pressure but ended the day without any sacks and a single QB hit. Nolan is a great run defender, but he struggled some, setting the edge against Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard. This tough day aside, he has been a force all season.
Jalyx Hunt played very well in his 38 snaps, and his speed was displayed all day. He finished the game with four tackles. Hunt was relentless in chasing the QB and ball carriers. He has improved since getting more snaps and has made a positive impact.
Jalen Carter was dominant, as always. Most of the pressure on Panthers QB Bryce Young was from the interior defensive tackles, and Carter had 3 QB hits and 2 TFLs. Once again, Carter was held a lot during the contest and pushed to the ground (could have been a bit of acting) after the play without a flag being thrown. He is one of the most disruptive defensive forces in the NFL.
Moro Ojomo also provided interior pressure by chipping in with 2 QB hits in 21 snaps (30%). Ojomo has been a fantastic seventh-round draft pick, and his role is increasing weekly.
Milton Williams never quits on a play, and he didn’t right before half on a kneel down where he burst through the Panther’s o-line, which caused a lot of pushing and shoving before the two teams headed into their locker rooms. He is a force on the interior defensive line, and it would be nice to see him sign an extension to stay in Philadelphia.
Zack Baun was everything you have come to love. He had 1 sack, 2 TFLs, and 7 tackles at halftime! He finished the game with 11 tackles and added another TFL and 2 QB hits. We will likely be calling him All-Pro Zack Baun at season’s end.
Nakobe Dean led the team in tackles with 12 and was around the ball all day. He is playing at a pro-bowl level and has been one of the bigger surprises this season. Many had counted Nakobe out, but his biggest obstacle had been health.
Avonte Maddox downed the ball at the 2-yard line on the Eagle’s last punt with less than 3 minutes to cause the Panthers a 98-yard field to get the win. That play proved critical as Carolin moved the ball to end the game, but fell short to reach the endzone.
B.P. Slay, in his first game back from injury, was a welcomed addition. B.P. made six tackles and was credited with two pass defenses in his return. Slay was in coverage versus Thielen, who had been a problem all day, on the final play, and made the pass break up to end the game. They do not call him Big Play, for nothing!
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, recently voted by his peers as the most annoying player in the NFL, started the game with a big hit that set the tone. He had six tackles on the day and two big pass defenses. He may annoy other teams, but when he is on yours, it is fun to watch.
Quinyon Mitchell is becoming unnoticed because QBs do not even throw his way. He eliminates the part of the field he is playing at for opposing offenses. With only 13 NFL games under his belt, teams have game-planned to stay away from him.
Cooper DeJean had his first game struggling to contain a receiver. Some say this was his welcome to the NFL moment. He will learn from this game and be a better player for it. No concerns at all.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr has been great on special teams this season, and he pressured the Panther’s punter in this game, too. The dynamic play of Dean and Baun has made it almost impossible for the Eagles rookie to get into games on the defensive side much, but he is making his presence known.
Eagles coaching:
Vic Fangio’s defense allowed 16 points, which is on par with their season average, but something about this game felt off. The defense will look to rebound next week versus a much more competent offense.
Kellen Moore’s offense has been hard to figure out. The first two offensive drives continue to be unproductive for the Eagles. The Birds are 32nd in the league offensively in EPA in their first two drives and 2nd in the NFL from then on. They have four games to figure out the reasons for their slow starts, and with time running out, this may be something they have to overcome as opposed to being corrected.
Nick Sirianni had his 45th win, joining George Seifert and Matt LaFleur as the only coaches to reach that total in their first 4 seasons. He has been a polarizing figure at times but has won consistently. A Super Bowl victory would solidify him as an all-time Philadelphia great.
Looking Ahead for the Eagles:
The 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles won their ninth straight win, but have work to do to keep the good times rolling.
The Panthers gave the Eagles a glimpse into how their magical season could end. The offense has lost its mojo, much the last year, and the passing game must improve before the playoffs to have a balanced attack. The defense has been great, but relying on them to do this against the best teams in the league for eight more weeks to have a parade on Broad Street is a tough ask.
As always, Thank you for reading, Eagles fans.
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Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
