Finally. After two straight brutal losses to open their season, the Eagles came away with a much-needed victory against the New York Jets to improve their record to 1-2. It wasn’t a pretty performance, as the Eagles jumped out to a 24-0 lead and hung on for a late 24-17 victory. But the goal for any team, especially one that began the year with consecutive losses, is finding a way to win any way possible.
Below are 10 observations from the first Eagles victory of the 2015 season.
1 – Sam Bradford continues to struggle.
It was yet another disappointing performance from former number one overall pick Sam Bradford. Save for one half against the Atlanta Falcons, Bradford has appeared erratic, shaky and inconsistent. He’s been inaccurate, constantly missing open receivers. He’s master of the checkdown, locking onto his first target pre-snap and refusing to look for another target. Against the Jets, Bradford completed 14 of 28 passes for just 118 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t commit any turnovers, a first this season, and he would have had a couple of touchdown passes, including a long one to Darren Sproles, if not for some costly drops. But through three games, it’s Bradford who has been holding the offense back instead of helping it reach its full potential. That has to change, and if it doesn’t over the next few games, don’t be stunned if Chip Kelly makes a quarterback change
2 – Ryan Mathews, not DeMarco Murray, gets the running game started.
A hamstring injury to DeMarco Murray forced Ryan Mathews into the starting role, and the Eagles’ running game finally clicked against the New York Jets in Week 3. Mathews touted the rock 25 times for 108 yards, plus a couple of catches for 20 yards and a touchdown. After the disastrous showing by the running game in the first two weeks, when Murray and Mathews combined for 15 rushing yards, it was a breath of fresh air to see positive production on the ground. Give credit to the offensive line too, as they played significantly better against a stout Jets’ defensive line. It’ll be interesting to see how Kelly divides the carries against Washington in Week 4, assuming Murray is good to go.
3 – Jordan Matthews a one-man unit at wide receiver.
It’s Jordan Matthews… and essentially nobody else when it comes to the Eagles’ wide receiver position. Through three games, Matthews has caught 22 balls for 231 yards and a touchdown. Every other wide receiver combined has 13 receptions for 122 yards and no touchdowns. Rookie Nelson Agholor hasn’t been able to establish any chemistry with Sam Bradford. Josh Huff struggles with mental miscues and missed last game with an injury. Riley Cooper and Miles Austin just aren’t good enough to create separation down the field. And all five, Matthews included, have had their issues with drops this season. If Agholor, or somebody, doesn’t step up, the Eagles could continue to struggle on offense for the rest of the season.
4 – Brandon Bair a wild man in first NFL start.
The Brandon Bair story is a pretty cool one. A former Oregon graduate, Bair joined the Eagles last season and earned his first NFL start this week at the ripe old age of 30. Bair, starting because of injuries suffered to both Cedric Thornton and Taylor Hart, collected four tackles, plus a ridiculous three passes defensed. Bair, who stands 6’7, made a name of himself last season, blocking a field goal and an extra point, and tipping another field goal. Thornton is obviously the starter when he returns, but Bair’s performance should earn him more snaps moving forward.
5 – Jordan Hicks the new Kiko Alonso?
Count me among the many who bashed the Eagles’ selection of linebacker Jordan Hicks in the third round of April’s draft. After all, how much was Hicks even going to play with Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks starting and DeMeco Ryans as the top backup? Then Alonso injured his knee, and Kendricks hurt his hamstring, and just like that, Hicks was thrust into a starting role in Week 3. It’s safe to say Hicks was the best defensive player on the field against the Jets, as the rookie recorded 10 tackles, plus a fumble recovery, and grabbing a tipped ball for an interception midway through the fourth quarter. The status on Alonso’s outlook for the remainder of the season isn’t looking positive, and don’t be surprised if the Eagles opt for rookie Hicks to be the starter over the veteran Ryans.
6 – No Marcus Smith… again.
It’s really hard to maintain any form of optimism for the Eagles’ first-round pick from 2014, a player who just cannot get on the field. Even with Alonso and Kendricks sidelined with injuries, Smith didn’t play a snap. Now, he is mostly an outside linebacker, but if he was any good at all, he would have been the guy to rotate in yesterday instead of street free-agent signing Najee Goode. We’re 19 games into Marcus Smith’s career and he still hasn’t collected a tackle. That’s incredible.
7 – Eric Rowe learns to cover.
How did this happen? Weren’t we just complaining a month ago, even last week, about Eric Rowe’s inability to cover at the NFL level? Oh, how fast things can change in the Not For Long league. In just 15 snaps against the Jets, Rowe made his presence known, recording an impressive end-zone interception on a deep pass to rookie Devin Smith. He allowed just one reception for 12 yards. It was a very encouraging performance from a player who will likely be the team’s nickel corner within a week or two.
8 – Defense continues collecting turnovers.
Despite all the criticism defensive coordinator Billy Davis has (rightfully) received, his units have always been among the best in the league at generating turnovers. The Eagles have collected eight in just three games, good for third in the NFL. Their two fourth quarter interceptions against an ineffective Ryan Fitzpatrick probably helped save the game, bailing out a struggling offense. While the pass-rush could use some improvement, the Eagles’ propensity for turnovers makes them a threat on the defensive side of the ball.
9 – Special teams finally comes to play.
The Eagles’ losses in each of their first two games can be largely blamed on their special teams units. In Week 1, Cody Parkey’s late field goal miss prevented an Eagles’ comeback, while Dallas’s blocked punt return for a touchdown in Week 2 helped them add to a 6-0 halftime lead. This time, the Eagles scored a touchdown of their own, as veteran Darren Sproles took back a punt 89 yards for a score, the eighth by the Eagles’ special teams units in their last 19 games.
10 – NFC East tilted in Eagles’ favor.
It’s hard to believe that the Eagles are in the driver’s seat to win the NFC East, given the drama surrounding the demise of the Chip Kelly era following the Eagles’ embarrassing Week 2 loss. But at 1-2, the Eagles stand just one game behind the Dallas Cowboys, who are still without Tony Romo and Dez Bryant for an extended period of time. They have a pretty favorable schedule coming up too, as they’ll likely be favored in at least six of their next seven games. The Eagles have to take it one game at a time, but there’s every reason to believe this team can reclaim the division title.
