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THE SCORE OF THE BOX
They find a way. It's the best thing about this Eagles team.
They did it last year, and they did it again on Thursday night, fending off a horribly ugly football to beat the Falcons in the first NFL game in 2018.
The Super Bowl champions are 1-0.
And who cares how?
Here are my 10 observations after the Eagles' victory over the Falcons at Linc.
1. I can not explain Nick Foles. I can not explain how a guy who can shred a defense of Bill Belichick in a Super Bowl may seem out of the question at home against the Falcons. But the thing with Foles is that when he has to play, he plays. There's a reason he did not lose a home game that he started and finished since 2013. There's a reason he's now 19-5 as an Eagles starter since his first game in 2013 That's why he's the Super Bowl MVP. I'll tell you what, I would prefer a guy who wins ugly than one who loses pretty. The Foles must have a serious internal force to overcome a horrible start Thursday night and make enough games for the Eagles to win this victory. Maybe it was the lack of work with the other runners. Maybe it was the hangover of the Super Bowl. I have no idea. But I know that he wins. And really, that's all that interests me.
2. What a great performance of the defense of the Eagles, especially at the goal line. They had three goal-line stands, which is crazy. Two in the first quarter, then a magic at the end of the match. The Falcons led to 1, 3 and 5-yard lines and fired three points. It's a ton of pressure to put on a defense, but the unit was brilliant when the match was played. Chris Long, Ronald Darby and Fletcher Cox in particular were massive Thursday night. They abandoned some parts. They began to wither late. The last minutes were scary. But just like the Foles, they always seem to find a way. They found their way back on Thursday night.
3. Here's what I like about Doug Pederson who runs Philly Special II. This was not to show or be funny or show the Falcons. It was to launch a stagnant attack, and it worked, leading to the first touchdown of the Eagles. Before Nelson Agholor's pass to Foles, the Eagles scored 102 yards in 40 games. It's hard to be so bad.
4. I did not understand how to make Darren Sproles the centerpiece of the attack in the first period. I like the Sproles, but for me it's a guy who changes pace, a guy from the situation. Not to mention that he is 35 years old and has not played a game – regular season, playoffs, pre-season – in 11 months and a half. The Eagles played 28 games in the first half and nine of them were Sproles. He was 4 for 5 in the race and was targeted five times in the passing game, catching two short passes for seven yards with a bad fall there as well. The Sproles made some games in the second half as a shifting guy, which is his best. There is always a role for Sproles, but it was too early.
5. I did not understand why Jay Ajayi had only three races in the first half. Pederson finally made it into the second half of the game, and once Ajayi started to take the lead, the offensive really took off. Ajayi finally took the start in the second half and really ran strong finishing 15th for 62 with two touchdowns and a very good two-point conversion after the Eagles hit the fourth quarter. But the numbers do not really show how he ran. He ran hard. He moved the chains. He put the offensive in a rhythm. I understand the limits of Ajayi, but three during the first half are not enough.
6. We really saw a lot of mistakes from some young Eagles players. Derek Barnett inflicted two penalties on the outside that canceled huge sacks of Long and Cox. Tre Sullivan is much too close to a kicking, giving possession of the Falcons. Dallas Goedert was unable to control a pass that was probably catchable and was intercepted to set up the only touchdown of the Falcons. These are costly mistakes, and they are all promising players who hope to have a good career, but they are inexcusable mistakes, especially Barnett queuing and Sullivan does not move away from live football. The Eagles have a ton of young players in the mix, and they will have to grow quickly.
7. The interception of Rasul Douglas in the fourth quarter shows the depth of the Eagles corner stable. Darby is struck and leaves the game briefly, and Douglas takes his place and intercepts Matt Ryan in the 5-yard line. Darby is 24 years old. Douglas is 23 years old. Jalen Mills is 23 years old. Sidney Jones is 22 years old.
8. A tough night for Zach Ertz, who never lets pass, but three against the Falcons, including two on the third runs that would have given a first advantage to the Eagles. Ertz has caught 5 for 48 but you expect a guy with his pedigree to drop three assists in a month, let alone a match. With Alshon Jeffery, the Eagles need Ertz to be great.
9. An impressive debut in the NFL for Cameron Johnston. Rookie Aussie struggled to keep up, trying to replace Donnie Jones – who was at the game Thursday night – but started his career with 56, 65, 58, 38, 50 and 46-yard punches and finished the night. remarkable way. average of 52.2 and a net average of 50.3.
ten. It was a very ugly game full of penalties and mistakes, but I thought the energy, toughness and spirit of the Eagles after a short season were fantastic. It's really not an easy thing to do, bounce back after winning a championship and a short season and winning football games. No matter how the Eagles did it, they did it, beating a potential NFC playoff team in a game with huge playoff implications. Speaking volumes for the job Pederson has been doing this dead season guiding the team through the Super Bowl's hangover practices. It's a hungry team. It's a motivated team. And it's a talented team. They will not leave soon.
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