If you’re an Eagles fan, you probably weren’t feeling optimistic heading into the bye week after witnessing the shellacking in Tampa Bay. A home matchup against the woeful Cleveland Browns offered the perfect get-right game for Philly, but Sunday’s matchup at Lincoln Financial Field was another mixed bag for the Eagles, who have continued last season’s theme of giving their fans weekly heart attacks. My biggest takeaways from Philadelphia’s 20-16 win over Cleveland are AJ Brown, self-inflicted wounds and the identity of the defense.
The benefit that AJ Brown brings to the Eagles’ offense can’t be overstated. Against Cleveland, Brown racked up 6 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. One of those receptions was the 40-yard toss from Hurts to put the game away with under 2 minutes left in the 4th. Hurts was clearly feeling the energy from his top receiver, as he broke his seven-game streak of turning the ball over and even allowed himself a couple celebrations. The Eagles’ offensive scheme relies heavily on the raw skill of its players to propel it, and Brown proved repeatedly on Sunday that he was up to the task. With three broken tackles and an impressive snag to score Philly’s first touchdown, Brown provided some much-needed life to an Eagles offense that appeared moribund in Tampa Bay.
The powerful connection between Hurts and Brown made the Eagles’ offensive troubles even more frustrating. With an offense that includes Barkley, Brown, Devonta Smith and one of the best lines in the NFL, the Eagles have somehow perpetuated their five-game streak of no points scored in the first quarter. Cleveland’s defense entered Sunday’s game having given up 33, 21 and 34 to the trio of NFC East teams they played earlier in the season, but Philadelphia once again got off to a slow start and didn’t reach 20 points until the 4th quarter. Sunday still offered reasons for optimism, as Hurts played much smarter (including a savvy fake toss to Barkley that allowed him to pick up a first down late in the game) and the duo of Smith and Brown looked unstoppable at times, but Sirianni has yet to kickstart his team’s first-quarter offense.
My final takeaway is the discrepancy between talent and execution on the Eagles’ defense. On an important second-half drive, Deshaun Watson underthrew his receiver and rookie corner Quinyon Mitchell was in perfect position to make the pick–until teammate CJ Gardner-Johnson came barreling into him and knocked the ball to the ground. In a game where Vic Fangio’s defense allowed just 9 points and posted 5 sacks, their issues with fundamentals still prevent me from putting much faith in this unit. Tackling was again lackluster–Nakobe Dean’s two whiffed tackles on Watson stood out in a bad way. The defense is littered with talent, but so far cannot generate turnovers, even against an anemic Cleveland offense. However, a second strong showing against the uninspiring Giants this coming weekend could help inculcate some consistency on the defensive side of the ball.
Local fan and Lehigh Valley native Clare was kind enough to share her own thoughts on the game, and what it means for her to root for the Eagles. Like many fans, Clare is excited about getting some of Philly’s playmakers back after injury:
“The Browns game showed us how important it is to have our star players back, like AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Saquon Barkley–those guys are the difference makers. When Hurts plays at a high level like he did today, it’s always exciting. But when he isn’t playing stellar, I know those guys can bail him out. It feels great to have them back.”
When asked what she would like to see from the team going forward, Clare highlighted the importance of consistency. “The inconsistency of the team is what bothers me,” she told me. “We know that we have talented players. How can we put them in positions to succeed? When your best player on defense is 36-year-old Brandon Graham, something should change.”
No matter the highs or lows, Clare treasures her Eagles fandom.
“When I started watching the Eagles 12 years ago, I didn’t understand the game,” she admitted. “I just had fun because my family had fun. But then I started learning about the players, their personalities and who they are. I didn’t know much about football, but I wanted to root for people like Conor Barwin. The more I understood, the more engaging it became. The rest is history. There’s nothing like being a Philly fan—it’s so special. Even though I’m from Bethlehem, I know I’m screaming at the team right along with every fan from DelCo.”
With matchups against the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals coming up next, the Eagles will have opportunities against two sub-optimal teams to get some mojo back.
