Crossing Broad
The Eagles entered Sunday afternoon on a three-game losing streak and yet found themselves a double-digit favorite for the first time this season.
That’s how bad Vegas is. Take the league’s worst offense and put a backup QB under center and you end up with a final score of Eagles 31, Raiders 0.
The pessimist would say the Birds won a game they were expected to win, and stopped the weeks-long bleeding. No doubt that’s true, though the optimist would say that the way they won amounts to good optics. It’s one thing to handle business at home, but this was a total rout. The defense pitched a shutout. The Birds’ offense stayed on schedule and moved the chains and largely avoided 3rd and long. Jalen Hurts used his legs and Kevin Patullo mixed and matched the looks. They cut down on the penalties and largely did the things we’ve been screaming for them to do all year long, now they just have to do it against better competition.
So we’ll keep the glass half full as the Eagles improve to 9-5 and inch closer to winning back-to-back division titles for the first time since 2004.
We go now, to the observations:
1) There was a bunch of “dome or no dome” chatter pregame because of the crappy weather. On one hand, the Eagles won two Super Bowls inside roofed stadiums, scoring 81 points in the process. On the other hand, they played in a roofed stadium last weekend and threw four interceptions while missing a field goal.
It’s one thing to argue that football is “supposed to be played” in the elements, but in recent seasons there’s no overwhelming data to suggest that one of these two environments creates an overwhelming competitive advantage for the Birds.
2) The first Eagles drive was a good example of why “third and manageable” wins you games. They got a 3rd and 3 DPI to move the sticks initially, then a five-wide QB draw on 3rd and 4 to keep the drive going. They converted a tush push on 3rd and 1, then, after a negative rush, DeVonta Smith laid out for a 3rd and 6 conversion and they scored a few plays later on a shovel pass.
Staying out of third and long has been a huge problem this season and that drive looked like a 2024 drive.
3) Brandon Graham has always been good when he lines up as a tackle in 3rd and long situations. That was a hallmark of the Jim Schwartz era and the 2017 defense, putting three defensive ends on the field in obvious passing downs.
4) On further review, the Cooper DeJean shove on Tyler Lockett was a total flop. Didn’t matter since DeJean was also flagged for holding on the play, but still..
5) Second drive: Smitty stumbles/trips and still runs a nicer double move than most receivers. He’s so smooth out there.
6) Any complaints about the first two DPIs on the Raiders?...
