November 03, 2024
The 2024 Eagles are the perfect team for Philadelphia. They are now 6-2 and have reeled off four straight wins. In two of those games, the Eagles have won by at least three scores. Health provided, they might have the best running back and wide receiver in the NFL. Despite it all, a victory like the team's 28-23 takedown of the Jaguars on Sunday brings forth worries as much as it brings forth all-world highlight videos from the team's stable of superstars.
Let's talk about how it all transpired, shall we?
Here are some choice takeaways and observations from Week 9...
• Saquon Barkley did one of the coolest things I've ever seen take place in the 21-year history of Lincoln Financial Field:
SAQUON BARKLEY IS NOT OF THIS WORLD.
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
📺: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/UtCENDw6no
Barkley may be the best pure athlete the team's had since 2010 Michael Vick. On a day where LeSean McCoy was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame, Barkley is having a season that could top McCoy's franchise-best 2013 campaign. Barkley has topped 100 yards on the ground in five of his eight games as an Eagle. After a 159-yard performance against Jacksonville, Barkley is now up to 925 rushing yards in 2024. He's able to burn the clock and close out games late when it comes time for "four-minute offense" mode. He's in a track meet with Baltimore's Derrick Henry for the First-Team All-Pro running back nod.
• DeVonta Smith also put up one of the most electric offensive plays the Linc's been host to as well:
OH MY DEVONTA. ON 3RD AND 22. UNBELIEVABLE CATCH.
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
📺: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/N2wD3Nlfxf
Huge props to Jalen Hurts on the throw, too.
A.J. Brown has been so, so dominant as an Eagle. Smith has become an overlooked element of the Eagles' offense at times over the last three seasons since Brown's arrival. He had two targets for just one catch in a three-touchdown win two weeks ago. Smith continues to go about his business though and in a game where Brown left with a knee injury, Smith played like the star he is even if the numbers don't always indicate it.
• Cooper DeJean has been better than anyone could've expected in coverage during his rookie campaign and added two drive-killing pass breakups in the first half. "COOOOOP" chants are now breaking out when he lines up to field punts.
• Multiple times this season, I've said, "Zack Baun is having the best game I've seen from an Eagles linebacker since Nigel Bradham in Carolina in 2017." Week 9 was the latest such instance of Baun lighting things up. The Eagles have had so many misses in the "linebacker on a one-year deal" department over the years, but Baun, playing an entirely different role here than he previously did in New Orleans, has been money for the Birds.
Baun has excelled at attacking downhill, which checks out with his experience as a pass-rusher, but the fact that he's held his own as a coverage linebacker has been gigantic as well. Jacksonville obviously has a crap offense, but that was true on Sunday and it's been true all season.
• Trevor Lawrence was begging to be picked off on that final Jaguars offensive drive.
Nakobe Dean decided to be the guy who did it and send fans home happy (at least relatively speaking for The Philadelphia faithful):
Nakobe Dean intercepts Lawrence in the end zone! First career INT#JAXvsPHI pic.twitter.com/RtANcTJs77
— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2024
Flashy plays galore!
The overall substance from the win, despite the engrossing, undeniable style points, was lacking though...
MORE: Defense looks good, Sirianni does not in win vs. Jaguars
• Nick Sirianni, even while helming a 6-2 Eagles team, will draw a massive amount of flak this week. I'm almost always a proponent of being aggressive, playing the percentages and going for it on reasonable fourth-down and two-point attempt scenarios. The Tush Push was not the unstoppable force it had been in the past against the Jaguars. Some of the fourth down play-calling, which goes beyond just Sirianni and becomes an indictment of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, was bewildering to say the least. There were multiple missed two-point attempts. There was an easy field goal passed over. There was a tough-as-anything field goal attempt that was given the green light and missed, gifting Jacksonville enviable field position in a spot to win the whole game.
In a vacuum, I'm ultimately fine with each call. When it all stacks up and the outcomes have big-time blowback, against a 2-7 Jaguars opponent of all teams, it does not bode well for the Birds when they inevitably face higher-level competition.
For a team that got off to a 22-0 head start, there was an air that was sucked out of the stadium late. The Eagles should've put Jacksonville to bed early, but a combination of coaching, an egregious referee error on a Barkley fumble, and flat-out poor execution allowed the Jaguars to hang around with a chance to have a game-winning score with under two minutes on the clock. This is the energy that may prevent the fan base from totally buying back in on this team.
The 6-2 record is great with the injuries the Eagles have suffered to the likes of Brown, Jordan Mailata, Darius Slay and others. The context of the record, however, isn't as dreamy as Eagles fans would assuredly prefer.
MORE: The pivotal plays from Eagles-Jaguars
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