Philadelphia Eagles 38 – Washington Commanders 31
On a beautiful fall day in Landover, MD the Philadelphia Eagles improved their record to an NFL best 7-1. Expecting nothing less than a formidable challenge from NFC East Division rivals the Washington Commanders; the Birds were able to hold on late and come away with the win.
While the statistics don’t always reflect the actual game play; one would be remiss to not acknowledge Jalen Hurts monster (cute Halloween pun) stat line: 29/38, 319 yds, 4 TD’s and 1 lost Fumble. Hurts at times appeared to be locked in (on his first read still: cough cough), but the poor Washington Secondary was absolutely no match for DeVonte Smith and AJ Brown.
Brown is on an historic NFL clip, surpassing 125 receiving yards for a 6th consecutive game. Additionally, Brown added 2 TD catches; and perhaps an early COY (catch of the year) candidate as he reached out one-handed over the Washington defenders while being spun out of bounds. Quite simply, AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts are establishing themselves as the premiere QB / WR combo in the league. Yes, we understand that Tua and The Cheetah are also a favorable combo; but at the moment there is nothing AJ is not catching.
This duo will be put to the test this coming Sunday as an NFC powerhouse Dallas Cowboys team ride into the Linc. It will be the first time all season that the Eagles will be faced with a true top tier defensive unit. Pair with that an offense that is beginning to click and this Sunday’s’ “NFL Game of the Week” will answer many questions.
Some key takeaways from the game versus Washington that need to be at the forefront of all Eagles fans and the organizations mind:
- Is Jalen Hurts knee healthy enough to sustain the rigors of a full NFL schedule? It was clearly noticeable that he was favoring his one side while scrambling (a marked decrease in speed) and then attempting to jog up to the line of scrimmage late in the game. Most concerning was that he underwent multiple hours of “treatment” after the game on the knee.
- The addition of All-Pro Safety of Kevin Byard cannot be understated. An automatic upgrade, in an already injury plagued secondary, was a welcome sight. While there was not an immediate ‘big play’ impact; his seamless fit into the defensive scheme eased any concerns about adjusting. Finally, it must be a wonderful feeling to return home and ‘ for your childhood team. Byard was born in Philadelphia (moved to Georgia at 14 years) .
- Washington stopped the ‘Brotherly Shove’. Much to the delight of “Stink” and other National pundits; the Birds (Hurts) coughed up the ball early in the game on the goal line. While this is a rarity; and in my opinion a good thing: I don’t want to see the NFL “outlaw” a play; just because other teams cannot stop it nor execute it. My biggest concern with the stop was the fact that it initially requires a lot of push from the QB and as alluded to before, Hurts is not playing at 100%.
At times the Eagles still appear to be struggling with continuity on the offensive side and not taking full advantage of their offensive repertoire. They’ve managed to navigate the season with the premier Win / Loss record through 8 weeks and will know exactly where they stand; after their matchup with Dallas.
Many teams this year, Philadelphia included, have been able to mask many of their deficiencies due to favorable scheduling and poor opponents. With a bye week on the horizon, it is imperative that Philadelphia comes out of the Dallas game with zero injuries and hopefully a Win.
