Back to their winning roots: 5 takeaways from Raiders-Eagles a day later
Eagles defensive lineman Brandon Graham celebrates one of his two sacks against the Raiders. Monica Herndon / The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Eagles, 102 days after their season began against the Cowboys, finally have a fully complete, dominant victory.
In a game the Eagles desperately needed, they overpowered the lowly Raiders, 31-0, on a snowy Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. They did exactly what they needed to do and have ended their three-game losing streak. The Eagles’ magic number to win the NFC East is down to one.
Yes, they did this against a Las Vegas team that has lost seven straight and is starting Kenny Pickett. However, the Eagles did many encouraging things that will, hopefully, right the ship for the final three games of the regular season.
Here are my five takeaways a day after the win:
1. THIS WAS PEAK Eagles defense on Sunday. They have been an excellent unit all season, and their response since the losses to Dallas and Chicago has been remarkable.
When the Eagles’ starters were in, the Raiders totaled just 66 yards. They finished with 75, the fewest total yards allowed by an Eagles defense since 1955 at Connie Mack Stadium against the Cardinals. The Raiders averaged an abysmal 1.8 yards per play.
It was the Eagles’ first shutout since 2018 in Washington, and their first at the Linc since 2014 against the Giants.
Vic Fangio has every single member of his unit absolutely rolling right now. There is no weakness in this defense.
The Eagles had four more sacks Sunday, eight quarterback hits, and six tackles for loss. Pickett just had absolutely no chance in his return to Philadelphia, as he threw for just 64 yards, got picked off by Zack Baun on a nice play where he read Pickett’s eyes well, did not have a completion longer than 10 yards, and averaged 2.6 yards per attempt. Pickett only had 29 net passing yards when the Eagles’ starters were in.
Nobody on the Eagles’ defense played more than 39 snaps. Both sides of the ball were very efficient, and with a second-straight short week, it was good for this unit to catch its breath.
Yes, it was the Raiders. It might be the worst offense I have ever seen outside of a high school team. But, still, what they did on Sunday was special.
And if there is any reason why this Eagles team will not crumble as that 2023 team did is because of this defense. This unit is so well coached, physical, young, and talented. And outside of six quarters since the bye week, they have been unstoppable.
2. ALL EYES WERE on how Jalen Hurts would respond following his five-turnover performance against the Chargers. There were calls for a benching throughout the weeks. Hurts did, in fact, get benched. However, it was because his performance was so impeccable.
“Everybody’s watching,” Hurts said postgame. “It just comes with it and it hasn’t changed. I think everybody needs to remember where I come from and how I’m built. I just want to lead in the right way, set the right example. I’ve done the same thing since I went to University of Alabama and everything that has been in front of me, so it’s no different now.”
Hurts on Sunday completed 12-of-15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns (should have been four if Dallas Goedert had made the easy grab) for a passer rating of 154.9, the second highest of his career. He also had seven rushes for 39 yards, including four for first-downs on third.
And also, zero turnovers.
He was accurate, effective, and looked like the Hurts we all know. One that can take a team to a Super Bowl twice and walk away with an MVP.
His best throw of the day was his 27-yard dagger to A.J. Brown in the endzone. On third-and-five at the start of the fourth, Hurts threw a laser to a slanting Brown in the endzone, putting the Eagles up 31-0. It was a play that perfectly encapsulated the day Hurts had, and was an excellent draw up by Kevin Patullo.
This was vintage Hurts. Now, it is moderately hard to buy a lot of stock in it because, well, it was against the Raiders. But it was an elite response from an elite quarterback.
3. THE OFFENSE DIFFERED on Sunday from what we have seen all season long. There was balance, there was creativity, and there was discipline. They spread the ball around, Hurts utilized his legs, and they were effective on third down. This was by far the best the Eagles’ offense has looked all season long.
On a cold, windy day, the Eagles leaned into the running game. Before Tanner McKee came in in the fourth quarter with the backups, the Eagles had 308 yards, 6.3 per play. On the day, they ran 47 rushing attempts and 18 passing attempts. The running game was not exploding for huge gains, but it kept the clock moving, wore down the defense, and moved the sticks.
The Eagles were seven for nine on third down, which is 78%. Coming in, this offense was really struggling on third down. But on Sunday, the Eagles were efficient and able to extend drives, whether it was with Hurts’ legs or arm. They also went three for four in the redzone, with the only miss coming with Goedert’s butter fingers.
This is how the Eagles win games on offense. They posed a balanced attack, started under-center a lot more, showed some pre-snap motion, had just three penalties for 35 yards, none of them following or negating big plays, and Hurts was systematic on just 15 passing attempts.
In these previous losses, Hurts was throwing the ball 40 times and forcing it down Brown’s throat. Rather, on Sunday, he connected with Goedert six times, DeVonta Smith twice, Brown twice, and Saquon Barkley twice. This offense is at its best when the ball is being spread around.
And Hurts’ seven carries for 39 yards were a welcome sight as well, and something we have not seen all year. Some were designed runs, some were RPOs, and others he just took off.
Even the offensive line had a nice game without Lane Johnson. Maxx Crosby was able to sack Hurts once, because of course he did, but outside of that, the pocket was pretty much clean.
I know they played the Raiders, but this was an excellent bounce-back game for not just Patullo and Hurts, but for this unit, and even Nick Sirianni, as a whole. They returned to their roots of winning, which grew into a magnificent tree that ended with a parade on Valentine’s Day.
4. WHAT A SIGHT seeing Brandon Graham record not just one, but two sacks on Sunday. He became the oldest Eagle ever to record a sack, and did it twice for his first two-sack game since 2022.
“I feel like my training camp has been over with now,” Graham said postgame. “I’m just trying to contribute and get this on the field. Off the field, whatever it is, you know, to try to help the guys. We’re having some fun. I’m just happy to try to have a good time.”
Graham’s first game this season came against the Packers six weeks ago. The 37-year-old feels he is finally revved up, which showed Sunday. And also, he has been lining up at tackle much more often with Jalen Carter being out, which is another adjustment for the veteran.
The Eagles have 11 sacks in the last two games without Carter. BG is adding an element to this pass rush that it did not have before he walked back into the building. Not just on the field, but as a leader as well.
What a legend.
5. GOEDERT IS SUCH a weapon for this offense. It really is hard to believe he is in Year 8 with the Eagles already. He finished with six receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, and has 13 for 148 in the last two weeks. He now has nine touchdowns this season.
Yes, he made that terrible drop in the endzone, which led to the Eagles having to take a field goal. My grandma would have caught that ball. But outside of that, he made big catches for big gains.
His first touchdown on the opening drive came off a shovel pass from Hurts. The Eagles did a ton of that with Goedert earlier in the season, but have gone away from it recently. It is a great play and seems to work every time.
Goedert is set to be an unrestricted free agent following this season. He has stayed primarily healthy this year despite a knee sprain that caused him to miss Week 2.
The 30-year-old is going to be expensive, but he is such a weapon to the point that Howie Roseman and co. cannot shy away from retaining Goedert. He is forming into an all-time great Eagles tight end.
Benjamin Goldstein
Benjamin has been covering Philly Sports for Philly Sports Reports since 2017. He is a podcaster, writer, and founder of Philly Sports Reports. Benjamin is also an intern at the WBCB Sports Network on 1490AM. Through Philly Sports Reports, Benjamin has gotten the opportunity to meet Phillies owner John Middleton in his suite and be honored as the Philadelphia sports fan of the week for KYW News Radio. He hopes to be reporting on Philly sports as a full-time job in the future.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
