Instant Observations: Eagles-Bucs

Here’s what we saw in the Eagles’ 45-17 loss to the Bucs:

*First off, just a dismal, unacceptable job by this coaching staff. The Eagles did not look prepared to play, particularly on defense. No fight. Mindless penalties. The worst loss since Chip Kelly took over. Questions about the head coach are growing by the game.

DEFENSE

*Rookie Jameis Winston went 19-of-29 for 246 yards with five touchdowns. The five touchdowns against tied a franchise low mark for the Eagles defense.

*Doug Martin was up to 240 rushing, which would have broken a record for individual ground-game success  against the Eagles previously set by Emmitt Smith and Jim Brown (237). He went backwards on a couple runs late and ended with 235 yards.

*One of the ugliest drives you’ll see to start the second half. Tampa committed five penalties — clipping, holding, illegal use of hands and a pair of false starts — but it didn’t matter. The Eagles defense continued to give and give. Billy Davis‘ unit had three penalties of its own, including too many men on the field, which about sums up how dysfunctional the unit was Sunday.

*The Bucs offense went 10-of-16 on third down and 5-of-6 in the red zone.

*This team can’t stop the self-inflicted wounds. A Brandon Graham offsides infraction on third down late in the first quarter gave the Bucs new life. Martin broke off a 58-yard run on the very next play before Mike Evans made a great grab in the corner of the end zone to tie the game.

Walter Thurmond appeared to take a bad angle on that Martin run. Much of the defense got sucked in by the initial fake handoff and was flowing away from the play side.

*Nolan Carroll was in coverage for three Bucs touchdowns. He may have been anticipating help from Malcolm Jenkins on the Vincent Jackson TD. He and E.J. Biggers seemed slow to switch on the Russell Shepard score. Biggers appeared to have a rough day.

Carroll also struggled to bring down Martin on his 84-yard run that set up the Shepard TD.

*The 17-yard screen to Charles Sims on Tampa’s second scoring drive was to Marcus Smith‘s side. The former first-round pick wasn’t on the field very much, but got bit there.

*Sims’ touchdown late in the quarter came on a Winston pass that seemed to hang in the air forever, but Byron Maxwell was unable to make a play on it.

*Bennie Logan seems to make at least one play in the opponent’s backfield per game. In the first quarter, he tossed center Joe Hawley out of his way and stuck Martin for a one-yard loss.

*Mychal Kendricks flashed several times in the hald, and had a forced a fumble in the second quarter. Thurmond had a strip sack earlier in that same drive, coming off the blindside as he did against Miami last week.

OFFENSE

*Mark Sanchez started hot but cooled as the game went on, and finished 26-of-41 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

He was a perfect 3-for-3 for 67 yard on the initial touchdown drive, and picked up 11 yards with his feet  on a zone read pull. The next four drives resulted in punts, though, as the Bucs took control.

*The offense officially went 0-for-0 in the red zone while committing four turnovers.

*Josh Huff showed off some RAC-ability, breaking loose across the middle and darting down the left side on his 39-yard touchdown.

*Jordan Matthews had just four catches for 13 yards.

*Jason Peters returned to the lineup and appeared to have a calming effect on the left side.

*Nice blocking by Allen Barbre on a 16-yard DeMarco Murray run up the gut in the first quarter.

*Good play call to spring Darren Sproles for a 35-yard touchdown with 6:12 left in the second. After selling left, Sanchez came back to Sproles on the right for the screen pass. Matt Tobin led the way downfield.

*It wasn’t all pretty for the right guard. Gerald McCoy slipped past Tobin to drop Sanchez midway through the first quarter to force a punt.

*Zach Ertz suffered a concussion after being upended while attempting to hurdle a Tampa player.

SPECIAL TEAMS

*How about Sproles just laying out Mike Jenkins on the Bucs punt midway through the first quarter?

The Flyers should sign Darren Sproles pic.twitter.com/FrdARiqzoJ — Joe Dought (@JoeR35h93) November 22, 2015