Eagles-Packers: Instant Observations

What we saw as the Eagles lost their first home game of the season.
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Carson Wentz. (Jeff Fusco)

Carson Wentz. (Jeff Fusco)

The Packers beat the Eagles, 27-13. Here’s what we saw in Philadelphia’s first home loss of the season:

OFFENSE

*As a whole, the Eagles’ offense put up a poor performance against a bad defense. The Packers allow 28 points per game this season, but the Birds scored just 13. The defense certainly didn’t help, but the Eagles’ lack of commitment to running the ball contributed to them holding the ball for more than 10 minutes less than the Packers did. They averaged 4.5 yards per carry, but they totaled just 81 yards on the ground. Running backs carried the ball just 13 times for Philadelphia.

*Carson Wentz looked good in the first half, completing 13 of his 17 passes for 147 yards, 8.6 yards per attempt and a 101.8 passer rating. He threw a beautiful ball to Jordan Matthews for a 20-yard gain to get out of the shadow of the Eagles’ end zone late in the first half, which also contributed to the field goal they converted with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter. He had good, consistent ball placement in the first half, and he finally got some help from his receivers as they didn’t drop a pass. Wentz was also a threat on the ground, as he ran one yard for his first NFL rushing touchdown. He had a 17-yard gain as well, compiling 26 yards on three rushes.

*However, Wentz wasn’t good in the second half. He finished the game by completing 24 of his 36 pass attempts for 254 yards, an interception and a 75.5 passer rating. He over-threw Zach Ertz in the third quarter, which resulted in an interception in Green Bay territory, and he also threw behind his targets on a couple of key plays. You could reasonably argue better receivers would’ve grabbed a few more balls in the second half, but Wentz’s ball placement needed to be better.

*Dorial Green-Beckham only had two catches after the Eagles’ opening touchdown series, but he did a lot of damage in the first drive alone. He hauled in four receptions for 53 yards, and finished the game with six catches for a season-high 82 yards. Doug Pederson dialed up a few slants for Green-Beckham, and the big fella delivered. In Nelson Agholor’s best game of the season against the Browns, he caught just four passes for 57 yards. The Eagles didn’t exactly miss their 2015 first-round pick, who was a healthy scratch against the Packers.

*The Eagles’ offensive line wasn’t very good — Jason Kelce and Isaac Seumalo were badly beaten on back-to-back plays before they had to punt on the following third down to end the second series, for example — but it’s tough to expect much from a group featuring backups at left guard, right guard and right tackle. Seumalo took the place of Brandon Brooks, who was hospitalized Monday for an undisclosed illness, while Allen Barbre shifted to right tackle with Halapoulivaati Vaitai out and Stefen Wisniewski played left guard.

*The highlight for the offensive line was when Barbre crushed Clay Matthews on the Eagles’ first drive. Wentz pitched the ball back to Bryce Treggs on the end around, and Treggs picked up the first down by getting around the edge for three yards. It’s unclear when the injury occurred, but Matthews left the game with a hurt shoulder shortly after this play.

https://twitter.com/BrianMFloyd/status/803415080616468480

DEFENSE

*Aaron Rodgers moved the ball at will against the Eagles’ defense, completing 30 of his 39 pass attempts for 313 yards, two touchdowns and a 116.7 passer rating. The Birds were putrid on third down, allowing 10 conversions out of 14 attempts. Rodgers got the ball out of his hands quickly play after play, which the Eagles never found an answer for.

*Leodis McKelvin didn’t have a good showing in the first half as he allowed Davante Adams’ 12-yard touchdown catch on the first drive of the game. McKelvin opened up his hips and allowed Adams to easily cross his face as the receiver quickly created separation. Adams also beat Nolan Carroll on the next drive for a 20-yard touchdown catch. Jalen Mills got some reps in both the first and second half as the Eagles’ outside corner opposite of Carroll in place of McKelvin.

*The Eagles shot themselves in the foot with penalties on the Packers’ third touchdown drive. Cox committed a roughing the passer penalty on a third down, which is the third time he’s extended an opponent’s touchdown drive this season due to a personal foul. Later, after Carroll allowed a 23-yard gain on a quick slant, he committed a defensive holding penalty in the end zone. That was the second time this season Carroll committed a penalty in the end zone to set up an opponent’s touchdown this year. He also ranks second in the NFL in defensive pass interference penalties.

*The defensive line generated some pressure early in the game, but they struggled to contain Rodgers. The Packers’ quarterback picked up 25 easy rushing yards on Green Bay’s opening scoring drive,

 

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