Dominating the Gridiron: Eagles Soar to Victory in Tampa
The wait was worth it. The Eagles had
not played in 11 days, and in the heat and humidity of Raymond James Stadium,
they dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, running their record
to 3-0 with a 25-11 victory that featured an overpowering performance from the
defense, some big plays on special teams, and an offense that mixed it up and
garnered 472 total net yards.
A Total Team Effort
A total team effort, you might say.
And in front of a huge number of Eagles fans who invaded Tampa – thanks once
again, Eagles fans – Philadelphia showed a national television audience what
this T-E-A-M TEAM is all about. Here are some takeaways from the road win, the
20th in quarterback Jalen Hurts' last 21 regular-season starts (nine in a row)
...
1. Explosive Offense
Eighty-four yards. Five plays. Vintage
big-play offense. The Eagles put together a heck of a drive late in the second
quarter, and Hurts was the catalyst with his arm. He completed 5 of 6 passes
for 80 yards – Kenneth Gainwell for 5 yards, to Dallas Goedert for 13 yards, to
Olamide Zaccheaus for 24 yards, to A.J. Brown for 4 yards, and then, hanging in
the pocket and taking a hit and delivering a perfect throw, a 34-yard touchdown
completion to Zaccheaus. The Eagles tacked on the extra point for a 10-3 advantage.
2. Defensive Dominance
To keep the momentum, the defense then
came up big with a big interception from safety Reed Blankenship, who read a
crossing route and stepped in on quarterback Baker Mayfield's throw to wide
receiver Chris Godwin and made the interception. The offense took over at the
Tampa Bay 37-yard line. The Eagles turned the ball over, but the defense came
right back with another takeaway, this time recovering a fumble when defensive
tackle Jalen Carter punched the ball out of the hands of running back Rachaad
White's hands, and cornerback James Bradberry recovered at Tampa Bay's 34-yard
line with 24 seconds remaining in the half. It was the second half of
back-to-back plays from Carter, who teamed with Fletcher Cox for a sack and
forced fumble of Mayfield one snap earlier. That led to Jake Elliott's 38-yard
field goal and a 13-3 lead at the half.
3. Roster Depth Shines
Here is an example of roster depth and
some emerging young players on the roster: Eagles led, 3-0 late in the first
quarter. Tampa Bay has the football at its 24-yard line. Blankenship supports
the run and makes a terrific tackle on first down to deck Sean Tucker for a
1-yard loss. Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu penetrates and sacks Mayfield
for a 2-yard loss on second down (Carter was right there, as well), and then on
third-and-13, cornerback Josh Jobe has tight coverage on a Mayfield pass
intended for wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Really good show of roster strength
there.
4. Rookie Brilliance
A play that saved the Eagles four
points, which ended up mattering, and it's a play you file away as a young
player rises in his career: Rookie safety Sydney Brown made a sensational play
to break up a throw into the end zone for wide receiver Mike Evans midway
through the second quarter, crawling at the end, never stopping, and forcing an
incomplete pass that, when Mayfield made the throw, looked like it might be a
touchdown. The lesson: Don't ever quit on a play. Brown didn't and he ended up
making a terrific play in coverage.
5. Defensive Dominance Continues
How is this for a collective,
first-half defensive performance? The Eagles allowed just 86 total net yards on
29 plays, a 3.0-yard average. Tampa Bay gained a meager 20 rushing yards on 11
carries, and Mayfield threw for 66 yards, completing 9 of 16 passes with one
interception (after entering the game with none). He was sacked twice (after
being sacked once in the first two wins). Oh, and the Eagles allowed just 13
total yards in the third quarter, so Tampa Bay had just 99 total offensive
yards through three quarters. Credit to Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai for a
great game plan and to the players for their execution. On Tampa Bay's first
eight possessions, the Eagles forced four punts, had a safety, and two
takeaways, and Tampa Bay managed a field goal drive.
6. Offensive Line Dominance
The offensive line executed a
brilliant plan to neutralize massive defensive tackle Vita Vea, who finished
with three assisted tackles and had almost no impact on the game. Guards Landon
Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Sua Opeta (who replaced Dickerson late in the third
quarter when Dickerson went out with a knee contusion), along with center Jason
Kelce took turns with Vea individually, they used combination blocks on him,
and the Eagles' running game made Vea move laterally, and he just couldn't
catch up to the backs, particularly D'Andre Swift.
7. Balanced Offense
The offense took the opening kickoff
of the second half and put together a fantastic drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, ate
nearly 6 minutes off the clock and a great mix of the run and pass. Hurts
finished things with a 1-yard plunge on fourth down to give the Eagles a 20-3
lead. The running game gained 45 yards on eight attempts on the drive, with
Swift busting one for 26 yards. Such balance and faith in the offensive line
against a team that, remember, allowed just 54 yards rushing per game (second
only to the Eagles) in the first two weeks of the season.
8. Defensive Tackle Dominance
Carter had a big game, notching a
half-sack, two forced fumbles, a quarterback hit, and two tackles. He impacts
the game in so many ways when he's on the field, and the Eagles have such great
depth at defensive tackle that every one of them is fresh, active, and making
plays.
9. Shutting Down Mike Evans
Mike Evans, two catches for 13 yards
through three quarters. That is some serious coverage, mostly by cornerback
Darius Slay. The Eagles used James Bradberry inside at times when the Bucs went
with three wide receivers, with Jobe on the outside. The pressure up front was
there, and the coverage on the back end was sticky, sticky. Great job against
one of the premier wide receivers in all of the NFL.
10. Morrow's Defensive Gem
What an outstanding play from
linebacker Nicholas Morrow, slicing through a gap created when defensive
tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter occupied blockers and Morrow made a sure
tackle on White in the end zone for a safety one play after Tampa Bay picked
off Hurts at the 1-yard line. That defensive gem pushed the Eagles to a 22-