Eagles Best Dolphins, Prepare to Face Commanders
The Eagles bounced back from their turnover-inflicted 20-14 loss to the New York Jets in a big way by beating the visiting Miami Dolphins, 31-17 in a game that many suggested could be a Super Bowl preview.
The Eagles faced a team without their top two cornerbacks for the second week in a row. Miami was without Jalen Ramsey, who hasn’t played all season due to a knee injury and Xavier Howard, who’s currently out with a groin injury.
It’s not the Eagles fault that they were out but injuries do happen, and the Eagles were able to take advantage of the situation.
Miami (against a suspect schedule) still leads the NFL in scoring, averaging 34.3 points per game. Against the Eagles, Miami’s offense scored just 10 points (with the defense adding a score on an interception return).
Against Miami, cornerback Darius Slay was a big-play performer with an interception, two passes defensed and four tackles, including one tackle for loss.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter wasn’t as dominant as Slay, but had one key tackle for loss and one hurry while playing 19 of 49 defensive snaps. Slay played all 49 defensive snaps.
What has to be comforting is that the Eagles are now 6-1 and QB Jalen Hurts hasn’t quite played to his All-Pro level of a year ago.
Against Miami he had great passing stats—23 of 31 for 279 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 109.5 passer rating. The major blemish was the 22-yard pick-six by Miami’s Jerome Baker that tied the game 17-all.
Hurts set such a high bar with his performance last year. Even if he doesn’t reach those levels, he is good enough to lead the Eagles back to the Super Bowl.
And if the defense plays the way it did against Miami, then the Eagles will be doubly difficult to beat.
Considering the opponent, that was by far the best defensive effort of the season for the Eagles. Besides the play of Slay, Josh Sweat had two of the Eagles four sacks.
Now the Eagles have to visit the struggling Washington Commanders, which, for some reason, play like the Kansas City Chiefs when facing the Eagles.
Earlier this year the Eagles earned a 34-31 OT home win over the Commanders and last year it was Washington that handed the Eagles their first loss of the season, 32-21 at Lincoln Financial Field after the Birds opened the season with eight consecutive wins.
The Eagles will not take the Commanders lightly, even though they are 3-4 and are coming off a 14-7 loss against the struggling New York Giants.
Here is the key stat—Washington has allowed 40 sacks, the most in the NFL. The Eagles, meanwhile, are tied for third in the NFL in sacks with 24. During the earlier win this season over Washington, the Eagles sacked Commanders QB Sam Howell five times and had him running for his life many other times. They had nine hurries on Howell.
The Eagles won’t overlook Washington and more impressively, they showed they could bounce back from their lone loss this season to put together their best game.
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles
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Author: Marc Narducci
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