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The Extra Point: The Philadelphia Eagles Beat The New York Jets

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  • Updated: September 28, 2015

Praise the Pope! The big weekend in Philadelphia was capped off by an improbable Eagles victory over the New York Jets on the road. Many thought that the Jets’ defense would wreak far too much havoc for the Eagles to overcome, and that the Eagles would indeed drop to 0-3. Well, many were wrong!

1) The Eagles’ Defense

The defense that really dominated was Philadelphia’s unit; they forced four turnovers, got to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and stuffed the run consistently all game. They’ve still got some things to clean up, but it is an encouraging sign to see them continue to improve after that first half in Atlanta. Ever since then, they’ve been a very sturdy group from the front to the back-end.

2) The injuries to starters didn’t make a difference

Well, the only real difference was the one made by the reserves who got a chance to see increased playing time. Defensive end Brandon Bair stepped into a starting role in the absence of Cedric Thornton and he did more than “just fill in”. Bair was a force in run defense and he tipped three passes, one of which was intercepted by inside linebacker Jordan Hicks.

Speaking of Hicks, that kid can really play some ball. The rookie, in his first start, notched 10 tackles, a pass breakup, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Running back Ryan Mathews took the reigns to a run game that was anemic through two weeks and gave it life. In DeMarco Murray’s absence, Mathews rushed for 100+ yards and caught a touchdown on a beautiful wheel route pattern in the red zone. This is a deep team, and when they’re all working cohesively it can be scary.

3) The Eagles’ passing game continues to struggle

Despite the victory, the Eagles have struggled mightily throwing the ball. Quarterback Sam Bradford is still recovering from his knee injuries whether it be physically or mentally (or both), and he is also adapting to a new offense with a handful of young pass-catchers. The reason Bradford looks inexperienced could be due to the fact that he basically is. It’s a brand new career for this guy, and even he had doubts that he could continue playing. His guts and determination to come back have shown, however, the rust is still apparent. That being said, the receivers are anything but “off the hook”, as they’ve been plagued by drops and inexperience as well. The bottom line is that this is a process. It will not happen overnight, but the hope is that each game they will improve. Some will call it an excuse, and some will call it reality. You can pick which side of the spectrum you’re on.

4) Cody Parkey looked hurt, and he actually was hurt

The 2nd-year kicker injured the same groin that was bothering him during the preseason. The Eagles have placed him on IR and signed Caleb Sturgis to replace him. Good luck, Caleb!

5) Eric Rowe

The rookie cornerback was considered a disappointment by many fans after he struggled in the week 4 preseason game against the Jets. He was labeled an even bigger disappointment when he failed to see the field at all through the first two weeks of the season. When safety Chris Maragos was injured, Rowe got his shot to cover the Jets’ rookie wideout Devin Smith. Ryan Fitzpatrick targeted Smith on Siamese fly routes against Rowe in one-on-one coverage; Rowe broke the first one up in the end zone, and he picked the second one off in the end zone. When asked about a nickname during a post-game interview, Rowe said that he needed to make more plays before he earns a nickname. The feeling is that he will get more chances to prove himself in the weeks to come.

6) Connor Barwin’s delayed blitz

Did anyone see this? Well, if not, look it up. Better yet, here’s the link. This is the outside linebacker equivalent to an Allen Iverson crossover. This guy has been an absolute superstar on and off the field since arriving in Philadelphia and played a huge part in changing the entire defensive culture.

The Extra Point:

Darren Sproles electrified the Philadelphia Eagles with his 89-yard punt return touchdown that completely swung the momentum of a season lost. This was the type of moment that this team needed. The Eagles looked dead in the water, and not many gave them a chance in this game. On the road, against one heck of a defense, the gamer of all gamers does it again. In 2003, at 2-3, this happened. The Eagles started 0-2 that season as well, and they needed one moment to change the season. Running back Brian Westbrook became the 2nd player in Eagles history to return a punt for a touchdown and rush for a touchdown in the same game on that day. Sproles became the third player to do such last season, and did it again on Sunday. What a spark, what a weekend and what a win!

Author: Tom Aresco

I’m Tom Aresco, a 25-year old Temple University graduate who loves the sweet autumn air speckled with the aroma of pigskin, tailgate spreads and spilled beer. The Philadelphia Eagles are my team of choice and I developed a passion for writing when I was in grade school. That explains why I’m here! The Runner Sports brought me on as a team writer for the Philadelphia Eagles and I look forward to providing entertaining insight, as well as hearty information, to help you better understand the workings of the Chip Kelly Regime. I also run my own Eagles blog under the domain www.chipgod.wordpress.com. Fly Eagles Fly!

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