Lincoln Financial Field is once again a fortress for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles (5-4) remain undefeated at home after defeating the Atlanta Falcons 24-15 this past Sunday, holding one of the hottest offensive teams in the NFL to just 303 total yards. Here are some observations I took from this victory:
Run game steals the show
Running back Darren Sproles appeared to be the lead back heading into this one, but it was his fellow back Ryan Mathews instead that did the most damage. Mathews looked the best he has all season, recording 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 19 carries. His first touchdown from four yards out finished off a 12 play, 81 yard opening drive, something that has been missing from the start of Eagles games. It was nice to see Mathews running with a purpose, hitting 100 yards for the first time all season as he surely wanted to show that he was still capable of being the lead back moving forward. Right below him was Wendell Smallwood, who ran for 70 yards on 13 attempts.
Defense steps up
Going up against the duo of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones is never an easy task, but Jim Schwartz's defense held them in check for the majority of the game. Playing without Nolan Carroll for most of the game, the Eagles held running back Devonta Freeman to 49 yards on the ground and only got burned on one play, a 76-yard receiving TD for Atlanta wide receiver Taylor Gabriel. On third down, the Falcons went 2 for 11, and never really got into an offensive groove. Despite giving up 10 catches for 135 yards to Jones, the defense made plays when it mattered, including an interception from Leodis McKelvin that sealed the victory.
Officiating.
I try not to bash the referees, but how they missed that helmet-to-helmet call on Jordan Matthews is flat out unacceptable. In the fourth quarter, Matthews went for a ball over the middle and got absolutely crunched by Falcons safety Keanu Neal. It looked like a hard hit, but replay showed a clear indication of helmet-to-helmet, not to mention Matthews was lying on the ground bleeding with a dent in his helmet. Also, a clear defensive pass interference was missed the play before that, so 30 yards of penalties were missed by the refs. Inexcusable, and that just simply can't happen if the NFL harps on protecting the players.
Wentz has bounce back game
A week after a disappointing performance against the New York Giants, Carson Wentz responded with a well-managed game against Atlanta. Wentz threw for 231 yards, completing 25 of 36 passes and no interceptions. Eagles fans wanted to see Wentz close a game, and he did just that on Sunday. Down 15-13, the rookie quarterback led a beautiful 8 play, 76 yard drive that ended with the Eagles finding the end zone and completing the two-point conversion to take a 21-15 lead. Despite continuous drops from his receivers, Wentz battled and still found a way to get the job done.
Up next for the Birds is a matchup with Russell Wilson and Seahawks in Seattle, who just knocked off the Patriots in Foxborough.
Notes
- One week after showing off his big play ability, Bryce Treggs didn't receive one target. In a group of receivers that includes Nelson Agholor, there is no reason he or Paul Turner shouldn't be getting a chance with the first team.
- Caroll left the game late in the first half, and was later diagnosed with a concussion.
- Falcons kicker Matt Bryant missed an extra point and a 53 yard field goal, while Caleb Sturgis missed one from 55 out.
