Saquon Barkley up, Jalen Hurts down in our Week 1 Eagles stock watch
by Jeff Neiburg
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
It wasn’t the prettiest 63-point NFL game, but the Eagles left Brazil with a 1-0 record after their 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers. There was a lot of rust, a lot of penalty flags, and some familiar sights from the Eagles defense. But wins are wins in the NFL. Here’s our instant three-up, three-down drill.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
It wasn’t the prettiest 63-point NFL game, but the Eagles left Brazil with a 1-0 record after their 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers. There was a lot of rust, a lot of penalty flags, and some familiar sights from the Eagles defense. But wins are wins in the NFL. Here’s our instant three-up, three-down drill.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Up: Saquon Barkley
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Up: Saquon Barkley
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The Eagles haven’t had a running back this talented since LeSean McCoy, and Barkley might be better. Barkley reached the end zone three times — twice on the ground and once through the air — in his Eagles debut and finished with 109 rushing yards. He looked every bit like the bell cow back the Eagles had been missing.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The Eagles haven’t had a running back this talented since LeSean McCoy, and Barkley might be better. Barkley reached the end zone three times — twice on the ground and once through the air — in his Eagles debut and finished with 109 rushing yards. He looked every bit like the bell cow back the Eagles had been missing.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Down: Jalen Hurts
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Down: Jalen Hurts
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Remember how many consecutive passes Hurts threw in training camp without being intercepted? You shouldn’t, because none of it mattered. The Eagles escaped Brazil with a win, but Hurts’ decision-making wasn’t nearly good enough. His fourth-quarter interception could’ve been costly, and the Eagles need him to play cleaner.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Remember how many consecutive passes Hurts threw in training camp without being intercepted? You shouldn’t, because none of it mattered. The Eagles escaped Brazil with a win, but Hurts’ decision-making wasn’t nearly good enough. His fourth-quarter interception could’ve been costly, and the Eagles need him to play cleaner.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Up: Zack Baun
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Up: Zack Baun
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Baun’s transition to an off-ball linebacker, a position he didn’t play much in New Orleans, seems to be going smoothly. He was all over the field and led the Eagles with 15 tackles, two of them sacks, including the game-ender. Baun’s coverage also helped set up a critical third-quarter Reed Blankenship interception.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Baun’s transition to an off-ball linebacker, a position he didn’t play much in New Orleans, seems to be going smoothly. He was all over the field and led the Eagles with 15 tackles, two of them sacks, including the game-ender. Baun’s coverage also helped set up a critical third-quarter Reed Blankenship interception.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Down: Avonte Maddox
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Down: Avonte Maddox
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Isaiah Rodgers missing the game with a hand injury had a domino effect. For Maddox, it meant going back to nickel after primarily playing safety toward the end of camp. Why didn’t the Eagles start Kelee Ringo on the outside and let rookie Quinyon Mitchell take the inside? Maddox struggled mightily at times Friday night.
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Isaiah Rodgers missing the game with a hand injury had a domino effect. For Maddox, it meant going back to nickel after primarily playing safety toward the end of camp. Why didn’t the Eagles start Kelee Ringo on the outside and let rookie Quinyon Mitchell take the inside? Maddox struggled mightily at times Friday night.
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Up: Quinyon Mitchell
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Up: Quinyon Mitchell
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Mitchell has looked ready since he stepped onto the NovaCare practice field after the Eagles selected him in the first round. In his NFL debut, Mitchell had many more good moments than bad. He ran stride-for-stride with Christian Watson on a deep route early and later had a nice breakup. He finished with five tackles.
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Mitchell has looked ready since he stepped onto the NovaCare practice field after the Eagles selected him in the first round. In his NFL debut, Mitchell had many more good moments than bad. He ran stride-for-stride with Christian Watson on a deep route early and later had a nice breakup. He finished with five tackles.
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Down: Eagles edge rushers
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Down: Eagles edge rushers
David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Bryce Huff wasn’t very noticeable, and neither were Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham. Josh Sweat had moments, but none of the Eagles’ edge rushers got home or looked anywhere near dangerous enough to take some pressure off Jalen Carter and the interior unit. Miss Haason Reddick yet? It’s an area the Eagles need to fix, fast.
David Maialetti / Staff Photographger
Bryce Huff wasn’t very noticeable, and neither were Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham. Josh Sweat had moments, but none of the Eagles’ edge rushers got home or looked anywhere near dangerous enough to take some pressure off Jalen Carter and the interior unit. Miss Haason Reddick yet? It’s an area the Eagles need to fix, fast.
