This was supposed to be a cakewalk. It wasn’t. This was supposed to be the first step on a five-week road to the playoffs. Now? To borrow the famous Jim Mora quote: Playoffs? Playoffs? Are you kidding me?
Here are the grades for the awful performance in a 37-31 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday:
Rushing offense
The Eagles had a 28.3% run-play rate, running it just 19 times and throwing it 46 times, with two sacks. Miles Sanders was effective, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He averaged nearly 6 yards per carry on first down in the first half. But he ran the ball just seven times in the second half.
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Grade: C
Passing offense
A Dolphins pass defense that went into the game with a 106.8 opponent passer rating held Carson Wentz to a 60.9% completion rate and 6.7 yards per attempt. Every completion was a struggle. Alshon Jeffery had his best game of the season (nine catches, 137 yards, one TD). But Zach Ertz had a couple of costly drops, including one in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Grade: D
Miami Dolphins safety Montre Hartage (41) celebrates as Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) gets up after time expired. The Eagles lost 37-31.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins safeties Adrian Colbert (36) and Walt Aikens (35) break up a hail Mary pass intended for Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor (13) on the final play of their game.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker catches a fourth and 1 pass for a first down past Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby during the fourth quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker catches the football over Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills during the fourth quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson leaves the field after a game against the Miami Dolphins.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor reaches for the hail mary attempt at the end of the game against Miami Dolphins defensive back Walt Aikens.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins running back Patrick Laird (42) spins past Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham (53) to score a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (11) makes a catch despite pressure from Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills (31) in the fourth quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki (88) scores a touchdown in the third quarter in front of Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills (31).Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins linebacker Sam Eguavoen (49) sacks Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) in the third quarter of a game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and quarterback Carson Wentz celebrate Jeffery's third-quarter touchdown.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott reacts after missing a third-quarter field goal with holder Cameron Johnston and tight end Dallas Goedert.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery dives into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown past Miami Dolphins defensive back Nik Needham (left) and cornerback Jomal Wiltz.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick throws the football past the Eagles during the third quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett (96) leaves the field after the game.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz drops a third-quarter pass against Miami Dolphins cornerback Eric Rowe.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor (13) makes a catch for a two-point conversion in front of Miami Dolphins cornerback Jomal Wiltz (33) in the second quarter.Read moreTim Tai / File Photograph
Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor (13) celebrates his two-point conversion score with tackle Lane Johnson (65) in the second quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins running back Patrick Laird (42) breaks a tackle attempt by Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham (53).Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) looks to pass during a game against the Miami Dolphins.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (19) celebrates his second-quarter touchdown.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside catches a late second-quarter touchdown past Miami Dolphins cornerback Jomal Wiltz.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (19) celebrates his second-quarter touchdown with wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) and tight end Zach Ertz (86).Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills (31) commits a penalty against Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (11) in the second quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (11) makes a catch in front of Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby (21) in the second quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) lifts up kicker Jason Sanders (7) after Sanders scored a touchdown in the second quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles running back Miles Sanders runs past Miami Dolphins linebacker Sam Eguavoen (right) and defensive end Avery Moss during the first quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (11) scores a touchdown in the first quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby intercepts the football with teammate outside linebacker Nigel Bradham past Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker during the first quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during the first quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles running back Miles Sanders scores a first-quarter touchdown.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz takes off his helmet after losing to the Miami Dolphins.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett (96) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) in the first quarter.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz gets rid of the football past Miami Dolphins middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan during the first quarter.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Miami Dolphins defensive back Marcus Sherels falls down after recovering the onside kick past Eagles defensive back Craig James.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Rushing defense
They held the Dolphins, who went into the game with the league’s worst rushing attack, to 2.9 yards per carry. But they gave up a 28-yard run to wide receiver Albert Wilson that kick-started the Dolphins’ first touchdown drive, and gave up a 4-yard touchdown run to Patrick Laird early in the fourth quarter that put the Dolphins in front.
Grade: B
Passing defense
The Dolphins have one good receiver and the Eagles couldn’t stop him. DeVonte Parker made mincemeat of Eagles corners Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills, catching seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw for 405 yards and four TDs against the Eagles last season when he was with the Bucs, threw for 365 yards and three TDs.
Grade: F
Special teams
Jake Elliott picked an inopportune time to miss his first field goal attempt of the season. After hitting earlier 48- and 43-yarders, he was wide-right with a 49-yard attempt in the third quarter that would have given the Eagles an 11-point lead.
Grade: C
Overall
An Eagles defense that had managed to hold four straight opponents under 20 points allowed the 2-9 Dolphins to score on six straight possessions. And their offense went to sleep in the second half, scoring just 10 points and converting 2 of 6 third-down attempts. Then, after the game, many of their so-called leaders either slipped out the door or refused to talk to reporters. A disgraceful performance all around.
