Buccaneers Stun Eagles, 27-21
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By: Joseph Santoliquito
PHILADELPHIA, (CBS) -- Maybe it was the pressure. Maybe it was the suffocating Florida heat. Maybe Nick Foles' 15-minutes of fame is over.
Foles and the Eagles looked horrible for most of Sunday afternoon, and whatever magic the Super Bowl MVP had has been passed along to another back-up quarterback, Tampa Bay Bucs' quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick lit up the Eagles, throwing for 402 yards and 4 TDs for the second-straight week in the Bucs' surprising 27-21 victory.
The Eagles weren't going to go undefeated in 2018—but they do have a major problem: They give up too many big plays. Fitzpatrick stung them for two 75-yard TD passes, including the first play of the game, when "FitzMagic" tossed a perfect strike to former Eagle DeSean Jackson 11 seconds into the game.
Foles was 35-for-48, for 334 yards with one touchdown, while Fitzpatrick completed 27 of 33 for 402 yards and 4 TDs. Fitzpatrick became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 400 yards and 4 TDs in the first two weeks of an NFL season.
The Eagles defense, which carried them in their season-opening win over Atlanta, were torched for 436 yards of total offense and an average of 7.5 yards a play.
Eagles' head coach Doug Pederson's conservative play calling most of the afternoon was no help, either. The Eagles made no adjustments to anything the Bucs were doing, and it showed.
It all led to the Eagles losing for the first time in 2018—with more to come, if they don't correct what's happened the first two weeks.
The Good
Cornerback Ronald Darby's second-quarter interception helped keep the game close, when it looked like it was about to get out of hand.
Defensive end Derek Barnett's tackle on Peyton Barber for no gain in the third quarter.
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's first-quarter sack—one of a few bright spots in the first half.
Safety Malcolm Jenkins forcing a fumble from Mike Evans with 12:30 left to play. It gave the Eagles a chance, down by two scores in the fourth quarter.
Receiver Nelson Agholor 50-yard third-quarter reception gave the Eagles some hope—and made the score closer than it should have been.
Tight end Zach Ertz's 10 catches for 86 yards.
Tight end Josh Perkins' 30-yard receptions with 5:12 left to play, which helped set up the Agholor 2-yard TD with 2:46 to play.
Quarterback Nick Foles' nice touch TD pass to Agholor for a 2-yard score that put them down 6.
The Bad
Safety Malcolm Jenkins biting on the play-action of the Bucs on their first play of the game.
Tight end Josh Perkins' drop early in the third quarter.
The Ugly
Cornerback Jalen Mills getting toasted on Tampa Bay's opening play—a 75-yard TD strike from Ryan Fitzpatrick to DeSean Jackson a mere 11 seconds into the game. Mills got smoked a second time for a Mike Evans TD with 9:19 left in the third quarter. As the 2-minute warning approached, Mils once again had issues with Evans, when Fitzpatrick hit him on a third-and-three for a 10-yard gain with 2:20 left.
The Eagles' four first-quarter penalties for 45 yards.
Darby's whiff on O.J. Howard's 75-yard touchdown reception from Ryan Fitzpatrick's short pass over the middle.
Josh Perkins' illegal block negated Corey Clement's 43-yard punt return in the first quarter.
The Eagles' secondary on Chris Godwin's 8-yard TD from Fitzpatrick in the second quarter.
Kicker Jake Elliott's missed 42-yard field goal at the end of the half.