The Eagles' Good, Bad & Ugly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There were not many things to like, a lot to dislike and much more to know about the 6-8 Eagles after their 40-17 loss NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Good
Wide receiver Jordan Matthews caught three passes on the Eagles' opening drive for 53 yards, including a 30-yard reception on a third-and-nine play to keep the drive alive. He finished with a game-high eight receptions for 159 yards and a 78-yard TD. But by then, the score didn't matter.
Defensive end Fletcher Cox's four-yard sack negated Arizona from scoring another touchdown on its second drive. The sack forced the Cardinals to kick a field goal.
Tight end Zach Ertz 22-yard touchdown pass from Sam Bradford tied the game at 10-10 with 8:26 left in the half. Ertz is a maddening player who shows flashes of great promise, then will disappear. Whether it's schematic or is he still a mystery in three NFL seasons.
Cornerback E.J. Biggers pass defense was pretty solid in the first half.
The Bad
Cornerback Byron Maxwell's 20-yard ride trying to pull down Arizona tight end Darren Fells on the Cardinals' first series. Two plays later, David Johnson zipped into the end zone untouched for a 1-yard score.
Wide receiver Nelson Agholor offsides on the Eagles' first series. The rookie should know the count by now. Yet he jumped, placing the Eagles in a third-and-nine at their 27. Fortunately for Agholor, who's been a disappointment this year, Sam Bradford hit Jordan Matthews with a 30-yard pass on the following play.
Running back Ryan Mathews hold on the Eagles' first possession in a game in which no mistakes were tolerable. It set the Eagles back to the Arizona 32.
The Eagles first-quarter defense. They permitted Arizona 155 yards of total offense and nine first downs, allowing them to go 3-3 for third down. They also let Carson Palmer go 9-for-10 for 127 yards.
The Ugly
Quarterback Sam Bradford's second half. He was 13-21, with a touchdown and two interceptions—one a pick-six. He also fumbled once.
Left tackle Jason Peters may be shot, which is a boxing term for punchy fighters who can't take a hit anymore. Trailing 23-10, in another sequence, Peters was beaten badly by Markus Golden, who stripped Bradford at the Arizona 44. The Cardinals' Frostee Rucker recovered ending an Eagles drive with 5:49 left in the third quarter and the game still within reach.
Linebacker Kiko Alonzo getting blown up by Johnson's third TD—like Bo Jackson lighting up Brian Bosworth.
Safety Ed Reynolds' feeble attempt to tackle Johnson on his 47-yard with 4:00 left in the half that put the Cardinals up 17-10.
Running back DeMarco Murray's poor attempt at a block on Bradford's 11-yard completion to Matthews to the Arizona 38 with 6:08 left in the third quarter. The following play Bradford was stripped of the ball and fumbled, recovered by Arizona at the Cardinals' 44.
The Eagles defense on the Johnson TD 47-yard TD run: Johnson walked through a hallway of players, but six Eagles had a shot at him—and they all missed. Reynolds and Biggers the largest culprits.
The right side of the Eagles offensive line on fourth-and-one at the Arizona 8. Tight end Brent Celek, tackle Lane Johnson and guard Matt Tobin all whiffed in moving the Cardinals off the ball. Arizona linebacker Deone Bucannon, the 27th overall pick in the 2014 draft—one selection behind the Eagles' choice, Marcus Smith.
