What We Learned In Eagles’ Win Over Lions
It was snowy, it was wet, and at times it was ugly, but the LeSean McCoy and the Philadelphia Eagles found a way in the end to get things done in the 4th quarter against a tough Detroit Lions team to pull out their fifth consecutive win. Here’s what we learned:
Nick Foles Will Be The Guy In Philadelphia
We did learn this last week, but we learned it even more this week. For the second consecutive week Nick Foles lead this Eagles team to victories over quality opponents.
Foles had a pretty rough first half throwing for only 35 yards, an interception that lead to a Lions touchdown, a fumbled a snap, and failed to get points on a long drive before the half. Foles didn’t let that get to him however, bringing the Eagles back from a 14 point deficit to pull out the win.
Foles is showing toughness, maturity, and leadership, and as of right now, there is no reason the starting job should not be his for seasons to come. Games are won and lost in the fourth quarter, and Nick Foles proved today that he can pull out a victory when it matters most.
LeSean McCoy Might Be Superman
It’s a bird…It’s a plane…No, It’s just LeSean McCoy torching the Detroit Lions defense.
McCoy rushed for an Eagles record of 217 yards, 174 of it coming in the second half after he switched cleats. In the second half we saw the Eagles running more straight forward rather than side to side, and we saw more of the read option, which has really been the Eagles’ bread and butter this season.
McCoy is a vital part of this offense as he is the NFL’s leading rusher. This team would not be where they are without him, and they certainly would not have been able to come back in this game today without McCoy.
Chip Kelly Is Learning How To Coach In The NFL
Other than the usually couple questionable decisions, Kelly did a pretty good job on the sidelines this week. Before coming into this game the Eagles hadn’t scored any offensive points in the fourth quarter since the last game against the Giants. Kelly put an emphasis on closing and scoring points late throughout the week and it worked. Im sure an emphasis will be put on special teams this week.
Kelly also made some nice second half adjustments to given the elements that were not expected before the game. Without them, the Eagles may have struggled coming back in the second half.
This Team Wasn’t Built For The Elements
This is one of those teams that doesn’t do well in bad weather. Yes, they did come back in the second half, but the snow did clear up then. This is a team that looks like they belong in a dome or in Florida.
The Eagles almost looked lost out on the field for the majority of the first half as their first three possessions ended in three and and outs and the next two were an interception and punt. The weather was little extreme at “The Linc”, but it could happen again, and next time the Eagle may not be able to overcome early mistakes.
The Defense Continues To Defy The Stats
The statistics say the Eagles defense is the second to last ranked defense in the NFL, but boy are they proving the stat sheet wrong. The Eagles defense only allowed one touchdown to the high powered Lions offense and forced three turnovers, all of which were in their own territory.
The Eagles may have only gotten seven points off of turnovers, but more importantly they kept points off the board. That is the reason this defense is doing so well they have 25 takeaways this season which is tied for fourth best in the league. Their team as a whole ranks fifth with a +9 turnover differential.
When you are giving your offense more opportunities and aren’t turning the ball over, you will be able to win games in the NFL.
This Team Is “For Real”
The Eagles are getting hot at the right time. You hate to use the word team of destiny, but the Eagles seem that way. They had a slow start at 1-3 to begin the season, but now sit at 8-5. Not many people had the Eagles winning eight games at the beginning of the season.
If this team makes the playoffs, not many teams are going to want to see them. They have a dangerous offense and a defense that creates opportunities. You can really feel the football vibe returning to Philadelphia, and the only advice I have is…”NFL, watch out, the Eagles are back!”