Eagles Analysis: Ten takeaways from Week 2 vs. Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles are still yet to win a game after being beaten by the Dallas Cowboys yesterday 20-10. The Eagles offense were a complete embarrassment in this game and I can’t remember ever watching an Eagles offense perform this badly. There’s almost nothing good to takeaway from this game but here are my ten takeaways:

1) This defense deserves better

The Eagles defense has every right to be mad. The defense played really well with the exception of a few players but were completely let down by the offense who were non-existent throughout the game. Malcolm Jenkins is just getting better and better and the defense stopped the run well all game. There still wasn’t enough pass rush but the Cowboys offensive line is very good so it’s hard to be too critical.

2) The offensive line is awful

The biggest problem with this team is the offensive line. The guards are terrible and Jason Kelce had an awful game. Jason Peters didn’t look great either. Chip Kelly cut both his starting guards and replaced them with simply bad players who were already on the team without signing or drafting anyone of note. This Eagles offensive line has been together since training camp, there is no reason why they should be this bad and it is unacceptable.

3) Sam Bradford is back in St. Louis

Sam Bradford wasn’t very good for the Rams because they had a bad offensive line, no running game and wide receivers that couldn’t get open and continually dropped the ball. Sound familiar? The Eagles are giving Bradford no help at all. However, Bradford still is playing bad. He doesn’t see the field well enough and his lack of mobility is hurting the team. Riley Cooper was wide open in the endzone when he threw a terrible interception because he panicked under pressure.

4) The wide receivers aren’t great

When your quarterback isn’t playing well you need your wide receivers to step up. They didn’t. Jordan Matthews dropped a couple of terrible balls and can apparently only run the crossing route effectively and nothing else. Matthews gets a lot of hype but he still struggles to beat press man coverage and it’s the scheme that gets him open more than his route running. The Josh Huff breakout party isn’t coming soon and Nelson Agholor is playing like a rookie basically. For a team that wanted to get big and athletic at the receiver position, they don’t look it right now.

5) I don’t blame DeMarco Murray at all

I cannot believe DeMarco Murray did not lose it when interviewed yesterday after the game. He must have been absolutely fuming. After all the talk about Murray being a product of the Dallas offensive line, he gets to go up against them and the Eagles can’t block anyone and embarrass him on prime time. Murray still has juice, you saw it on the catch and hurdle late in the game. He’s a one cut runner and the Eagles are running way too many outside runs where Murray is being hit before he can even get going. I still think he’s a good player and will get going if the Eagles remember how to block.

6) Chip Kelly needs to alter the offense

Something needs to change quickly. The Eagles running game is way too predictable and the passing game is all short. The Eagles need to take some shots downfield and get an inside running game going. I don’t know what they can to change it but I’m not getting paid to be a head coach. Try some misdirection runs, use an unbalanced offensive line with Peters next to Johnson, put Bradford under center and use someone as a full back. It sounds ridiculous but something has to change, just try anything at this point because it can’t get any worse.

7) Byron Asomugha is bad

It’s only been two weeks but I have absolutely no faith in Nnamdi Maxwell. Sorry, Byron Maxwell. Honestly, he just doesn’t look like he moves very well at all, he isn’t fluid and plays very stiff. He plays soft and plays with outside leverage even if he has absolutely no help inside. He doesn’t look like he can cover an in breaking route at all, all you have to do is run post routes on him repeatedly and you’ll get open. If the Cowboys had Dez Byrant yesterday, Maxwell could have been completely humiliated again. He really needs to step up next week but I just don’t think he’s very good.

8) Issues with Chip Kelly the GM

I never wanted Chip to have full control of the roster. I took issue with Chip over paying for free agents and not over paying his own players. We should have kept Maclin and given him what he wanted and not spent that money on Maxwell or Murray. The Maxwell signing looks to be a complete joke at the moment and whilst I like Murray I think he got paid way too much. Chip should take responsibility for not replacing either Evan Mathis or Todd Herremans.

9) DeMeco Ryans playing is a concern

If Kiko Alonso is badly hurt and DeMeco Ryans has to play for the Eagles he will be picked on heavily in the passing game. I thought Jordan Hicks showed a lot of promise and I would like to see him play more snaps than Ryans if Alonso is out. If both Kiko and Kendricks are out next week, the Eagles will have to find a way to limit how many snaps Ryans plays because he’s really slow out there.

10) The season is not over

This team could turn it around. It’s not impossible. The Redskins are probably the best team in the NFC East right now and that sums up the state of the division. The Cowboys are in serious trouble without Dez and Romo despite being 2-0. It wouldn’t surprise me if the NFC East was won with a record of 8-8 or 9-7 so the division is still up for grabs. If the Eagles lose next week it’s pretty much over but they still have a chance if they win next week.

Next: Eagles embarrassed in Philly, fall to Dallas

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