4 winners (and 2 losers) for the Eagles in Week 3 win over the Saints

Can we be honest with you? Okay... Promise you won't get angry. There were about three instances when we almost gave up on the Philadelphia Eagles in this one. That last TD pass from Derek Carr to Chris Olave was painful. That's when we truly felt like throwing in the towel.

Well... DeVonta Smith is out, and Jalen Hurts really hasn't been sharp all afternoon. That's what we told ourselves. We thought 'today might not be our day'!

You've watched enough football to know how this works though. You never turn NFL games off until they're over. A tad under two minutes is plenty of time to mount a comeback. No one knows more about that feeling than Birds fans.

Recently, however, it's been Philly who has had to watch the other team march down the field to victory. Frankly we don't know which one was worse, that last-minute drive by Drew Lock in Seattle or the backbreaker delivered last Monday by Kirk Cousins.

Wouldn't you know it? Fate shone on the good guys today! The Birds came out on the winning side in this one. 15 fourth-quarter points would tell Philly's tale. Whew! That was close.

We'll tell you this. It feels a lot better to be 2-1 than 1-2. That flight home will feel much better after breaking the jinx.

Several Eagles deserve game balls after this one, others not so much.

This one tested all of the emotions, including anger and anxiety. Scoring zero points in the first three quarters (and turning the ball over multiple times) typically isn't a recipe for success.

Philly wrote a happy ending during the fourth quarter of this one, and thank goodness. They survive, and help ease some of the pain caused by Monday Night Football.

Let's hand out some game balls.

Vic Fangio and his defensive unit

We gave Vic Fangio Hades, and he deserved it. But, after this masterclass, he deserves his flowers. We have to give him credit for this one. It was the defense that kept Philly in the game all afternoon.

They turned the Saints back after turnovers. They bailed their teammates out after bad decisions and a blocked punt. It was the defense that gave Philly every opportunity to win this game after the offense seemed bent on losing it for them,

We asked if the game had passed Fangio by and if the rest of the league caught up to his defensive scheme. By the looks of things, this old dog still has some new tricks.

DeVonta Smith, wide receiver

DeVonta Smith gave blood, sweat, and tears in this one, literally. He was forced out of action with a concussion but not before he had racked up seven receptions for 79 yards.

We hoped he'd step up in A.J. Brown's absence, and he has done exactly that. He's a gamer, tougher than his size would indicate, and he's clutch in every sense of the word.

Hopefully, he won't be out long.

Dallas Goedert, tight end

See? This is why we ask that a few more passes be thrown in Dallas Goedert's direction. 11 targets... Dallas Goedert hauled in ten receptions and stacked 170 yards receiving in the Week 3 win on Sunday. Ten catches and 170 yards receiving are both career highs for Dallas. 170 yards is the highest receiving total by a tight end in franchise history.

His team needed a big game from him, and they got one. That's what it's all about. Make the most of your opportunities when they come. Check that box for Number 88.

Yep! We feel you Chris!

Saquon Barkley, running back

Two rushing touchdowns from Saquon Barkley and a plunge on a two-point conversion accounted for 14 of the Eagles' 15 points in this one. Both scores gave Philly a lead. The second gave them the lead for good.

He more than atoned for the dropped pass on Monday Night Football, but let's be frank. With everything he has done this season, it's hard to be mad at the guy in the Number 26 jersey when he makes a mistake,

Nick Sirianni - Dud

There's no nice way to say it. Questionable calls by Nick Sirianni continue to hold his team back and put them in bad situations. His decision-making is borderline unforgivable.

We won't harp on this because his team ultimately won, but this ends one of two ways. Either he fixes things and gets better or he costs his team in an important game down the road. Let's hope the latter scenario never comes to fruition.

Grant Calcaterra - Dud

As the publication that has driven the 'Grant Calcaterra' bandwagon the longest, we reserve the right to exit the train. There just isn't much here, and if he can't block, there's no need in playing him.

Worth mentioning: Jalen Hurts and Johnny Wilson

Jalen Hurts and Johnny Wilson delivered a mixed bag in this one. The former led some decent drives but turned the ball over in unforgivable fashion. The latter made a huge play on a third-down conversion but dropped a pass that hit him in the hands in a key situation.

Neither is a dud or a stud. Both have to be better.