The Eagles have now won nine straight games, and just like everybody predicted, the team to give them the most trouble was the now 3-10 Panthers. Carolina led for a good amount of the game, up 10-7 just before halftime, but a CJ Gardner Johnson interception plus a DeVonta Smith touchdown gave the Birds a 14-10 lead after two quarters. The Panthers scored late in the third quarter and then gave up a TD the following drive, making it 22-16 Eagles, which would end up being the final score. The Panthers had a chance to win the game, getting the ball back with 2:58 left on their own three-yard line. Young did everything he could to try and win the game, converting on a crucial third and fourth down and driving all the way to Philadelphia's 32-yard line. Young connected on a deep shot to rookie WR Xavier Legette, but the pass was dropped. If caught, Carolina would have had 1st & Goal with 1:29 left in the game.
Offensive Struggles
This was the Birds' fewest points scored in a game since Week 6 against the Browns, also the first game of the Birds' win streak. In that game, Jalen Hurts passed for 264 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64% of his passes, while Saquon Barkley had 18 carries for 47 yards. Against the Panthers, Hurts still threw for two touchdowns but passed for just 108 yards. Barkley had 20 carries for 124 yards and became the Eagles single-season rushing yards record holder, breaking LeSean McCoy's record of 1,607 in 2013. AJ Brown led the team in receiving yards, having 43 on four catches. After the game, AJ Brown was asked where the offense needs to improve, and he replied, "Passing."
Before this week, there were no issues in the passing game. Hurts was improving and playing clean games but is getting fewer attempts due to how many touches Saquon Barkley gets. Last season, Eagles' RB1 D'Andre Swift had two games with 20+ carries; this season, Saquon Barkley has eight games with 20+ carries through 13 games. Barkley also has 574 more yards in those 13 games than Swift had last season. Seeing that high of a jump in production at one position will obviously affect everyone else's numbers. There have been plenty of instances where AJ Brown has been upset with a lack of targets, and they've gotten past it quite smoothly every time before, so this should be no different.
In the post-game press conference, Jalen Hurts took credit for the Eagles' poor air performance, saying it's his job to make sure everyone is synchronized in the passing game. He also said the Eagles should not have to get on the same page in the team's 13th game.
Defense Keeps Rolling
Despite giving up two touchdowns, it was an overall good performance from the defense. It was not as good as in weeks past, but it was still good enough to win. Carolina's touchdown drives were over 7:45, while their longest drive that didn't end in the end zone was 5:15. 50% of the Panthers' drives were under three minutes long, and only three resulted in points for Carolina. The defense's fifth straight game held opponents to 20 or fewer points. During the nine-game win streak, the Birds give up 15.3 points per game.
Zach Baun showed yet again that he is one of the best linebackers in the league this week, putting up 11 tackles, one sack, and three of the team's six tackles for loss. Baun has the highest coverage grade among all LBs since Luke Kuechly in 2015 at 91.7; he has been a blessing for an Eagles team that has struggled at the LB position in recent history. Quinyon Mitchell continued his extraordinary rookie campaign this week. He gave up three catches on four targets for just 19 yards and has yet to give up a touchdown in the season. He finished the game with a passer rating allowed of 84.4; it's also the ninth straight game Mitchell hasn't given up over 30 yards. CJ Gardner Johnson bounced back and has played incredibly during the Birds' win streak and had another great performance yesterday. He set the tone early with a huge hit on Xavier Legette.
and went on to have six tackles, two pass deflections, and a game-changing interception.
A Look Ahead
The Birds still have a chance to finish the season as the one seed in the NFC; the race is between the first-place Lions, Eagles, and Vikings. The Lions are 12-1 while Philadelphia and Minnesota are both 11-2, no other team in the NFC has 10 or more wins. The Packers nearly got the best of Detroit but couldn't get the job done. The Lions face the Bills this week and finish the season in a game that could decide the division against the Vikings. The Vikings face the Seahawks, Packers, and Lions to end the year, and there are three games that could be potential losses for Minnesota. The Birds face the 10-3 Steelers this week, then face the Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants to finish the season. Philadelphia is 3-0 against divisional opponents this season.
Final Score: Eagles 22, Panthers 16
Dixon's Three Stars
1st Star- Saquon Barkley (20 Carries, 124 Rushing Yards)
2nd Star- Zach Baun (11 Tackles, 1 Sack, 3 TFLs)
3rd Star- CJ Gardner Johnson (6 Tackles, 2 PDs, 1 INT)
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