Eagles And Seven Thoughts From Sunday's Games: Falcons QB, Giant Ineptitude, And More

Saquon Barkley scored 18 points to the Giants' 6, and what should the Falcons do as they prepare to visit Philly for Monday Night Football?

Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) leaves the field after the 2024 NFL Sao Paolo Game against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In honor of the first full weekend of NFL action, here are a touchdown and PAT’s worth of thoughts and how they pertain to the Eagles:

Shaky Kirk Cousins. The Eagles will have their “real” home opener on Monday Night Football against a Falcons team that laid an egg in their home opener. Atlanta’s defense didn’t give up a touchdown but still lost to the Justin Fields-led Pittsburgh Steelers, 18-10, on six field goals.

New head coach Raheem Morris may want to consider starting rookie Michael Pennix because Kirk Cousins was just bad in his first game back after an Achilles injury last year. That would be a bold move, but who would blame him? Cousins threw two picks, including late in the game that ended it. His passer rating was 59.0 on 16-for-26 passing and 155 yards.

Barkley outscores Giants. Think the Giants missed Saquon Barkley? They kicked two field goals in their 28-6 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Barkley scored three touchdowns to account for 18 point all by himself in the Eagles’ 34-29 win over the Packers.

Granted the Giants had only one winning season during the six years Barkley spent in New York, but to let him walk out the door for nothing could be the end for coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. Much the way it was for former Titans GM Jon Robinson when he traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles.

In the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys’ defense dominated the Cleveland Browns in a 33-17 blowout win, sacking Deshaun Watson six times, while Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the second overall pick, was 17-for-24 for 184 yards and rushed 16 times for 88 yards in a 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So, after Week 1, the NFC East looks like everyone expected, with the Eagles and Cowboys tied at 1-0 and the Giants and Commanders sitting at 0-1.

Former Eagles watch:

-RB D’Andre Swift had 30 yards on 10 carries for the Chicago Bears in a win.

-RB Miles Sanders had 22 yards on five carries for the Carolina Panthers in a loss.

-LB Kyzir White had 11 tackles for the Arizona Cardinals in a loss.

Aug 1, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni talks with Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) during a training camp practice at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Players of the Week. Did anybody do anything to unseat Barkley and Zack Baun as the favorites to win the NFC’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week? With Sunday night’s Rams at Lions game and Monday night’s Jets at 49ers game remaining, Barkley and Baun have to be the frontrunners after Barkley’s 109-yard, three-touchdown game and Baun’s 15-tackle, two-sack masterpiece.

New coach, same old Bryce Young. The Panthers quarterback and last year’s first overall pick is careening down bust lane after being drafted first overall last year.  He is still just 23, but there is nothing good to point to that gives you any hope he is the answer for first-year coach Dave Canales.

Young was 13-for-30 with 161 yards and two interceptions for a 32.8 passer rating in a non-competitive 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints. By the time the Panthers visit Lincoln Financial Field to meet the Eagles on Dec. 8, the Panthers could still be winless and backup Andy Dalton may be starting.

This year’s No. 1. Caleb Williams won his debut with the Bears, but it wasn’t anything he did. Williams completed just 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards and a passer rating of 55.7. There are probably dozens of high school QBs across the country who had better numbers than this weekend. Williams has something Young doesn’t, and that is a better roster.

The quarterback on the team the Bears beat, the Tennessee Titans, wasn’t much better. Will Levis threw a pair of interceptions, including a deadly pick-6 with 7:35 to go in the game and his team trying to preserve a one-point lead. The 43-yard interception return accounted for the final score of 24-17.

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