Eagles-Bucs Stock Market: Oppressive Heat, Terrible Tackling and Poor Pocket Presence

There wasn't much to like in a 33-16 loss to Tampa Bay.

Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is pressured by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The heat and humidity of Tampa were not nearly as oppressive as the onslaught the Tampa Bay Buccaneers unleashed on the Eagles in Philadelphia's latest embarrassment in the Big Guava, a 33-16 beatdown marred by a dozen missed tackles and offensive inefficiency without Pro Bowl-level stars A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Lane Johnson.

It was so ugly that the only thing we can recommend "buying" this week in the early bye week for Philadelphia.

THE BULLS

THE BYE WEEK - There isn't much to be happy about this week other than the fact that the Eagles get next week off and it's more than likely that Brown and Smith, along with Johnson will be back after the bye week for Cleveland in Week 6.

THE BEARS

SAQUON TOUCHES - Without Brown and Smith if any game was going to be the Saquon Barkey game this was it.

The Eagles' dynamic running back came in averaging 24.3 touches per game and on pace for 414 on the season. Instead, an ineffective start had Barkley finishing with a season-low 12 touches. The issues came early as Tampa Bay raced out to a quick lead and the Eagles started with three-consecutive three-and-outs.

"We had nine plays and three of them were third-downs. He had two carries on six plays. When you go three-and-out, nobody's going to have any touches," head coach Nick Sirianni said. "...We weren't sustaining drives."

JALEN HURT'S FEEL IN THE POCKET - Todd Bowles got the better of Hurts again with a plan that generated six sacks, including a strip sack by Lavonte David in which Sirianni seemed to put on shaly pass protection by Barkley.

There weren't many open receivers other than Dallas Goedert but Hurts is at the stage of his career where he needs to speed things up when necessary and figure out a way to handle attrition at least a little bit better.

REPLACEMENT RECEIVERS - Even Jimmy McGinty couldn't have won with the receivers the Eagles were forced to roll with ((we can be friends if you get that joke).

The foursome of Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, Parris Campbell, and John Ross combined for seven catches for 34 yards. Brown and Smith can't get back soon enough because Hurts is clearly not capable of elevating the support staff.

TACKLING - The Eagles' daily tackling circuits at practice aren't working. Vic Fangio's defense missed 12 tackles in the game, four by linebacker Nakobe Dean, according to TruMedia.

When you play the style of defense the Eagles do, sure tackling is critical to success and this was one of the worst tackling performances by any NFL team this season.

THE WEATHER - With temperatures reaching into the 90s and the real feel at 108 at one point on the field, it was a struggle for everyone.

Tampa Bay is used to the hotter weather and seemed to persevere a little batter while the Eagles didn't help themselves with a 74-56 play differential. Reed Blankenship and Jalen Carter were among the key players who had to tap out to the heat.

COACHING - Sirianni claims everything the Eagles put on the field has his name on it. The fourth-year coach may want to retract that statement after Sunday's performance.

The offensive plan was a disaster early, starting with three consecutive three-and-outs. By that point, without Brown, Smith, and Johnson, the margin of error was too small for Philadelphia.

Defensively, Fangio's unit has been a disaster in nickel personnel early in the season, something that was amplified even further by the poor tackling effort.

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