Eagles vs. Patriots Notebook: Status Quo, Nakobe Dean Injured, RB1 Emerging?

There weren't many style points earned but the Philadelphia Eagles remained unbeaten in season openers in the Nick Sirianni era after taking down the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Style points weren't the end game and few were earned as the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles persevered in a 25-20 season-opening win over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

A questionable, aggressive fourth-down gamble approved by Nick Sirianni late in the game gave an undermanned Patriots team the opportunity to steal it late before a desperation pass on fourth-and-11 by Mac Jones to Kayshon Boutee ostensibly put New England inside the Eagles' 10-yard line with 25 seconds to go.

A replay review, however, unveiled that Boutte only got one foot down, securing the win for Philadelphia.

Here's what we observed: 

SEASON-OPENING STATUS QUO

For the second consecutive season, it wasn’t pretty but the Eagles escaped to start the season with a road victory. It was the kind of game coaches love because you leave with a victory but there’s plenty to harp on with an 0-1 Minnesota team coming to Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night.

Last season a 27-yard pick-six by James Bradberry put Philadelphia on top in Detroit 21-7 but the Eagles faltered a bit before hanging on for a 38-35 win. This time it was a 70-yard Darius Slay interception return helping the Bords en route to a 16-0 headstart before holding on for dear life and the 25-20 victory.

Overall Sirianni is 3-0 as a head coach in season openers with all the wins coming away from Lincoln Financial Field.

The eerie part is after starting with that 38-35 win over the Lions a season ago it ended with the same score but the Eagles were on the losing end of a 38-35 game in Super Bowl LVII to Kansas City.

If you’re a betting man (or lady) maybe throw down a few dollars on the Eagles losing Super Bowl LVII 25-20.

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HURTS SO BAD FOR THE PATS

Jalen Hurts was hardly spectacular, finishing 22 of 33 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an 89.2 passer rating while adding 37 more yards on the ground in nine tries. That said, Hurts always seems to make a handful of plays that demoralize a defense whether it’s off-schedule offense or simply being relentless in big spots.

The fourth-year quarterback typically finds a way to push his team over the finish line and Sunday was the 18th time over Hurts’ last 19 regular-season starts that Philadelphia ended up on top.

THE OTHER JALEN IS ALSO A PROBLEM

The No. 9 overall pick in April’s draft, defensive tackle Jalen Carter proved to be a monster against one-on-one blocks and finished with a sack and four pressures during his NFL debut. The Eagles’ front as a whole was as advertised often forcing Mac Jones into ill-advised or off-target throws.

LIGHT IN THE SEAT

The durability concerns with undersized Mike linebacker Nakobe Dean have already arrived as the second-year player was forced to leave early with a right foot injury. Dean was active while in the game with seven tackles but was spotted after the game in a walking boot.

An NFL source told SI.com’s Eagles Today that Dean will have an MRI on Monday morning to assess the damage. It seems almost inconceivable that Dean will make it back for Minnesota on Thursday night and the only question is whether the injury is short-term or more serious.

When Dean left, it magnified just how thin the Eagles are at linebacker with only Zach Cunningham and Christian Ellis available at the position. Philadelphia will likely have to make a move this week to make sure practice-squad LB Nicholas Morrow will be available against the Vikings.

Last year’s MIke LB T.J. Edwards played all 20 games through the Super Bowl and Dean’s lack of size had more than a few questioning if he could handle the NFL rigors at a position that requires taking punishment. That's only ramping up now.

“He’s light in the seat,” a long-time NFL executive said of Dean, a nod to the talented player’s lack of size for the position.

THE COMMITTEE PRODUCES A LEAD BACK

From drive No. 1 it became clear that the Eagles’ running back-by-committee talk was just lip service. 

Third-year back Kenny Gainwell gained the organization’s confidence during the playoff run last season and on a 14-play opening drive that produced a 32-yard Jake Elliott field goal, Gainwell touched it eight times – six runs and two receptions. 

Overall Gainwell had 18 touches in the game while backups D’Andre Swift and Boston Scott each had two. Rashaad Penny, meanwhile, was a healthy scratch.

That’s a lead back, folks.

JAKE-ING BIG KICKS

He did miss a PAT early when the weather was tricky but Jake Elliott hit all four of his field goals, including two from over 50, most notably a 56-yarder. Elliott was arguably the MVP of the game and extended his ongoing franchise record for 50-yarders to 21.

The new-look special teams also featured big plays from gunners Josh Jobe and Sydney Brown and a 15-yard punt return from Britain Covey. It wasn’t a resounding success but it was an improvement in the third phase.

BEDROCK BRANDON

Pro Football Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik was known as “Concrete Charlie” in Philadelphia for his physical style of play. Brandon Graham officially started his 14th season with the Eagles on Sunday, tying Bednarik for the most in franchise lore. Graham has now played in 179 games, the fourth-most by an Eagles player.

WHERE’S DALLAS?

The Dallas Cowboys certainly showed up in MetLife Stadium Sunday night, blitzing the New York Giants by a 40-0 score but Dallas Goedert, the Eagles’ star tight end was less noticeable in Foxborough, finishing with no receptions on one target when Hurts wildly overthrew him.

Ironically, DeVonta Smith opened the 2022 season in Detroit with no receptions and the Eagles quickly course-corrected in Week 2 and Smith went on to have a career-best season. Expect the same thing to happen with Goedert, who is too talented to be ignored in the long term.

DESAI OVER JOHNSON?

The Eagles' defense allowed 382 total yards and the team’s explosive offense amassed only 251 so neither first-year coordinator exactly hit one out of the park during their first time at the plate but defensive chief Sean Desai gets the better grades here because he was integrating five new starters and lost Dean in-game. Johnson has too much talent to work with to put up many games like this.

COVERAGE WINS OUT

The last surprise when it came to personnel was Justin Evans winning the starting safety job opposite Reed Blankenship. The one-time second-round pick finished a late summer run when he lapped Terrell Edmunds and the now-departed K’Von Wallace while also keeping talented Sydney Brown at bay.

The tipping point was Eavns’ coverage ability, the key component at the safety position in a Vic Fangio-inspired defensive scheme.