Ten Day-After Observations from Eagles' Win over the Jaguars in Week 4

With the benefit of hindsight, here's a look back at some thoughts from Philly's 29-21 win

PHILADELPHIA – Here are my 10 day-after observations from the Eagles’ 29-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in monsoon-like weather at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday in Week 4:

THE COMEBACK

Truth be told, I had already begun writing the story I file at halftime of every game simply recapping the first half and beginning said story with some such lead about how the NFL may be without any more undefeated teams by Sunday evening.

Then the defense clamped down on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence and the offense began to pop off some big runs.

Rewrite!

SECOND QUARTER

Of course, I should’ve known better than to jump the gun like that with the way the Eagles have been able to put up points in the second quarter. They scored 20 of them and now have scored 85 of their 115 points scored this season in the second.

FOURTH QUARTER

Finally, the Eagles put up points in the fourth. I had to double-check it, but Jake Elliott’s 28-yard field goal with 13:42 to play in the final quarter was the first points they had scored in the final quarter. 

They boosted that total to nine fourth-quarter points when Miles Sanders ran one in from five yards away. The PAT throw to DeVonta Smith fell incomplete, but nine points are better than no points in a quarter that will sometime this season, be very important to score in.

MILES SANDERS

The running back had the kind of game that earns new contracts.

Will that new deal come in Philly?

It should.

He is probably the most underrated back in the NFL and you hope he can remain healthy for all 17 and beyond this season. The last time the Eagles let an injury-prone player go – linebacker Jordan Hicks – he was able to stay healthy and play 53 straight games since leaving after the 2018 season.

Maybe there’s a lesson there.

GROUNDCREW KUDOS

It rained the entire game. Poured at times, too.

Yet the field remained pristine, at least from a distance, so a shoutout to those who got it done.

SACKS

Jacksonville had allowed just two in their first three games. The Eagles got four of them and don’t look now, but the team that had just 29 last year is up to 16 after four games. And they’re coming from a variety of players. 

In fact, five players have more than one – Haason Reddick 3.5, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox have three each, Josh Sweat 2.5, and T.J. Edwards two.

TURNOVERS

The Jags had only given the ball up once all year. The Eagles forced five turnovers from them. More specifically, QB Trevor Lawrence had all five of them. He became the first player in NFL history to lose four fumbles in a single game. Not even Carson Wentz has done that.

The five takeaways were the most since they had five on Christmas Day, 2017, vs Oakland.

The Eagles now have 10 takeaways this season. It took them 11 games to force 10 turnovers last year.

They were plus-4 on Sunday and now are plus-8 in that category this year.

Last year, they ended the season at an even 0, which is an equal amount of takeaways vs. giveaways. That was tied for 16th in the league.

There’s a chance they could lead in that department after Monday night’s game.

A.J. BROWN

What more needs to be said?

How about this: after five catches for 95 yards in the win, he now has 25 receptions for 404 yards in four games.

He entered the weekend with 309 yards which put him fourth among receiving yards leaders behind Stefon Diggs (344), Jaylen Waddle (342), and Tyreek Hill (317).

DEPTH

The Eagles lost five players in-game to injury who did not return: Jordan Mailata (shoulder), Darius Slay (forearm), Isaac Seumalo (ankle), and Kyron Johnson and Patrick Johnson (head injuries).

Avonte Maddox (ankle) was also ruled out on Friday leading into the game.

Backups LT Jack Driscoll, CB Zech McPhearson, RG Sua Opeta, and CB Josiah Scott, stepped in and the Eagles didn’t seem to miss a beat.

That’s a credit to the roster GM Howie Roseman has put in place.

Nick Sirianni said on Monday that he believes there is a chance all of the injured could play Sunday when the Eagles play in Arizona, though did not want to commit just yet on any exact diagnosis until more tests are done and the week goes on.

PUNTER WOES

Arryn Siposs booted another one into the end zone for a touchback. He had two of those last week. That kills a punter’s net and the Australian punter had a net of 35.3 yards on three kicks.

You can say it was windy, but the other guy, the Jags’ Logan Cooke, a 2018 seventh-round pick from Mississippi State, had a net of 53.3 yards on three punts.

That would seem to spell trouble for the job security of Siposs, but one thing to keep in mind: he is also the holder for Jake Elliott and Elliott is comfortable with Siposs.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.