The Philadelphia Eagles faced off against the struggling Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Oct. 13, managing to defeat them 20-16 at Lincoln Financial Field. However, even with Philadelphia securing a crucial victory that was needed to get the team back on track, there are still questions that need to be answered and hot seats that didn’t cool down following the win.

Continued Offensive Struggles in the First Quarter

The Eagles once again failed to score a single point in the first quarter, setting a franchise record by doing that for the fifth consecutive game. They have repeatedly come out flat against their opponents, heavily relying on quarters two through four to create momentum. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that is simply unacceptable. Jalen Hurts struggled to find any rhythm to start the game, totaling a 2-8 mark passing the ball for a total of 19 yards. Some may say that this was to be expected, as this was A.J. Brown’s first game since Week 1, and DeVonta Smith’s first game since suffering a concussion against the Saints in Week 3, but as a $250 million dollar quarterback, there is a lot expected of Hurts, and excuses are just not acceptable from certain parts of the fanbase. 

Jalen Hurts’ Performance

A welcoming sight for Eagles fans, Jalen Hurts did not turn the ball over for the first time this season and did not throw an interception for the second straight game. Despite his early struggles, after the first quarter, he completed 14 of his next 17 passing attempts for two touchdowns. On top of that, the eye test suggested that he did not put the ball at risk to land in the defense’s hands; there were no turnover-worthy plays. 

Bad Boys Return

The star-studded wide receiver duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith returned to play in their first game together since Week 1 in Brazil and both caught touchdown passes. Brown, who suffered a hamstring injury in practice leading up to the Eagles’ Week 2 matchup against Atlanta, caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, including a 40-yard catch late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. Smith caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. It is the eighth such time that both receivers have caught a touchdown in the same game, with all eight games resulting in a victory for the Eagles.

Injuries

This much-needed win did not come without costs, as three starters left the game with injuries. Dallas Goedert departed with a hamstring injury and was downgraded to out after entering the blue tent, and later going back to the locker room with trainers. The extent of his injury is unknown, but knowing the trickiness of hamstring injuries and seeing how many weeks A.J. Brown had to miss prior to returning against Cleveland, it wouldn’t be surprising if he missed time. Grant Calcaterra did a fine job in his place, catching four passes for 67 yards. Darius Slay suffered a knee injury in the second half of the game and was downgraded to out, however, his status seems the most promising as he is considered day-to-day. Saving the most concerning injury for last, Pro Bowl left tackle Jordan Mailata injured his hamstring and was seen leaving the stadium on crutches sporting a heavy leg sleeve. It is abundantly clear that he will miss at least a couple of weeks, while the possibility of missing an extended period of time and being placed on injured reserve still exists.

Hot Seat Cooling Down? 

It is becoming clearer by the day that the fanbase is turning on head coach Nick Sirianni. Chants of “Fire Nick” could be heard towards the end of the game, with the head coach even appearing to get into a back-and-forth with fans. However, a bystander recently came out and provided context to the situation, adding that it was a friendly and jovial encounter, rather than a tense one. Even with the victory, the lack of any offensive creativity or intensity to start games is more concerning as we are now entering the second month of the season. It is becoming more of a pattern than an anomaly and that is the problem. Sirianni has to “figure it out,” as he would say. Fans are becoming more and more agitated in hearing these sentiments week after week, and still seeing the same donut hole on the board after the first quarter has ended. 

With that being said, this game was a step in the right direction. Although it may not have been a dominating showcase, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles still came out with the win. The defense, who hasn’t even been mentioned did their job, sacking Deshaun Watson five times and even coming close to picking him off on a couple of occasions. The rookie duo of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean looked great in their first game starting together. Jalen Hurts’ turnover-free game and the return of Brown and Smith were the highlights of the game offensively, but this team still has a lot of work to do to reach the heights they’re capable of.

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