Eagles Report Card: Birds fall flat in opening-round exit
Eagles booed off the field after defeat
From the Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/mr3v36je
PHILADELPHIA — Boos rained down at Lincoln Financial Field as the Eagles’ season ended Sunday night with a frustrating 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, marked by missed opportunities, uneven execution and late-game shortcomings.
Here’s the report card, graded A through F by position group.
Quarterbacks: C
Jalen Hurts never found a consistent rhythm, finishing with just 168 yards on 20 of 35 passing and one touchdown. He struggled to sustain drives in the second half and couldn’t finish down the stretch.
“Obviously, you want more consistency and there’s a desire to improve steadily throughout the year,” Hurts said. “But it’s hard to look at it from a big picture perspective right now. I think just having the opportunity to go make something happen, and not doing so for whatever reason, those are the things that we all have to improve upon.”
Running Backs: B
Saquon Barkley was one of the Eagles’ most reliable contributors, collecting 106 yards on 26 carries and keeping the offense competitive. However, the ground game wasn’t enough to close out drives or protect a slim lead late.
“We didn’t do enough,” Barkley said. “I didn’t do enough. I take responsibility. We all have to take an honest look at ourselves.”
Tight Ends/Wide Receivers: C−
Dallas Goedert provided production and accounted for two touchdowns, but the group lacked explosiveness overall. The Eagles failed to consistently stretch the field or generate separation in key moments, and A.J. Brown had some crucial drops. DeVonta Smith dropped a pass late as well.
Offensive Line: C
The line had stretches of solid run blocking but struggled in pass protection when San Francisco ramped up pressure. Breakdowns on critical downs stalled drives and forced hurried decisions late.
Defensive Line: B
The D-line generated pressure but frequently failed to get home, and the 49ers were able to put up explosive plays to overcome an offense that stuttered much of the game.
Linebackers: B-
The Eagles defense couldn’t get off the field late, allowing the 49ers to control tempo in decisive moments. They and the secondary too often lost track of running back/receiver Christian McCaffrey, who ran 15 times for 48 yards and caught six passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Cornerbacks/Safeties: C
The secondary made plays, including a pair of interceptions by Quinyon Mitchell after he got burned by Demarcus Robinson for 61 yards on the second play of the game. But they also surrendered timely completions that swung momentum. Coverage lapses, including a big one by safety Reed Blankenship, proved costly.
Special Teams: C
Jake Elliott’s missed extra point loomed large. He was dependable on field-goal attempts, hitting from 41 and 33, and there were no major mistakes in coverage or returns. But special teams failed to provide a momentum-shifting play when the Eagles needed one.
Coaching: C-
Conservative decision-making and a lack of effective halftime adjustments stood out. The offense stagnated after the break, as it has most of the year, and situational choices late in the game left little margin for error.
“It was not an easy task and obviously it’s the NFL, so it never is,” said 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. “But for us to come in here and just do whatever it takes… At the end of the day, it’s a fourth quarter game. You got to score for the season, for your team, and obviously for the defense to go down and get a stop like that, it was huge.”
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