Fifth Down: Eagles Come Up Short in Kansas City, losing 27-20!
Another week in the books for the Philadelphia Eagles as they come up short in Kansas City as they lost 27-20 to the Chiefs. The first half of the game there wasn't much scoring as the Chiefs led 6-3 at halftime after the newest Eagles kicker Jake Elliott (Rookie) missed the game tying field goal as time expires in the first half. Elliott was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad after Caleb Sturgis got injured last week with a strained hip flexor. Sturgis was put on the Injured Reserve last week and he is eligible to return in week 11. If Elliot plays well enough he could very well keep the job and maybe use Sturgis as kick return kicker who knows.
In the second half the scoring got better. It started late in the third, when the Eagles took the lead after a touchdown catch by Alshon Jeffery (his first as an Eagle). The Eagles led 10-6. The Chiefs took the lead right back after the third round rookie (from Toledo) running back, Kareem Hunt scored a 53 yard rushing touchdown. It was a great run by the rookie by tackling by the Eagles. On the next drive, the Eagles tied the game with a 40 yard field goal by Elliot early in the fourth. Carson Wentz threw a Interception on a tipped ball. The Chiefs took advantage of the turnover and went down field and scored another touchdown on an Alex Smith 15 yard TD pass to Tight End, Travis Kelce. The Chiefs had a two touchdown lead and were in control! However, the Eagles didn't go out with a little drama as they got a late touchdown with 14 seconds left to cut the lead to a touchdown as they trailed 27-20. The Eagles went for the onside and recovered it with five seconds left. So it was time for a Hail Mary. Carson threw a Hail Mary and it was incomplete.
Finally, my thoughts on the game this week are that it was a decent performance by the Eagles nothing earth shading. The play-calling again wasn't all that great by Pederson. They ran the ball only 17 times and threw the ball 46 times that's not what should be happening it should be more of a balance offense. Darren Sproles led the team in carries with ten and Wendall Smallwood had three carries. Wentz ran four times for 55 yards which led the team. Where was LeGarrette Blount you ask? Blount had zero carries that's right a big fat ZERO and was only in the game for six snaps. How the Hell does LeGarrette Blount is only in the game for six snaps (click here to see the breakdown of snap counts of the Eagles roster) and doesn't get a single carry in the game. That's mind blowing to me that you sign this guy and in the second game of the season isn't used to help you win the game. The worst part of all this is that two key players Lane Johnson and Zach Ertz called out Doug Pederson for his play-calling and the lack of running the ball/balance offense!
Zach Ertz:
"You Can't be throwing the ball 40 times in a game, "Ertz said. I don't care."
"How many passes did he (Carson Wentz) threw today? That's not ideal," Ertz said. Low 30s is probably where you want him at. 30 passes, 60 plays.
"We Want a balanced offense. We got the lineman to do it. We got the running backs to do it. We got the Tight Ends to block, receivers to block. We just after go out there and put it together."
Zach shouldn't be calling out/criticizing the Head Coach out like that in public if you have a concern address it with the head coach with himself face to face or in a team meeting. Don't go say that stuff to the media it makes you look bad. I'm not the biggest fan of Ertz never have been but he just needs to keep his month shut and just catch the ball and as he said they have the Tight Ends to block so why doesn't he start blocking himself.
Here is Lane Johnson on the offensive Play-Calling:
Lane Johnson also shouldn't be calling out/criticizing the Head Coach in the media again just like Ertz he should address this within house not in the media! It's only week two and you have two of your stars calling out/criticizing the HC.
Thanks For Reading! Go Eagles beat the Giants!
The Home opener is this Sunday versus the 0-2 New York Giants! It's a huge division game for both teams as neither want to lose especially the Giants who are 0-2 and 0-1 in the division.
