You know that feeling when you get so overwhelmed with joy that you can’t help but jump up in pure ecstasy with that feeling of butterflies jumping around your stomach in a good way? Well, sometime in the fourth quarter of the first Eagles game, when second-year receiver Jalen Reagor caught a screen pass and proceeded to turn on the turbojets as he cruised into the endzone, that was the exact feeling I experienced as I clapped my hands and calmed my dog, who was alarmed by the sudden display of heartfelt emotion.
It was hard not to feel that optimistic about the Eagles on Sunday as they blew past a rival Falcons club 32-6 in Atlanta, especially given the drought of such optimism over the past season. The Birds’ offense and defense shined throughout the day and gave reason for fans to put their questions aside for now. In the particular play I previously noted, many of the positives of the team were encapsulated by three key players who brought the score to fruition: Reagor, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Mailata.
Reagor’s breakaway speed showed just why Howie Roseman took a chance on the former first round pick, but his catches were but a minuscule display of how well the receiver room performed that day. Quez Watkins opened the game with two speedy first down scampers on short routes that reminded the defense he is very capable of making a two-yard pass and an 80-yard touchdown (a la his preseason race to the end zone against the Steelers). However, attracting the undivided attention of Eagles fans on opening day was, of course, 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith. The debut truly couldn’t have realistically gone any better for the ‘bama Heisman winner as he opened the day with an 18-yard touchdown catch on the team’s first drive from a magnificent touch pass by Hurts.
Speaking of the second year signal caller, Hurts had himself one hell of a day! The fifth career start for QB 1 in Philly was more than fans could have asked for to kickoff the year. His stat line was flawless with a 126.4 QB rating, 264 passing yards to go along with three touchdowns, no picks and 62 extra yards on the ground. This is not even to mention the proverbial ‘eye test’ which Hurts irrefutably passed with flying colors. He never wavered from the pressure, or when things broke down, completing 9 of 11 passes with two touchdowns in the face of a blitz. His eyes remained downfield or quickly shot to the flat in order to create an escape pass to his running back. His mobility shined on several occasions as he very rarely ran in a designed fashion, but rather kept the play alive and picked up first downs with ease when the passes weren’t there.
In the play I mentioned to open, Hurts put his unwavering mentality on display as things came crashing down. With just over four minutes left to play, Hurts faked the handoff to Miles Sanders and as a defensive lineman grabbed his legs from beneath him, he quickly, and confidently fired a strike to Reagor, who scored the touchdown. Poise, confidence and trust in his playmakers. That is what the Eagles missed last season, and that is what Hurts brought to the table to kickoff the year. Though his beautiful touch pass to Smith and his fearless strike to Reagor were nothing short of awesome, Hurts’ second touchdown before the half was magnificent.
With just over two minutes in the first half, Hurts and the offense were tasked with their first ‘two-minute drill’ of the season and they passed with flying colors. Methodically marching down the field, Hurts got the birds into the red zone and set up a textbook highlight reel touchdown pass. With nine second to go, Hurts dropped back on first and goal. His line held up, and he swiftly stepped up in the pocket then escaped to the right, eyes in the endzone the whole time, yet sharply aware of everything around his body. As he rolled out at a steady sprint, Hurts uncorked a bullet across his body into the endzone straight to tight end Dallas Goedert who made a brilliant snag to score the touchdown. Wow.
Mailata, who got his payday just a day before game day, put the league on notice of his abilities at left tackle. Not only doing an excellent job in pass protection, the former Australian rugby player bulldozed in the running game and in screen blocking duties. One play in particular was the same touchdown pass to Reagor I’ve gone back to on several occasions already. As the lightning fast Reagor made the catch from the steady hand of Hurts, one might have noticed a poor Falcon being steamrolled by one Eagle donning the number 68. On closer inspection, the block was definitely one of obliteration by Mailata and an encouraging sign of things to come for the seventh round pick who usurped the presumed heir to JP Andre Dillard. The entire offensive line looked very solid and protected Hurts well while allowing the running game to flourish on the backs of Sanders and rookie Kenneth Gainwell.
“Knock knock. Who’s there? Not the Atlanta offense!” – The Eagles defense, probably.
The birds defensive unit started out a bit sluggish, allowing Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson to scamper out to come up with big rushes and the Falcons’ offense to bleed the clock while entering the red zone twice in a row. Rapidly, however, they caught the contagious energy from the offense and swiftly shut down the Falcons at home with a stifling front four and lockdown secondary. Matt Ryan could not get comfortable all day, and after the birds jumped to a big lead, the beasts up front led by Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, Derek Barnett and Fletcher Cox, swarmed the Exton native from all different directions.
All in all, it was an encouraging start to a new era in Philly. Nick Sirianni’s playcalling was well balanced and appropriate for the situation, Hurts’ play flashed signs of brilliance in many aspects, Jonathan Gannon’s defense came in energetic and dominant, and even the first year punter put on a show, pinning the falcons inside their ten on several occasions. Hopefully, the positives continue and the Eagles roll to an early winning record, but only time will tell. Fly, Eagles, Fly.
Joseph Gill is a third-year English major with a minor in Journalism. JG923276@wcupa.edu