Disappointing loss yesterday. I don't know what the hell was up with the defense in the first half. The Lions were doing whatever they wanted on offense. Then all of a sudden they hold the Lions to 3 points in the second half with that FG only coming on a very short field. Strange.
Offensively, they settled for too many FGs. If they score a TD on just one of those last two scoring drives, the game is over. Despite that, they still should have won if Mathews had just held onto the ball. The Lions D really was not stopping the Eagles from driving all game. They didn't even need to score there, a time-killing drive and putting the Lions deep in their own territory could have been enough to win it. Ugh.
Also, the refs were absolute garbage. 14-2 penalty disparity? That is bullshit. Plus just some horrendous calls like the phantom hold on Brooks that likely changed the game or the horrible spot on a Riddick reception (that ended up getting overturned). I don't like to complain about the refs, but c'mon.
Wentz's play was a positive. The final INT was just a case of him trying to do too much. It wasn't a terrible read or throw, but game situation says you don't need to take a shot there. Go to your underneath guy and get to the next play. He'll learn from that. Overall his play was still very impressive and should have been enough to win the game. Our receivers are total asscheeks and did nothing to help him all day. Once he gets a true no. 1, watch out.
In the end, it's a disappointing loss but one that I can live with. They showed fight getting back in the game, on the road, despite some horribly lopsided officiating. They weren't going to win every game. And if you would have said before the season they would be 3-1 at the quarter-mark of the season, every Eagles fan would have taken it in a heartbeat. They should stomp Washington next week, setting up a big home matchup against Minnesota. Should be fun.
Part of the defensive difference was the baffling LB rotation. I dunno if Schwartz was disciplining Bradham, but he didn't play at all in the 1st half. Him and Hicks were off the field, and instead Tulloch and Kendricks were playing. And this game proved that Kendricks is just bad now. He was responsible for Riddick and just completely wiffed on him the entire first half. Then once Hicks and Bradham got on the field in the second half, the Lions couldn't do shit. This should solidify the decision to bench Kendricks and ship him off next year.
Offensively, there were a lot of headscratchers. DGB had that easy TD that he just dropped, and I think Agholor had one too. And on that last throw, Agholor could've fought for it more. But this is what I expected the Eagles offense to look like before the season started, there's just not enough WR talent. So, we've heard so much about the 3TE set, and how we'd finally be able to do it, especially against a team like the Lions with a weak LB corps. And it barely got used. Additionally, I'm not going to complain too much about Mathews, he should've been carrying the ball in his other hand and done a better job protecting it. But he shouldn't have been on the field as much as he was. Barner and Smallwood proved that they could carry the workload, and they were barely used. Just a lot of weird decisions, although the fact that the team was able to adjust at halftime makes me feel somewhat better.
I only have a few things about the flags, because while there was a lot called on the Eagles, most of it was justified and just sloppy, undisciplined play. The only two flags that were bad were the Sproles chop block and the Brooks holding. And also, the fact that, while the Eagles were on offense, the Refs called illegal man downfield on 98. You know, Defensive End Connor Barwin, being illegally downfield while the team was on offense. The refs picked up the flag so it didn't matter, but it was still crazy.
Wentz didn't need to be a hero at the end of the game, but aside from that he played excellently. Made some beautiful throws, rest of the team just let him down. I'm not too upset about the result, in fact I'm kinda glad. It felt like the Eagles were getting too full of themselves, and surprising game plans were masking a lot of their deficiencies. Getting punched in the mouth like this is good because it reminds people that before Wentz started balling out, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Especially with the tough schedule for the rest of the year. I think the Eagles still can win the NFC East, but overall I just want this year to be about Wentz growing into the position. Bolster up the line and maybe grab a RB in the draft, and hopefully DGB and Matthews continue to develop (I've pretty much given up on Agholor).