Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens: Full Report Card Grades for Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles lost a tightly contested game to the Baltimore Ravens 27-26 on Sunday. The Eagles nearly overcame a 10-point deficit late in the game, but a failed two-point conversion to win the game left them just short.
The Eagles are a team with a lot of young players forced to the front of the lineup, and they are slowly learning what it takes to get the job done in close games. They've had multiple opportunities this season, and this time, they were able to get the late score. Quarterback Carson Wentz wasn't great on the day, but he found ways to get the job done late, including a four-yard scramble for a touchdown.
The Eagles defense still has its problems. The Wide 9 scheme means that, if there's one missed tackle, then it's a long run play. The Eagles cornerbacks are still not particularly good and continue to give up too many deep passing plays. The defensive line has started to get back on track over the last two weeks, and it's no coincidence that those games have been more respectable.
However, the Eagles are now officially out of playoff contention.
Quarterback
1 of 10
It wasn't a pretty performance from Carson Wentz. He finished 22-of-42 for 170 yards and an interception. Wentz was under pressure most of the afternoon. The Ravens were happy to blitz and a beat up the offensive line, leaving Wentz with a lot of dirty pockets. His accuracy wasn't great, and he threw too many balls off his back foot.
It doesn't always have to be pretty, though. Wentz was finally able to lead a late-game touchdown drive, and he capped it off himself with a four-yard scramble into the end zone. There are plenty of things left to work on, but we now know he's capable of leading the team down the field late.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
Ryan Mathews had his best game of the season against the top-ranked run defense in the NFL. He finished with 128 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Mathews' big day helped keep the Eagles offense alive when the passing game was struggling to do anything.
Byron Marshall was activated from the practice squad this week. He was pressed into action after Kenjon Barner left the game with a leg injury. Despite a slow start, Marshall bounced back and had a few nice runs where he showed off his ability to make defenders miss.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Zach Ertz continued his late-season ascendance. He has looked like a different player over the last two weeks after being questioned by the media and fans about his toughness following the team's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Ertz led the team with 80 yards receiving—none more important than his 24-yard sideline snag on the late touchdown drive.
Jordan Matthews caught six passes but only managed 27 yards. The Eagles were forced to throw short today with the protection issues, and Matthews provided a nice safety blanket for Wentz.
It wasn't the best day for Trey Burton, Nelson Agholor or Dorial Green-Beckham. Burton dropped two passes and generally seemed off as a receiver. Agholor made a poor decision on his jet sweep that caused the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs, and Green-Beckham failed to beat out a corner he had a height advantage on for the umpteenth time this season.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line
4 of 10
The Eagles started yet another different combination of offensive linemen this week. Rookie Issac Seumalo is the fifth different Eagle to play right tackle this year. Seumalo is more of a guard or center, but he performed admirably, given the circumstances.
The Eagles offensive line was able to pave the way for 169 yards rushing against the top-ranked run defense. Head coach Doug Pederson mixed blocking schemes efficiently to maximize individual players' skill sets, and in the run game, it worked wonders.
The pass protection was more hit-or-miss. When the Ravens blitzed, the line had trouble picking it up. That's to be expected, given the constant reshuffling.
The Eagles will be looking forward to getting Lane Johnson back next week.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Fletcher Cox had another excellent game. After going two full months without a sack, Cox now has 2.5 in the last two weeks. Cox's pressure on a first-quarter play also led to a Beau Allen and Brandon Graham sack. The big man also had a fumble recovery. Cox is back to performing to the level expected of a player in his pay bracket.
While the pass rush seems to be coming back to life for the Eagles, they still are having the same issues in the run game. Connor Barwin and Graham both lost contain and gave up long runs as a result. When the backside defensive tackle misses the running back, the Eagles almost always give up a long run right up the gut.
Grade: B-
Linebacker
6 of 10
Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks both had great days. Bradham led the team in tackles with six. His strip-sack of Joe Flacco gave the Eagles the ball on the Ravens doorstep and helped give the team an early lead when it was struggling.
Hicks is one of the best young linebackers in the NFL. He diagnosed a sneaky fullback screen, a sign of excellent preparation. Hicks helped the Eagles stay alive with his interception of Flacco. With the Ravens threatening to score one last time to put the game away, Hicks read the quarterback's eyes and undercut the route.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
What has happened to Rodney McLeod? The first two months of the season, he was everywhere. He was excellent in deep coverage and made key open-field tackles. The last month or so, though, he's been quiet, and against the Ravens, he was flat-out bad. McLeod nearly ran away from ball-carriers on multiple plays.
Jalen Mills had a solid outing. He gave up a long touchdown right before halftime, but it appeared the Eagles were in Cover 2, and safety Jaylen Watkins was simply late getting over.
Malcolm Jenkins is much better when allowed to play strong safety than he is when asked to play slot corner. He can do the latter, but the Eagles would be wise to find an upgrade in the offseason so that Jenkins can focus on his superior position.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
Caleb Sturgis connected on all four of his field-goal attempts. He is becoming an increasingly reliable weapon for the Eagles, even if they are forced to call on him more than they would like.
Chris Maragos was excellent on kickoff coverage.
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp's blocking schemes work so well that even Nelson Agholor looked like a capable kick returner.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
Head coach Doug Pederson had a great game. The game plan worked well for the second consecutive week, and for the second straight game, the Eagles had a chance to win late. Pederson can't get blood from a stone, but he's becoming better at adapting his play-calling to the skill sets of the players.
Pederson found a way to get the running game going. He emptied his bag of tricks, and it paid off. The Eagles ran fold blocks, sprint draws, outside zones, power runs and some well-timed screen passes. It all came together to help keep the Eagles in the game despite issues in the passing game. Pederson was able to reduce the pressure on his defense and his rookie signal-caller.
Pederson isn't a top-level coach, but he's getting better.
Grade: A
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Position | Grade |
| QB | B |
| RB | A |
| WR/TE | C+ |
| OL | B |
| DL | B- |
| LB | A |
| Secondary | C |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | A- |
| Cumulative Grade | B+ |
The Eagles came up one play short against one of the better teams in the AFC. They are young in many positions, beat up in others, didn't have a great day passing the ball and still almost won. Carson Wentz finally led a late-game touchdown drive. There are plenty of positives to take away from the loss to the Ravens. This team may not be destined for greatness, but future iterations look to have the foundation for long-term success.
The Eagles are out of the playoff picture, but they will be back in action Thursday night as they try to play spoiler to the rival New York Giants.
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