3 Takeaways from Eagles' Week 1 Win

The Philadelphia Eagles have fared quite well in season-openers over the past decade-plus. The first game of the 2022 campaign was no different.

With a 38-35 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field, the Eagles improved to 10-2 in openers since 2010. It's Philadelphia's second consecutive season-opening win under head coach Nick Sirianni, who took over prior to the 2021 campaign.

The Eagles used a 24-point second quarter to build a 10-point advantage by halftime, and they led by as many as 17 points in the second half. The Lions finished the game with 14 unanswered points, but they ran out of time to complete a comeback.

In a high-scoring affair, Philadelphia had 455 yards of total offense and converted big plays when it needed to, going 10-for-17 on third downs and 2-for-3 on fourth downs.

Here are three takeaways from the Eagles' Week 1 victory.

The Ground Game Will Be Difficult for Opponents to Stop

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 11: Miles Sanders #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the game at Ford Field on September 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Philadelphia plans to use multiple players to power its rushing attack, and that was clear Sunday. It's a smart strategy considering the Eagles have a mobile quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and a stable of talented running backs (Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott).

How effective can this ground game be? Look no further than the matchup against the Lions. Sanders, Hurts, Gainwell and Scott each scored a rushing touchdown, and they combined to amass 216 yards on the ground. Sanders led the way with 96 yards and a touchdown, marking the first time he got into the end zone since Week 16 of the 2020 season.

Hurts (90 yards), Gainwell (20) and Scott (10) each contributed as well. For Hurts, he racked up some of his yardage while scrambling on designed passing plays, which has proved to be a valuable asset early in his career in Philadelphia.

"What an unbelievable thing to be able to have as a coach," Sirianni said, per Nick Tricome of PhillyVoice. "'Oh, we called that? Didn't work?' He made it right."

Because Hurts and each of the Eagles' running backs has a unique skill set, it's likely going to be tough for opposing defenses to stop this rushing attack throughout the season. That was a big reason for Philadelphia opening the year with a win, too.

Brown, Bradberry Lived Up to Expectations in Eagles Debuts

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) runs a route against Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (1) in the second half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

The Eagles added several notable players during the offseason. Among that group was wide receiver A.J. Brown and cornerback James Bradberry, who both made huge impacts during their first game with the team on Sunday.

Brown came over in a trade with the Tennessee Titans to become the No. 1 receiver Philadelphia's offense needed. He proved in the opener that he can be just that, as he recorded 10 catches for 155 yards. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that was the most receiving yards for an Eagles player in his first game with the team, surpassing the previous record set by Donte' Stallworth (141 yards) in 2006 (h/t ESPN's Tim McManus).

"I know there were some greats that played here before me," Brown said, per McManus. "It's kind of overwhelming that I get to scratch my name in that book. I'm blessed."

On the other side of the ball, Bradberry intercepted Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the second quarter and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 21-7 lead. Bradberry had 15 interceptions over his first six NFL seasons, including at least one in each year, and it didn't take him long to get his first in 2022.

If the Eagles are going to build off their playoff appearance last season, they'll need key newcomers, such as Brown and Bradberry, to play well throughout the year. So it's encouraging that both got off to such good starts.

There Are Some Defensive Issues That Need to Be Corrected

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Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) hurdles Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) with guard Logan Stenberg (71) blocking in the second half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

It was a strong first game for Philadelphia, but it wasn't a perfect day. After all, Detroit ended up with 35 points and 386 total yards of offense as it came quite close to orchestrating a fourth-quarter comeback. So the Eagles' defense has some issues to correct.

For one, the unit had a tough time getting off the field. The Lions converted nine of the 14 third-down opportunities, and they were also successful on their lone fourth-down attempt. That resulted in them having the ball for 28 minutes and 26 seconds, enough time for them to keep things close.

Philadelphia had an especially difficult time trying to stop Detroit's rushing attack. Lions running back D'Andre Swift had 15 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown, while Jamaal Williams also had a pair of rushing scores.

"It’s only Week 1," Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick said, per Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Everybody has to fix some mistakes: them, us, other teams around the league.”

Of course, it's better to have to do that when coming off a win. So the Eagles can be happy about the positives (and the victory) while working on the negatives, several of which came on the defensive side of the ball.