Eagles vs. 49ers: Full Report Card Grades for Philadelphia
Losing to the San Francisco 49ers isn’t the end of the world. Following an emotional win over the division-rival Washington Redskins, the Philadelphia Eagles had to travel across the country and still lost by just five points to a team that has been in three straight conference championship games.
At 3-1, Chip Kelly still has the Eagles in first place in the NFC East.
What’s so frustrating about this Week 4 loss is the way the game was lost. The Birds managed a trifecta of improbable touchdowns in the first half despite a no-show from Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy and the offense.
"#Eagles are 1st team in #NFL history w/ TD via blocked punt, punt return & INT return in 1st half of game, according to @RLiuNFL.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) September 28, 2014 "
As late as the two-minute mark in the fourth quarter, Philly had the ball with goal-to-go, just one yard away from taking a late lead against the Niners. But the Eagles were stopped on four straight plays. Even after then holding San Francisco’s rushing offense on three carries, Foles was picked off on a desperation pass on 4th-and-24 on the final drive.
After the Eagles made a living out of the fourth-quarter comeback, they came up short Sunday. In fact, Philadelphia blew a pretty big lead to a team that had struggled mightily in the second half, giving up 16 unanswered points following a 21-10 Philly lead.
It was also an alarmingly awful performance for Foles and McCoy. The makeshift offensive line certainly didn’t help, but there are many similarities between this team and the ’12 club that started 3-1 under Andy Reid.
"It is terrifying how much this team reminds me of the 2012 team. Both 3-1. Major OL issues. Regressing QB. Invisible RB. Terrible pass D.
— Bryn Swartz (@eaglescentral) September 29, 2014"
The major difference is the coach, and Chip Kelly has a week to prepare Philly to take on the St. Louis Rams in a game the Eagles should win.
Coming away with a victory there will put Philadelphia at 4-1 and still in excellent position in the NFC, but it will take a bounce-back performance from both Foles and McCoy.
Quarterback
1 of 8
If Nick Foles wants a contract extension after 2014, this game against the San Francisco 49ers can’t happen again. Foles seemed out of sync with his receivers all game, finishing just 21-of-43 passing for 195 yards and two interceptions. The 42.3 passer rating Foles posted was the lowest he’s had in any start under Chip Kelly.
Foles didn’t throw a single touchdown; in fact, he led the Philadelphia Eagles offense to zero points all game. Foles came extremely close at the end, marching the Eagles down the field in a do-or-die situation that got them to the Niners’ 1-yard line.
From there, Foles threw an incomplete pass to Brent Celek and what looked to be a throwaway on fourth down when no one was open. The Eagles got the ball back, but a holding penalty and a screen-pass stuff gave Philly an impossible 4th-and-24, and Foles was picked off to end the game.
Foles didn’t have much time to throw behind the makeshift offensive line, although remarkably, he was sacked just once. Foles may still be hurting following the beating he took a week ago against Washington.
"Nick Foles is struggling with a bum shoulder. Favoring it.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 28, 2014 "
The Eagles will need Foles to be better next week, although Philadelphia’s offensive line gets another unfavorable matchup. Foles did a fine job of avoiding sacks today, but he again missed too many throws, and the inability of the offense to score on two straight plays from a yard away sealed the deal.
Grade: D-
Running Backs
2 of 8
What do you make of LeSean McCoy’s performance Sunday? The 2013 rushing champion followed up a historically awful game (19 rushes for 22 yards) with another dreadful showing.
"Over the last two weeks, LeSean McCoy has rushed 29 times for 39 yards with zero touchdowns.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) September 28, 2014 "
McCoy ran 10 times for just 17 yards, failing to break a run longer than five yards. When asked about it after the game, McCoy didn’t have much to say.
"LeSean McCoy: "I'm embarrassed." Asked about running the ball, McCoy said he didn't want to talk about the run game.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 29, 2014"
It’s difficult to win football games when the entire team rushes for just 22 yards.
"This is only the second time in the last 40 years the Eagles have averaged 2.20 yards per carry or worse in consecutive games.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) September 29, 2014"
It’s the first time since 2005 the Eagles were held to under 25 rushing yards, and it’s pretty alarming considering Philadelphia’s effectiveness at running the football a year ago.
Backup Darren Sproles was given just one carry for four yards (his punt return touchdown will be highlighted and graded in the special teams section). As a team, the Eagles averaged just 1.8 yards per carry with a long of five.
Grade: F
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
3 of 8
It will be overshadowed because of the loss, but veteran wide receiver Jeremy Maclin turned in another fine performance. Maclin finished with five catches for 68 yards, but it was his clutch, one-handed, 22-yard grab on 3rd-and-14 midway through the fourth quarter that stood out.
It took a great throw from Nick Foles, but it was a tremendous catch by Maclin. In fact, that’s two consecutive weeks that Maclin made a fabulous sideline catch on a 3rd-and-long midway through the fourth quarter.
"That's a sick catch by Jeremy Maclin. Dude's having a huge year, a little under the radar, just putting up big numbers and making big plays.
— Ryan Messick (@rm975) September 28, 2014 "
It’s really scary to imagine what this passing game would be like without Maclin. He doesn’t have the deep speed of DeSean Jackson, but he and Foles are making a pretty good passing connection this season.
"Jeremy Maclin is on pace to be targeted 188 times. Pierre Garcon led the league in that category last year with 184.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) September 29, 2014"
Newly extended wide receiver Riley Cooper once again turned in a forgettable game. Cooper caught six passes for 54 yards, but he failed to come down with a late touchdown on a jump ball in the end zone. He was also flagged for offensive pass interference and lost a fumble right before halftime with the Philadelphia Eagles trying to add on a field goal.
Jordan Matthews had a fairly quiet game, catching four balls for 28 yards.
Second-year tight end Zach Ertz had four catches for 43 yards, but he also lost a fumble early in the third quarter that the 49ers then converted into a touchdown pass. Ertz was also flagged for a holding penalty. Meanwhile, veteran tight end Brent Celek finished with zero catches again.
Grade: D+
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Offensive Line
4 of 8
It’s difficult to grade the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line. Jason Peters was back following last week’s ejection, although he did briefly leave the contest due to injury. Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce each missed the game due to injuries, and right guard Todd Herremans was forced to move to right tackle to compensate for the loss of both Lane Johnson (suspension) and Allen Barbre (season-ending surgery).
Remarkably, the backups didn’t allow a single sack; in fact, that’s two straight games the unit held up well in pass protection.
"Just stating a fact here: The Eagles' second-string offensive line has allowed one sack in the last two games.
— Bryn Swartz (@eaglescentral) September 29, 2014 "
The offensive line really struggled in run blocking, though, and it led to a historically awful game from LeSean McCoy. McCoy seemed to be bottled up as soon as he got the ball in the backfield. Niners defensive end Justin Smith was the main culprit for shutting down McCoy, and it’s easy to think how much different this contest would've been if Mathis or Kelce had been healthy.
"Chip on o-line: "We're not very good up front right now."
— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) September 29, 2014"
Peters’ holding penalty (against Justin Smith) in the final drive was very costly. One of Foles’ interceptions also came with left guard Matt Tobin—making his first NFL start—trying to ward off Smith. Center David Molk also had a rough day, allowing a sack to backup nose tackle Ian Williams and getting called for a holding penalty.
Grade: C-
Defensive Line
5 of 8
After consecutive games without registering a sack, the Philadelphia Eagles’ three-man front generated pressure on quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Third-year defensive end Vinny Curry chased Kaepernick out of bounds, registering a sack on the play. Curry also had a tackle for a loss. Cedric Thornton, the team’s best run defender, had six tackles, including two for a loss. And Fletcher Cox had four tackles, including one in which he chased down Frank Gore from behind.
Still, the line was largely responsible for the San Francisco 49ers’ effectiveness in running the football; the Niners put up 218 yards on 42 carries. Gore had his fourth 100-yard game in his last five contests against the Eagles.
Grade: D+
Linebackers
6 of 8
In terms of pressuring Colin Kaepernick, the linebackers did a solid job. It starts with the 3-4 defensive ends up front freeing up space, but four sacks is a fine total for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Connor Barwin had a hand in two different sacks, officially getting credited with one total sack (two half-sacks). Barwin finished with seven tackles and a tackle for loss in addition to the pair of half-sacks. His first shared sack pinned the San Francisco 49ers deep in their own territory, leading to the 49ers’ blocked punt and the Eagles' subsequent recovery for a touchdown.
Trent Cole had a hand in the one shared sack with Barwin, while Casey Matthews (!) assisted in the other. Veteran inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans tied for the team lead by registering seven tackles. Former first-round pick Brandon Graham took advantage of his limited snaps by picking up a sack and three tackles, one of those for a loss.
As fine as the Eagles did in pressuring Kaepernick—and against a talented offensive line, no less—the grade is hindered by the 200-plus rushing yards the defense surrendered to Gore, Carlos Hyde and Kaepernick. The 219 rushing yards is the most the defense has allowed since a 2006 game against the Indianapolis Colts in which rookie Joseph Addai ran for four touchdowns.
Mychal Kendricks was really missed, and the Eagles need him back so they can stop rotating snaps between Casey Matthews, Emmanuel Acho and Marcus Smith.
Grade: B-
Secondary
7 of 8
The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t lose this game because of their secondary; in fact, it was a solid performance considering the effectiveness with which Colin Kaepernick has thrown the football in 2014.
Coming into this game, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Kaepernick as the league’s most accurate passer in terms of accuracy percentage on his throws at an impressive 82.8 accuracy rate.
So the final numbers from Kaepernick were nothing for the Eagles to be ashamed about: 17-of-30 for 218 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
For the third straight game, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins recorded an interception; the last two came in the fourth quarter, and this one was a magnificently diagnosed play that resulted in a 53-yard return for a touchdown.
"Eagles say Malcolm Jenkins first Eagles safety with INT in 3 straight games since Brian Dawkins in 2004. #Eaglestalk
— John Clark CSN (@JClarkCSN) September 28, 2014 "
Jenkins moved to nickel cornerback briefly when Brandon Boykin was hurt, and he played very well in that role.
Controversial cornerback Cary Williams followed up a brutal performance against the Washington Redskins with another rough outing; Williams was beat by Stevie Johnson for a touchdown. He also kept a touchdown drive by the Niners alive with a penalty (negating the Eagles’ fifth sack), and he whiffed so badly on a tackle attempt that he just ripped off Michael Crabtree’s helmet.
Bradley Fletcher didn’t play particularly well opposite Williams, and Boykin was again used in a limited role. Nolan Carroll and Fletcher were both called for penalties.
At safety, Earl Wolff turned in a horrendous tackle attempt on Frank Gore’s 55-yard opposite-field touchdown. Wolff did have a nice pass knockdown against Vernon Davis, but his missed tackle impacted the game much more.
Grade: B
Special Teams
8 of 8
Once again, it was a truly spectacular day from the special teams.
Darren Sproles took a punt 82 yards to the house, giving Philadelphia both a kick and a punt return touchdown this season (Chris Polk had the kick return). The Eagles also scored on a blocked punt, as veteran wide receiver Brad Smith fell on the block in the end zone, with the block coming courtesy of tight end Trey Burton.
Remarkably, Sproles has more punt return yards already (196) than the whole 2013 Eagles team did.
Second-year player Brandon Bair partially blocked a Phil Dawson 51-yard field goal, although the kick was still good. Regardless, that’s two blocks/near-blocks for Bair this season.
Punter Donnie Jones booted six punts, averaging over 48 yards per punt.
Grade: A+
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