Eagles vs. Falcons: Philadelphia Grades, Notes and Quotes

The Philadelphia Eagles lose their opening game of the season 26-24 to the Atlanta Falcons after climbing back from a 17-point first-half deficit.

The Eagles only needed a field goal when they received the ball with two minutes remaining in the game, but an interception halted their miraculous comeback. Jordan Matthews could not catch a pass that hit him square in the hands, and Ricardo Allen secured the interception to seal the game for Atlanta.

Even before the interception, Philadelphia was lucky to have a second chance at a game-winning drive. Cody Parkey missed a 44-yard field goal, with under three minutes remaining in the game. Head coach Chip Kelly contemplated going for it on fourth down, with only one yard to gain, but he opted to take the safe route and send the kicker out.

Overall, the game was a tale of two halves. Philadelphia came out flat in the first half and punted on its first four possessions. On the other side, Atlanta jumped out to an early lead and went into halftime leading 20-3.

The Eagles' so-called high-powered offense gained only 125 yards in the first half, including eight yards on the ground. Last year's leading rusher carried the ball four times for minus-four yards in the first half.

In the first game of the season, the offense looked like a unit that drastically needed time together to establish cohesion. Sam Bradford and his new receivers were not on the same page several times.

After a poor first half, the defense came up big in the first drive of the third quarter, as Walter Thurmond intercepted a pass deep in Atlanta's territory to give the Eagles the chance to score a touchdown.

The interception and ensuing touchdown sparks Philadelphia's momentum as the defense began to get stops and the offense implemented their high-tempo offense. Atlanta looked on the ropes in the fourth quarter after the Eagles claimed the lead on a six-play, 80-yard drive. Bradford's patience allowed him to find open receivers consistantly, and then Ryan Mathews capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. 

The fourth quarter became a wild affair when the Eagles took the lead on a six-play, 80-yard drive midway through the period, as Bradford completed four consecutive passes before Mathews punched in a one-yard touchdown run.

Matt Ryan showcased his ability to lead a team late in the game when he completed a pass to Julio Jones for 44 yards to get the Falcons into field-goal range. Matt Bryant then hit what would end up being the field goal from 47 yards out.

Heading into Monday night, Philadelphia's stock was rising following an impressive preseason campaign. However, the Eagles proved that their new-look roster, although talented, still needs time to jell.

Position Grades for Philadelphia

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Position	Grade
QB	B+
RB	B
WR/TE	C+
OL	C
DL	B-
LB	B+
DB	C
Special Teams	C
Coaching	B-

Offense

Chip Kelly did not bother to ease Sam Bradford into his new role as the Eagles' starting quarterback. Bradford thew the ball 52 times for 336 yards, including one touchdown and two interceptions.

In his first competitive game back following consecutive ACL tears, Bradford looked rusty and out of sync with his receivers in the first half. The Oklahoma product turned it around in the second half, and his quick decisions allowed the offense to march down the field. Bradford completed 21 of 25 passes in the second half.

DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles all impacted the game both on the ground and in the passing attack. Murray scored a rushing and a receiving touchdown in the third quarter to help Philadelphia climb back into the game.

Sproles proved to be a matchup nightmare as he was effective running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield and even operating in the slot. Sproles finished the day with 12 touches for 126 yards on offense.

The defensive line had a tough first half, subjecting Bradford to several vicious hits. In the second half, Jason Kelce and company were able to get to the second level for some key blocks, but they also got caught holding several times.

Jordan Matthews was the Eagles' most active receiver on Monday, with 10 catches and 102 yards, but he made a key mistake that ended the game for Philadelphia. However, the other Eagles receivers failed to make an impact on the game. Tight end Zach Ertz made a couple of key catches on third and fourth down in his first game playing with Bradford.

Defense

On the defensive side of the ball, the Atlanta Falcons wide receivers torched the cornerbacks. Byron Maxwell found himself trailing both Julio Jones and Roddy White the majority of the game as he had a rough debut after signing a big-money contract.

The secondary's bright spot was the play of safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Walter Thurmond. Both players were decisive and quickly closed down players. Thurmond came up with the interception that turned things around for Philadelphia's momentum, and Jenkins made the crucial third-down stop to give the Eagles one last shot.

Mychal Kendricks and Kiko Alonso were the story when it came to linebacker play against Atlanta.

Alonso started the game on the bench but quickly proved he deserved to be playing every snap. The 25-year-old linebacker did his best Odell Beckham Jr. impersonation by making a one-handed interception in the end zone during the first half. With both Kendricks and Alonso playing in the second half, defensive coordinator Billy Davis dialed up consistent linebacker blitz packages.

The defensive line did not make many impact plays, but it did all the dirty work necessary to limit the Falcons to just over 100 yards rushing.

Special Teams

The most controversial play of the game resulted in Cody Parkey's 44-yard missed field goal. The kicker ran onto the field late in the play clock and barely had time to settle down before he pushed the field goal wide right. Kelly's indecision on whether or not to go for it on fourth down may have created panic for the special teams unit.

Offensive Balance

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The Eagles have the luxury of a three-headed monster in the backfield, with the likes of DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles, but Chip Kelly barely utilized their talented run game.

Murray, last year's leading rusher, finished the game with eight carries for nine yards. Overall, Philadelphia ran the ball 16 times for 63 yards and two touchdowns.

Bradford finished the game with 52 passing attempts. Although trailing by 17 points at halftime influenced the play-calling, Kelly did not seem committed to the run from the start of the game. Without a viable run game, the Falcons defense pinned their ears back and went after Bradford. Running the ball could have provided relief for the offensive lineman when they clearly struggled in the first half.

The Eagles saw success in the second half running sweep plays across the field, but they still depended on the passing attack late in the game. Moving forward, Kelly will need to integrate his weapons in the backfield into the offensive game plan more.

Maxwell Struggled

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The first game for Philadelphia's defensive backfield showcased many of the same problems that plagued last year's secondary.

The Eagles brought in Byron Maxwell this offseason to serve a true top-level corner, but the 27-year-old looked out of his league. Julio Jones finished the game with nine catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons did a good job of moving Jones around to find him open space to operate. Although, Maxwell was not always on Jones, he also got burned by Roddy White on several instances.

Maxwell is paid to be an elite corner, but he did not show that he could cover the league's superstar receivers based on his performance Monday night. Jones beat Maxwell for 44 yards, which set up Atlanta's game-winning field goal. The fear for Eagles fans is that Maxwell will be a disappointment like Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia's last big-money cornerback signing.

Philadelphia faces Dallas next weekend, but the Dallas Cowboys will likely be without Dez Bryant after the player broke his foot in Week 1. Maxwell and the rest of the secondary will be grateful that they do not have to deal with another receiver next week who is equally as dominant as Jones.

Chip Kelly on Cody Parkey

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Chip Kelly said after the game, via Tim McManus of 97.5 The Fanatic: "We have a lot of confidence in Cody Parkey. He’s a Pro Bowl kicker."

Cody Parkey missed a 44-yard field goal that would have given the Eagles a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter. When kickers miss "make-able" field goals, they instantly become the scapegoat for the game. However, Kelly came to the defense of his second-year kicker.

Parkey proved his ability to kick long-range field goals last season when he made all four of his kicks from beyond 50 yards. However, Parkey suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for most of the preseason action.

Kelly clearly hesitated and considered trying to convert the one yard needed to earn a fresh set of downs. It is uncertain whether Kelly hesitated because he is an aggressive play-caller or because he does not fully trust Parkey at the moment.

Kelly's indecision cost Parkey valuable seconds and made him rush the kick. Moving forward, Parkey will likely be called on again to kick a field goal late in the game that could determine the game's outcome.

Bradford on His Health

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Sam Bradford said after the game (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com): "I'm all good. They said everything is good. I feel fine."

Sam Bradford received "precautionary" X-rays following Monday night's game against the Falcons, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Zach Berman.

The offensive line struggled early in the game to protect Bradford, and they were able to hit the quarterback eight times throughout the game. Bradford did not disclose what part of his body received the X-ray, according to Berman.

Bradford popped up immediately after every hit, but his injury history causes concern whenever the quarterback hits the floor. Bradford missed all of last season, with a torn ACL, and he also missed the majority of the previous season due to the same tear on the same knee. After throwing the ball 52 times, it is evident that the Eagles will heavily rely on Bradford, increasing the importance of him staying healthy.