Travis Fulgham and 4 Other Signs of Optimism for Eagles Entering Week 6

The Philadelphia Eagles may have recently lost their third game, but there are some promising signs that this team could still make a run in the NFC East heading into Week 6.

Despite a tightly contested first half Sunday, the Eagles fell 38-29 to the Steelers. However, wide receiver Travis Fulgham gave the offense a much-needed spark in the loss, catching 10 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in what was a breakout game for him.

Fulgham is now generating a lot of buzz, but Sunday's performance also gave some indications of other bright spots on the team. With only five games under their belt, the Eagles still have plenty of time to turn things around and make a playoff push, especially in this year's expanded postseason format.

A lot can change in the next few weeks, and here's what the Eagles can capitalize on right now heading into Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Emergence of Travis Fulgham

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Sunday's performance against the Steelers was the breakout game that Travis Fulgham has been patiently waiting for since hearing his name called in the 2019 NFL draft. It's been a rocky road, but that hasn't stopped Fulgham from quickly becoming a weapon in the Philadelphia offense. 

Fulgham was taken with the 184th overall pick by the Detroit Lions in last year's draft. He played just three games as a rookie, and despite being targeted three times, he didn't register a reception in 2019. The Lions subsequently waived him in August before he was picked up and waived again by the Green Bay Packers less than two weeks after joining the team.

The Eagles quickly scooped up Fulgham after the Packers waived him, eventually putting him on the practice squad. However, with so many injuries at wide receiver, Fulgham was promoted to the active roster and made his season debut on Sunday Night Football, catching two passes for 57 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

One big play could have been ignored, but the fact that Fulgham has now come up big in back-to-back games when the team has needed an offensive spark is great news for Carson Wentz and Co. Even when rookie Jalen Reagor returns from injured reserve, Fulgham could still have a big role in Philadelphia's offense given the uncertainty surrounding DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery. Jackson has missed the last two games with a hamstring strain, while Jeffery hasn't played since Week 14 last season as he recovers from a Lisfranc injury.

Just months after his NFL career looked to be in limbo, Fulgham is now looking like an absolute steal off waivers for the Eagles.

Younger Players Are Answering the Call

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Travis Fulgham isn't the only young player who is starting to make a name for himself. Young players on both sides of the ball are having a positive impact, and this early-season experience could be vital by the time the final stretch of the season rolls around.

Former Australian professional rugby player Jordan Mailata has been asked to take over for an injured Jason Peters as the starting left tackle the past two games. Despite having no prior playing experience before being drafted in 2018, Mailata has played fairly well in those two starts, limiting the pressure coming from Wentz's blind side.

On the other side of the ball, rookie safety K'Von Wallace has seen more playing time because of all the injuries in the Eagles secondary. Wallace's versatility has stood out the past couple of games, as he's lined up all over the field despite his designation as a safety. The box score only shows six combined tackles and a fumble recovery, but the various ways in which the Eagles are using Wallace should allow him to make more of an impact as he gets comfortable in the defense.

Even Jalen Hurts, who is patiently waiting for a chance to snag the starting quarterback job, was able to complete his first NFL pass Sunday on an 18-yard gain to tight end Richard Rodgers. He's only being used for gadget plays, but that role could expand if Hurts keeps picking up first downs.

All these early-season reps for younger players will pay dividends down the road and may lead to some strong performances Sunday against the Ravens.

The Offense Is Still Creating Explosive Plays

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Even with all of the injuries to the Eagles wide receivers and offensive line, the offense is still generating some explosive plays like we saw versus Pittsburgh.

Running back Miles Sanders had one of the biggest plays in Sunday's loss to the Steelers. On 3rd-and-long at the end of the first quarter, the Eagles ran a delayed handoff to Sanders, who took it to the house for a 74-yard touchdown to tie the game. Sanders had a quiet game outside of that run, but it was a big play that the Eagles needed to keep it competitive.

What's surprising is even with the rash of injuries the Eagles are dealing with, their passing attack is still generating explosive plays as well. According to STATS, the Eagles rank 12th with eight passing plays over 25 yards this season.

That big-play potential should only be more formidable once rookie Jalen Reagor comes off injured reserve. A deep-play threat in college, Reagor already has a 55-yard reception this season. Once he returns, his breakaway speed should allow him to stretch defenses vertically once again. 

These explosive plays haven't always resulted in high scoring, but if they can start turning them into more consistent drives ending in touchdowns, the offense could be a lot more dangerous.

Carson Wentz Is Showing Signs of Promise After Early-Season Woes

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The box score doesn't always tell the whole story. For Carson Wentz on Sunday against the Steelers, it doesn't even begin to tell half of it.

On paper, Wentz looked to have another ho-hum outing. He completed 20 of his 35 pass attempts for 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. However, a lot of these throws were into tight coverage, with Next Gen Stats giving him the highest rate of aggressive throws (37.1 percent) in the NFL in Week 5. For the sake of comparison, Nick Foles was the next closest at 26.2 percent.

The Eagles offense showed some promising signs in the loss. Not only did it convert on 10 of 14 third downs, but it also went a perfect 3-of-3 in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on every trip inside the 20-yard line. That's especially impressive when you consider that the Steelers defense had only allowed 19.3 points per game in three prior contests and ranks third in the league, allowing just 301.5 yards a game.

Wentz has been able to do this despite multiple injuries on the offensive line, as well as absences of both rookie receiver Jalen Reagor and productive tight end Dallas Goedert. The emergence of Travis Fulgham has appeared to give Wentz a much-needed safety blanket, and his improved play should continue into Week 6.

The NFC East Is Wide-Open

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Even with a 1-3-1 record, the Eagles are sitting in second place in an NFC East division that is arguably the worst in the league. They only have one win through five games, but the current state of affairs in the division means the NFC East is Philadelphia's to win.

The Dallas Cowboys are sitting in first place at 2-3, but a brutal ankle injury to quarterback Dak Prescott has made it a whole lot harder for Mike McCarthy and Co. to control the division. Prescott's season is officially over, meaning Andy Dalton will have to try to keep the Cowboys offense running at a high level.

Even if Dalton is able to lead the Cowboys to a few more wins, the rest of the division is a mess. The New York Giants have yet to win a game at 0-5, while the Washington Football Team is 1-4 and have already benched starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

The Eagles have only played one game inside the NFC East so far, which means they'll have five more opportunities to establish themselves within the division. Only a half-game back with 11 more to play is far from the worst situation the Eagles could be in, so there's plenty of time to figure it out and starting stringing together some wins.