3 Takeaways from Eagles' Week 10 Win

The Philadelphia Eagles have had better results on the road than at home this season. While they're still winless at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles are routinely bringing back road wins with them to Philadelphia. And they added another one on Sunday.

In what looked to be a challenging matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Eagles took control early at Empower Field at Mile High and went on to notch a 30-13 victory. Philadelphia improved to 4-6 this season.

The Eagles outscored the Broncos 10-0 in the first quarter, but Denver responded with 10 straight points to tie it back up in the second quarter. Philadelphia took a 17-10 lead on Jalen Hurts' five-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith with three minutes, seven seconds remaining before halftime, and then it led the rest of the way.

Here are three takeaways from the Eagles' Week 10 win.

Smith Has Arrived as a Top Playmaker

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Last week, DeVonta Smith ended a touchdown drought when he got into the end zone against the Los Angeles Chargers, marking his first score since his NFL debut in Week 1. This week, the talented 23-year-old wide receiver went out and doubled his career TD total.

Smith had four catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns, marking the first multi-touchdown game of his career. His first score of the day came on a 36-yard pass from Jalen Hurts, as Smith went up and caught the ball in the end zone despite strong coverage from Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II, a fellow rookie and Smith's former Alabama teammate.

"It's just Jalen trusting me like I trust him," Smith said, per Dave Spadaro of the Eagles' official site. "He gave me a chance to make the catch. That's all you can ask for. I went up and got it."

Early in the season, Smith wasn't putting up the big numbers that some expected. Now, it's clear he's ready to be the No. 1 playmaker on Philadelphia's offense. And it will be exciting to see what he can do in the weeks to come.

Slay Led an Impressive Performance by Defense

Bart Young/Associated Press

The Eagles defense has been inconsistent this season, as there have been games in which they've struggled to create pressure. Without putting the heat on opposing quarterbacks, Philadelphia then has issues trying to defend in the secondary.

But the defense had an impressive showing on Sunday, holding the Broncos to 308 total yards and 17 first downs and forcing one turnover. That one turnover was also a play that sealed the game for the Eagles, when Darius Slay recovered a fumble on the final play of the third quarter and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown that pushed their lead to 27-13.

Slay initially had trouble corralling the ball, dropping it after he came out of a pile with it on his feet. However, he regathered it and knew he was heading for the end zone.

"They had nothing but fat guys out there," Slay said, per The Athletic's Zach Berman. "They ain't catching me."

Slay wasn't caught, and it marked the culmination of Philadelphia's strong defensive performance. If it can continue to limit opposing offenses while also making big plays like Slay's TD return, it could lead to positive results for the team down the stretch.

Eagles Now Have Opportunity to Go on a Run

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

In recent weeks, the Eagles have been much improved. In Week 8, they blew out the Detroit Lions for a 44-6 win. In Week 9, they nearly came away with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers, falling just short in a 27-24 loss. And now, their win in Denver may have been their most impressive showing yet.

Even though Philadelphia is 4-6, it's only one game back of the Carolina Panthers, who would be the No. 7 seed in the NFC as the third and final wild-card team. So it's not unreasonable to think the Eagles could get hot and make a push into the playoffs.

That's even more true when looking ahead to Philadelphia's upcoming schedule. Next week, it plays the New Orleans Saints, who are 5-4 but beatable. Then, the Eagles play five straight games against teams with losing records (two vs. the New York Giants, two vs. the Washington Football Team and one vs. the New York Jets).

The Dallas Cowboys (7-2) seem to be running away with the NFC East title. But that may not keep the Eagles out of the playoffs. However, they're likely going to need to find ways to win at home, while also avoiding too many potential missteps against these weaker opponents.