The Philadelphia Eagles have had quite the reunion tour. From Duce Staley, Jalen Reagor, Carson Wentz, to now Doug Pederson — the Birds have successfully overtaken them all.
After the Eagles’ 29-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, they are now the sole undefeated team in the league.
Below are five takeaways from Philadelphia’s Week 4 game.
EAGLES VS. JAGUARS: FIVE TAKEAWAYS
1. Jalen Hurts is going to get a contract extension
Jalen Hurts went into Week 4 as the No. 2 overall quarterback, according to NFL.com. And, the best thing is, he keeps proving that he can be consistent.
On Sunday, Hurts finished with 204 receiving yards, completing 16 of 25 attempts. Though, he threw an interception resulting in the Jaguars leading the game 7-0, Hurts made up for it, rushing for 38 yards and scoring the Eagles’ first touchdown.
In four games, the quarterback has completed 1120 receiving yards — already, more than one-third of the yards he produced last season.
If Hurts continues to produce the same results throughout the next few games, Philadelphia will have their next franchise quarterback and Hurts will receive a whopping payday.
2. Miles Sanders will also get a new contract
Miles Sanders is in the last season of his rookie contract, and after a rough 2021 season, the running back is coming back with vengeance.
During Jacksonville’s match-up, Sanders finished with a career-high 27 carries and 134 rushing yards, scoring two touchdowns to aid in Philadelphia’s win. The running back now ranks third in the league in rushing yards (356).
NFL rushing leaders through four weeks:
1. Saquon Barkley: 463 yards, 2 TDs
2. Nick Chubb: 459 yards, 5 TDs
3. MILES SANDERS: 356 yards, 3 TDs pic.twitter.com/r0H1zpgniM— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) October 3, 2022
Head coach Nick Sirianni stated, “Miles Sanders is our number one back! There’s no question about it.”
3. If the injuries from Sunday are serious, the Eagles will be okay
Despite remaining a relatively healthy team since last season, Sunday’s rain caused some issues.
In the first quarter, cornerback Darius Slay and left tackle Jordan Mailata were injured, neither of them returning to the game. Slay suffered a forearm injury, and is expected to return, but there’s no word as to when. Mailata underwent an MRI today, however, the results have not yet been released.
Later in the game, Isaac Seumalo then suffered an ankle injury, after a season-ending foot injury the previous season.
Cornerback Avonte Maddox and running back Boston Scott were also absent, as they were both ruled out prior to kick-off.
Replacing each of the players were Zech McPhearson, Jack Driscoll, Sua Opeta, and Josiah Scott. While it would be nice to see Philadelphia’s starters take back their position, the team still played well. The Eagles did enough in the offseason to secure depth at every position, and that became apparent on Sunday.
4. Jonathan Gannon knows what he’s doing
If you take Week 1 out of the mix, the Eagles’ defense has been on fire.
Each game has highlighted different players. In Week 2, Darius Slay’s interceptions earned him NFC Player of the Week. Week 3 showcased Brandon Graham, T.J. Edwards, and Fletcher Cox as they worked for eight sacks. And, in Week 4, the Eagles named Haason Reddick’s second strip sack (recovered by Javon Hargrave) as their Play of the Game.
In those three weeks, the defense has allowed only 36 points, becoming one of the best in the league.
The Eagles defensive rankings through four games:
— First in sacks (16)
— Tied for first in takeaways (10)
— Third in yards allowed (277.3 per game)
— 10th in points allowed (17.8)Quite a turnaround for Jonathan Gannon's group.
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) October 3, 2022
On Sunday, they had five turnovers, four fumbles, and one interception, giving the offense the opportunity to make a comeback.
5. Nick Sirianni embodies Philadelphia energy
Aside from sporting his team on his clothing each week, head coach Nick Sirianni also paid respect to the victims in Manayunk by wearing a Roxborough shirt.
He made his way onto Lincoln Financial Field Sunday knowing that he would have to stand across from the man who gave Philadelphia their one and only Lombardi Trophy. But, despite the intimidating presence, he remained focused on the game and led his players to their fourth consecutive win.
Sirianni has confidence in the players, and the coaches, and that was evident in fourth down situations when he opted for a play rather than a field goal.
Following the win, Sirianni shared his excitement with Haason Reddick, Shaun Bradley, and Kyzir White. He stated, “Hey! There ain’t nothing like winning in Philly!”
The Eagles are in store for another reunion next week when they head to Arizona on the road. There they will play Zach Ertz and the Cardinals on Sunday, October 9 at 4:25 PM.
