In Roob’s Eagles stats: Historically bad run defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The unfortunate thing about doing a weekly Eagles stats column is when you have a game like this one.
But the show must go on, and I promise we’ll squeeze some positive numbers and trends in there at the end. At least, we’ll try.
1. The Eagles have allowed 6.4 yards per rushing attempt through two games, the worst in franchise history (and 14th-worst in NFL history). And if not for two Kirk Cousins kneel downs at the end of that game Monday night, which officially count as rushing attempts, that number would be 6.7, which would be 9th-worst all-time. They’ve allowed 315 rushing yards against the Packers and Falcons, the most through two games since the 1986 team allowed 403. They’ve already allowed 11 runs of at least 10 yards. They had allowed one at this point last year. And their next opponent, the Saints, are averaging 185 rushing yards per game so far.
2. Let’s stick with the defense. Eagles edge rushers have now gone six straight games without a sack going back to Week 14 at Dallas last year, when Haason Reddick sacked Dak Prescott in Sean Desai’s final game as defensive coordinator. That was three defensive coordinators ago. This is the first time since sacks became an official stat in 1982 that the Eagles have gone six straight games without a sack from an edge rusher (or defensive end, as they were once known). The Eagles have gone six straight games with two or fewer sacks, one game shy of their longest streak since 1993. The Eagles are the fourth team in history to allow at least 6.4 yards per carry and record three or fewer sacks through two games. Josh Sweat has now gone 10 straight games without a sack. He had 13 in the previous 13 games.
3. For the 25th consecutive game, the Eagles had one or fewer interceptions. That’s the 9th-longest streak in NFL history and the longest current one. The last time the Eagles had multiple interceptions in a game was the Packers in Week 12 of 2022, when Josiah Scott and Reed Blankenship both picked off Aaron Rodgers in the Eagles 40-33 win over the Packers. The longest streak in NFL history of games without two INTs is 40 by the Raiders from 2003 through 2006. That streak ended when Nnamdi Asomugha picked off Browns QB Charlie Frye twice at Oakland Coliseum in a game the Browns won 24-21.
4. Kirk Cousins’ game-winning touchdown pass to Drake London with 38 seconds left was the sixth game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute against the Eagles in the last 30 years – and Cousins’ second. The most recent was Drew Lock’s 29-yarder to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle last December and before that Cam Newton’s 1-yarder to Greg Olsen at the Linc in 2018. Before that? Cousins had a 4-yarder to Pierre Garcon in Washington’s 23-20 win over the Eagles at FedEx Field in 2015.
5. With Bijan Robinson (14-for-97, 6.9) and Tyler Allgeier (9-for-53, 5.9), this was the first time in 15 years that two opposing running backs each had at least nine carries and averaged at least 5 ½ yards per carry against the Eagles. Last time it happened was the last day of the 2009 season, when Marion Barber III (14-91) and future Eagle Felix Jones (15-91) did it in a 24-0 Cowboys win at AT&T Stadium. It’s only happened one other time since 1980. In 2005, Mike Anderson of the Broncos (21-126, 6.0) and Tatum Bell (14-107, 7.6) did it in a 49-21 win in Denver. That was also T.O.’s final game as an Eagle.
6. The Eagles’ current streak of nine straight games without being plus one or better in turnover margin is their longest since a 12-game streak in 2012 and their 2nd-longest since 1985. Their minus-17 mark over the last 15 games is their worst in a 15-game stretch since a minus-19 over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. After finishing last year at minus-10 in turnover margin, the Eagles are minus-3 two games into the 2024 season. That’s their 3rd-worst turnover mark after two games since 1996. They’ve been minus-1 or worse in 11 of their last 14 games. They’ve only been plus-one or better twice in their last 17 games – plus-1 in back-to-back wins over the Cowboys and Chiefs last November.
7. OK, we promised you some positive stats and here we go: Saquon Barkley’s 204 rushing yards so far are most by an Eagles running back through two weeks since LeSean McCoy had 237 two games into the 2013 season, and his 248 scrimmage yards are the most since McCoy had 356 the same year. With 95 rushing yards on Monday night, he fell five yards short of becoming the first Eagle with 100 yards in each of his first two games in a season since Charlie Garner in 1994. His 46 carries are the most by an Eagle through two weeks since Herschel Walker had 54 the first two weeks of 1992.
8. DeVonta Smith is only the sixth player in Eagles history – and third in the last 50 years – with seven or more catches in each of the first two games of a season. Smith had seven vs. both the Packers and Falcons. Others to do this were Don Looney in 1940, Timmy Brown in 1965, Harold Jackson in 1972, DeSean Jackson in 2013 and Nelson Agholor in 2018. Only Jackson in 1972 opened a season with seven catches in the first three games. Those were his only games in 1972 with seven receptions.
9. Jalen Hurts’ 76.3 completion percentage against the Falcons was 3rd-highest of his career, behind an 83.9 against the Vikings in 2022 and a 77.1 vs. the Falcons in Atlanta in 2021. It’s 10th-highest in Eagles history (minimum 30 attempts), and he’s the first Eagles quarterback to complete at least 76 percent of his passes in three different games. Carson Wentz and Nick Foles each did it twice. Hurts is only the second player ever with two games at 75 percent or higher vs. the Falcons. Drew Brees had six.
10. Hurts increased his career total to 42 rushing touchdowns, 5th-most in NFL history and just one behind Steve Young and two behind Otto Graham. The top two are Cam Newton (75) and Josh Allen (55). He’s fourth in Eagles history with those 42 rushing TDs, just two behind LeSean McCoy and three behind Wilbert Montgomery. With three more, he’ll trail only Steve Van Buren (69).
