Knee-Jerk Reactions: Holy Moly, What Just Happened?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles beat the Steelers 34-3 to improve to 3-0 on Sunday.
The Eagles beat the Steelers 34-3 to improve to 3-0 on Sunday.
Related: The Eagles' Good, Bad & Ugly
The Eagles beat the Steelers 34-3 to improve to 3-0 on Sunday.
I know, I don't believe it either.
- Carson Wentz has surpassed all expectations and I don't care what anyone says. NO ONE expected him to be this good.
- 102 pass attempts without an interception to start his career is an NFL record.
- Since the 1970, only two rookie QBs have started and won their first three games: Wentz and...Mark Sanchez!
- There was a play early in the second quarter where Wentz made a poor decision and overthrew Trey Burton in triple coverage. He clapped his hands, said something to the effect of 'let's go' and drilled Brent Celek for a 15-yard completion on the very next play.
- Wentz capped that drive with a TD pass to Jordan Matthews.
- The touchdown pass to Darren Sproles was incredibly savvy, the way Wentz runs parallel to the line of scrimmage to stay patient and buy time for Sproles.
- Speaking of Sproles, my gosh! Six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
- He passed Herschel Walker for 10th on the NFL's most all-purpose yards list and is second among active players to Steve Smith Sr.
- You thought Celek was done catching passes? Wrong! He was the Eagles' second leading receiver, catching three of four targets for 61 yards.
- With Ryan Mathews essentially missing the game with an ankle injury, we think, despite not being listed on the injury report Kenjon Barner and Wendell Smallwood really stepped up.
- Barner had 8 carries for 42 yards and a TD and celebrating with a front-roll bow-and-arrow thing that was completely worth the 15-yard penalty.
- Smallwood had 17 carries for 79 yards and a TD (welcome to the NFL!).
- Both scored their first career NFL touchdowns.
- And a lot of that had to do with the offensive line, which was excellent once again: ZERO sacks allowed, 30 carries for 125 yards and no Mathews.
- DGB had his chances and has honestly been underwhelming so far.
Related: Wentz Leads Eagles To 3-0 Start—Beating Pittsburgh, 34-3
- Defensively, I don't even know what to say. I think I was more impressed with the defense than Wentz, if that's even possible.
- First of all, they held the Steelers to 10 carries for 29 yards.
- A lot of had to do with playing with the lead, a big key to the game.
- DeAngelo Williams was averaging 27 carries and over 100 yards rushing per game in his first two contests this season and he was shut down on Sunday.
- Malcolm Jenkins was EVERYWHERE with 5 tackles, 3 passes defended).
- Rodney McLeod had five tackles, 2 passes defended, and an interception.
- These two have formed one of the NFL's best safety tandems, if not the best.
- Brandon Graham continues to dominate recording another sack, tackle for loss, and QB hit on Sunday.
- That's 3.0 sacks for Graham already in three games. His career high is 6.5. This, is what you call, a breakout season for BG.
- Fletcher Cox just continues to do Fletcher Cox things: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 2 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss, and 2 QB hits. Are you kidding me?
- He also has 3.0 sacks this season.
- Jordan Hicks had three tackles, 2 passes defended, and a QB hit.
- Nigel Bradham was impressive on Sunday too, recording 4 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. He also got stuck with Antonio Brown on a crossing route and hung with him, forcing an incompletion.
- And Bennie Logan had a blocked punt, a sack, 1 tackle for a loss, and 2 QB hits.
- What can you say about Jim Schwartz? 9.0 points per game allowed (1st in NFL), 274.3 yards per game allowed (4th in NFL), 203.3 pass yards per game allowed (8th in NFL), and 71.0 rushing yards per game allowed (2nd in NFL).
- Schwartz punching the air during the fourth quarter of a 34-3 blowout win was maybe the best part of the game.
- Doug Pederson has shocked us all. The Eagles are FIRST in the NFL scoring 30.7 points per game and lead the NFL in point differential at +65.
- PLAYOFFS?
