The Eagles kicked off their 2018 campaign Thursday night, albeit 45 minutes later than anticipated. Following a ceremony dedicated to their Super Bowl LII victory, the Eagles came out a bit flat, falling behind the Atlanta Falcons, 6-3 in the first half. Here's what I saw from the first 30 minutes of the Eagles season:
What Worked
- The Eagles could've found themselves in a big hole early, but the Birds' goal-line defense was very stout on the first two drives of the game. The Falcons ran 7 plays inside the Eagles' 10-yard-line, but couldn't find the end zone, turning the ball over on downs on their first drive and settling for a field goal on their second. Kamu Grugier-Hill setting the edge on that fourth down stop was especially huge.
- For as much as the Eagles struggled in the first quarter, Nick Foles and company seemed to really come into their own in the second quarter. Foles hit Nelson Agholor and DeAndre Carter for first downs. Jay Ajayi got some traction on the ground and Jason Peters played like it was 2013. The offense looked more efficient than explosive, which is to be expected against Dan Quinn's defense.
- Cameron Johnson looks like a weapon in the punting game. His 58-yard kick with 90 seconds remaining in the first half pinned the Falcons deep in their own territory and didn't give Matt Ryan a chance to get a score before the half.
What Didn't
- The Eagles secondary really struggled on the opening drive. Rodney McLeod got stiff-armed by Julio Jones on an end around run that ended up as a 11-yard gain, then Sidney Jones got pinned on a Devonta Freeman run that gained 20 yards. Sidney also got lost on a 33-yard pass to Julio Jones that set up a first-and-goal situation.
- The Eagles offense looked out of sorts in the first quarter, picking up just 8 total yards and 1 first down on their two drives. Considering most of the veterans on the unit didn't play in the preseason, a falter was to be expected, but Foles looked lost, struggling to push the ball down the field and fumbling a snap on a key third down. The run game didn't fare much better as Corey Clement and Darren Sproles couldn't find space while Ajayi was on the sideline.
Halftime Adjustment
The Eagles offense needs to find a way to push the ball down the field. Foles has been smart about not turning the ball over, but the Falcons will be content to have him hit Agholor on 6-yard dump-offs all night long. Whether it's getting Shelton Gibson isolated on a deep ball down the sideline, or getting Sproles in space on a screen, Doug Pederson needs to find a trick or two to get his playmakers a chance to take one to the house.
Second-Half X-Factor
Darren Sproles has gotten a lot of touches in the first half, with not much to show for it. It seems like Pederson wants to get the veteran involved with the attack after missing almost all of last year, but forcing the ball to an ineffective player is not a good idea against a quality defense like Atlanta's. If Sproles's workload doesn't diminish in the second half, he will need to bust open a big play or two. The Eagles' offense is really lacking explosive options tonight.
