3 Takeaways From Eagles' Week 4 Win vs. Jaguars
A familiar face was on the sideline opposite the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon as Doug Pederson, their former head coach, led his new team (the Jacksonville Jaguars) into a Week 4 matchup at Lincoln Financial Field. And he quickly felt back at home, with the Jags jumping out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter.
It didn't last, though. The Eagles, who entered the day as the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, kept their sterling record intact for another week.
Philadelphia overcame the early adversity, took the lead before halftime and held off Jacksonville for a 29-21 victory. The Eagles used a 20-point second quarter and 401 yards of total offense to improve to 4-0.
Here are three takeaways from Philadelphia's Week 4 win.
Sanders Proving He's a Legitimate Top RB
Even though the Jaguars led 14-0 only 11 minutes and 10 seconds into the game, the Eagles didn't abandon their run game. That was a wise move, because they had a ton of success on the ground, rushing for 210 yards and four touchdowns on the day.
Miles Sanders had a workhorse performance, running the ball a career-high 27 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns. It's been an impressive start to the season for the 25-year-old running back, who rushed for only 754 yards and scored no touchdowns in 2021. This year, he already has 356 yards and three touchdowns through four weeks.
“He played angry in my opinion,” Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts said, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He played with a purpose this afternoon. He deserves it. He had a hell of a game.”
Heading into the season, there was the potential for the Eagles to go with a more even distribution among their RBs, giving Kenneth Gainwell and/or Boston Scott a larger percentage of the work. Now, it's clear the team doesn't need to do that.
If Sanders can keep this going, his fourth NFL season will be his best yet. And there's a good chance that will happen.
The Defense Continues to Make Big Plays
The Eagles' plus-eight turnover differential is the best in the NFL. Their 10 takeaways are tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the most in the league. A big reason Philadelphia is in those positions is because of its performance on Sunday.
While the Jaguars couldn't hold onto the ball, the Eagles capitalized by forcing five turnovers, four of which came on fumble recoveries. The other was a third-quarter interception by James Bradberry, his first pick in his first season with Philadelphia.
“There’s no doubting him and the talent that he has,” fellow Eagles cornerback Zech McPhearson said of Bradberry, per EJ Smith of Philadelphia Inquirer. “He shows it every time he’s on the field, whether you want to see it or not, he’s going to make the play. That’s just Bradberry."
With Bradberry and Darius Slay in the secondary and an improved front seven from last season, Philadelphia is proving that it now has big-play ability on the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles also sacked Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence four times, two of which were recorded by another player in his first year with the team, linebacker Haason Reddick.
There are several reasons why Philadelphia is much improved from 2021, but few are bigger than the impact being made by its defense.
The Eagles Are Going to Win a Lot of Games
Are the Eagles capable of a 17-0 regular season? There's still a long way to go before that conversation should be had. It's quite likely they're going to lose at least a game or two and not finish with an unblemished record, something that's incredibly difficult to achieve.
But it's reasonable to think that Philadelphia is going to finish with a lot of wins, perhaps even the most in the league. The Eagles have fared well against some solid opponents so far, and they're proving to be a strong team on both sides of the ball.
Of course, it's hard to fairly evaluate Philadelphia until it faces all of the other teams in the NFC East. The Eagles have already defeated the struggling Washington Commanders (1-3), but they still have two matchups apiece against the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, both off to 3-1 starts.
In Week 5, Philadelphia has a road matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Then, it will host Dallas in Week 6, before its Week 7 bye. If the Eagles are still unbeaten at that point, it'll be even clearer that they're a top-tier team this season. But so far, it sure seems like they are.