The Philadelphia Eagles' offense looked pretty good in the first half, and quarterback Jalen Hurts did exactly what he had to do.
He ended up finishing the game 14 of 25 for 203 yards and three touchdowns. That's especially impressive when we factor in that he had seven carries for 46 yards on the ground, good for 6.6 yards per carry. Regarding Saquon Barkley, he did what he had to do as well, rushing 15 times for 83 yards, good for 5.5 yards per carry.
However, there still seemed to be a feeling around the organization and fan base that the Eagles' offense just didn't do enough. Philadelphia ended up scoring just 24 points, including 10 in the second half. In comparison to how it played in the first half, it was a bit disappointing.
A writer at The Athletic believes the Eagles' offense looked a lot as it did a season ago, and that Sean Mannion's offense wasn't supposed to look like this at times.
“This looked like a game in which Hurts pretty much took matters into his own hands. The Eagles totaled just one first down in four second-half drives when Hurts tucked the ball and scrambled for a 22-yard gain on third-and-18 from his own 31. Three plays later, Hurts found Goedert for a 43-yard touchdown pass that sealed an ugly win for this offensive system’s debut.
“Eagles fans will not be happy after having to sit through yet another system going mostly stale in the second half. The feeling around Mannion’s offense throughout training camp was that it was going to be the one dictating terms with an unpredictable blend of pass and run plays. The Eagles delivered on that plan in the first half,” The Athletic wrote.
I think that is fair to say, but there are a few things to add. For one, the Eagles aren't in a position to come out and be perfect from day one. This team is very good, but the reality is that a new offense will have growing pains. It will take a lot more time than a week or two.
