The Philadelphia Eagles are 0-2 for the first time since 2015, the year before Doug Pederson took over the head coaching duties. After blowing a 17-0 lead in Week 1 to Washington, the Eagles got steamrolled 37-19 on Sunday in their home opener by the Los Angeles Rams. They have a minus-28 point differential through two weeks.
What can Philadelphia do to recover from an 0-2 start? Let’s look at three things that must happen for the Eagles to revive their 2020 campaign.
1. Carson Wentz needs to play like a franchise QB
It has been a brutal two games for Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. In Week 1, he was sacked a whopping eight times. But the offensive line did its job versus the Rams, as Wentz was sack-free. But his decision making and accuracy was not any better despite being held upright this time around. He threw two interceptions without a single TD.
Here’s a broader view of the play design on Carson Wentz’s INT intended for JJ Arcega-Whiteside-Whiteside. pic.twitter.com/C6T6PYt6ch
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) September 21, 2020
Wentz has thrown only two TDs with four picks through two contests after throwing no more than seven interceptions in any of his past three seasons. He has completed just 58.8% of his passes—29th in the NFL—and holds a league-worst 64.4 passer rating. He has overthrown receivers and forced throws into contested coverage. The Eagles need more from the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.
2. Defense must be better, particularly against tight ends
The Eagles’ defense has been terrible. Their 37 points allowed to the Rams are the most at home in the Pederson era. They have yielded 50 points over their past five quarters of play. The Rams rushed for 191 yards, the most the Eagles have surrendered in four years.
Rams' 191 rushing yards are the second-most Eagles have allowed under Jim Schwartz, most since 2016. Jared Goff's 142.1 quarterback rating is the third-highest by an opposing QB under Schwartz. Good stuff.
— Bo Wulf (@Bo_Wulf) September 21, 2020
Defending the tight end position has been a major issue. The Eagles gave up three touchdowns to Rams tight end Tyler Higbee on Sunday, a week after Washington’s Logan Thomas secured a touchdown reception.
THREE TDs FOR TYLER HIGBEE 💪
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/IluPtc4dhI
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 20, 2020
Higbee had accumulated seven TD catches in his first four NFL seasons, but looked like a Hall of Famer against Philadelphia. The loss of safety Malcolm Jenkins, who signed with the New Orleans Saints after the Eagles declined to pick up his option for the 2020 season, has proven detrimental thus far in coverage of tight ends.
3. Improve turnover differential
The Eagles' special teams forced a fumble on Sunday, but that was the only takeaway the club has mustered in 2020. In fact, the Eagles are one of four NFL teams without a defensive takeaway. The Eagles rank last in turnover differential (-5) with just one takeaway and six giveaways.
Miles Sanders played well in his first game of 2020, rushing for 95 yards and a TD to go along with three receptions for 36 yards. However, his fumble in the first quarter (on his second carry) set the tone in a lopsided defeat.
The Rams converted two of the Eagles turnovers into 10 points. In Week 1, Washington turned two Philadelphia turnovers into 14 points. The Eagles can’t afford to give away the ball that often, especially since their defense has yet to secure a takeaway of their own.
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