The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off their 2019 NFL season against the Washington Redskins on Sunday afternoon. While it was a more dramatic than most Eagles' fans would have liked, the team was able to pull out a hard-fought 32-27 victory. Getting a win to start the year over a division rival is always a great feeling.
Doug Pederson and company have been talked about as a Super Bowl contender for a large part of the offseason. If Carson Wentz can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for the team.
After winning their Week 1 game against the Redskins, there have been some mixed reactions. Some think the Eagles showed weaknesses by only winning 32-27, while others expected that kind of a game from the rival teams. Either way, the talent on paper is there to compete.
Looking at the NFC East division, the Eagles are going to have their hands full with the Dallas Cowboys. Now that Ezekiel Elliott is back on the field and Jerry Jones is getting everyone taken care of, the Eagles and Cowboys are going to be in a heated race all season long for the division.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at the three biggest takeaways from the Eagles' Week 1 win.
3. Carson Wentz Looks Amazing
Granted, it was only one game, but Wentz looked like the MVP candidate from a couple years ago. He completed 28 of his 39 pass attempts for 313 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. If he can stay healthy, the Eagles are going to be a very good football team.
Philadelphia needs him to stay healthy more than they have over the last couple seasons. Nick Foles is no longer in town, in fact, he broken his collarbone in his debut with the Jaguars. Wentz has to stay on the field and needs to put up big numbers.
2. Philly Has a Legitimate Rushing Attack
While Wentz is going to put up big numbers through the air, having a running game to take pressure off of him was a major need for the Eagles. In Week 1, they showed that they are more than capable of stepping up and recording big numbers.
Darren Sproles led the way with 47 yards on nine carries, while Jordan Howard picked up 44 yards on six carries in his Eagles' debut. Miles Sanders also got some run in his first career regular season game with 11 carries for 25 yards. Philadelphia finished the game with 123 rushing yards and a touchdown on 31 carries, which was good enough for a very solid 4.0 yards per carry.
1. DeSean Jackson Is Exactly What The Eagles Needed
Philadelphia has had a lethal passing game over the past few seasons, but they were missing something. DeSean Jackson showed them exactly what they were making in his first game back with the franchise.
He torched the Redskins, his former team, for eight receptions, 154 yards, and two touchdowns. Wentz has not had a burner like Jackson and it's clear that they are going to work out very nicely. Philadelphia's offense has more playmaking potential than they have had in a long time and the rest of the league should be worried.
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