Eagles stats: Play-calling in the red zone can improve, but Jalen Hurts adds another ‘tush push’ TD
Hurts has 29 career rushing touchdowns, the most ever from an NFL quarterback in his first 50 games. Can the Eagles become even more efficient in the red zone? Certainly.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Eagles improved to 3-0 with a 25-11 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Here are six stats that help tell the story from Week 3.
3
The Eagles are one of just three undefeated NFL teams remaining, joining the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers at 3-0.
It’s early, but the Eagles also are in sole possession of first place in the NFC East after the Dallas Cowboys (2-1), Washington Commanders (2-1), and New York Giants (1-2) all lost this weekend.
Of the three teams with a perfect record still intact, the Dolphins boast the best point differential at plus-59 followed by the 49ers (plus-48) and the Eagles (plus-25). The Eagles host the Dolphins in a Week 7 prime-time Sunday showdown on Oct. 22, and they host the 49ers in Week 13 on Dec. 3.
25
After going 1-for-5 in the red zone on Monday, the Eagles now rank 25th in red-zone efficiency.
Kicker Jake Elliott has been efficient — he made his three field-goal attempts against the Bucs — but this simply won’t be a sustainable way to consistently win games down the line.
The play-calling, specifically in the red zone, where space is tight, needs to improve. From the offensive line to the plethora of playmakers, the personnel is too talented to be settling for anything short of six points when it reaches that part of the field.
Over three games, the Eagles have scored touchdowns on just 5 of 11 red-zone trips (45.5%).
15
Over 474 total plays this season, the Eagles have committed just 15 penalties, which is fifth fewest in the league. On Monday, the Eagles committed three penalties compared to the Bucs’ four.
This marks a complete turnaround from the beginning of the Nick Sirianni era, when the Eagles had the most penalties in the NFL on a weekly basis. It’s a testament to the veteran leadership and also Sirianni’s teaching points as the team is consistently playing with more discipline and technique.
Of the 15 penalties, seven have occurred before the snap.
5
Over 16 pass-rush snaps, rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter registered a team-high five pressures on Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Through three games, Carter is tied for second among NFL defensive tackles with 15 total pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. The only interior D-lineman with more is former Eagle Javon Hargrave (18), who signed with the 49ers in free agency.
Carter’s 15 pressures rank ahead of the likes of the Commanders’ Jonathan Allen (14). Perhaps most notably, Carter has generated six pressures while being double-teamed, which ranks second among all NFL defensive players behind only Micah Parsons (seven).
» READ MORE: Jalen Carter’s family threw a tailgate party. Then the Eagles rookie feasted on the Bucs in his homecoming
29
When the Eagles successfully executed their renowned “tush push” QB sneak and Jalen Hurts crossed the goal line in the third quarter, Hurts scored his 29th career rushing touchdown, which is the most ever by an NFL quarterback in his first 50 games.
The record was previously held by Cam Newton, who had 28 rushing touchdowns from 2011-14.
Hurts has a chance to increase his total with two additional games until he reaches his 50th career game. The Eagles’ next two opponents are the Commanders and the Los Angeles Rams.
» READ MORE: D’Andre Swift and Olamide Zaccheaus are old St. Joe’s Prep teammates jump-starting the Eagles offense
100
Staying on the ground: Take a bow, D’Andre Swift. The Philadelphia native recorded 100-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games for the second time in his career.
After he had just one carry for 3 yards in the season opener at New England, Swift has rattled off 44 carries for 305 rushing yards over the last two weeks, including 130 yards with an impressive 8.1 average vs. the Bucs. Swift’s 308 rushing yards rank second in the NFL behind the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (353), although Swift’s average of 6.8 yards per carry is ahead of McCaffrey’s 5.9.
There are a few areas to address, including his route-running and communication — as evidenced by one of Hurts’ interceptions — and also being more consistent in pass protection, but Swift is electric. The reigning NFC offensive player of the week hurdled and juked past several Bucs en route to another memorable performance on Monday night.