Grading the Eagles on their awful loss to the Dolphins | Paul Domowitch

This was supposed to be a cakewalk. It wasn’t. This was supposed to be the first step on a five-week road to the playoffs. Now? To borrow the famous Jim Mora quote: Playoffs? Playoffs? Are you kidding me?

Here are the grades for the awful performance in a 37-31 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday:

The Eagles had a 28.3% run-play rate, running it just 19 times and throwing it 46 times, with two sacks. Miles Sanders was effective, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He averaged nearly 6 yards per carry on first down in the first half. But he ran the ball just seven times in the second half.

Grade: C

A Dolphins pass defense that went into the game with a 106.8 opponent passer rating held Carson Wentz to a 60.9% completion rate and 6.7 yards per attempt. Every completion was a struggle. Alshon Jeffery had his best game of the season (nine catches, 137 yards, one TD). But Zach Ertz had a couple of costly drops, including one in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Grade: D

They held the Dolphins, who went into the game with the league’s worst rushing attack, to 2.9 yards per carry. But they gave up a 28-yard run to wide receiver Albert Wilson that kick-started the Dolphins’ first touchdown drive, and gave up a 4-yard touchdown run to Patrick Laird early in the fourth quarter that put the Dolphins in front.

Grade: B

The Dolphins have one good receiver and the Eagles couldn’t stop him. DeVonte Parker made mincemeat of Eagles corners Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills, catching seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw for 405 yards and four TDs against the Eagles last season when he was with the Bucs, threw for 365 yards and three TDs.

Grade: F

Jake Elliott picked an inopportune time to miss his first field goal attempt of the season. After hitting earlier 48- and 43-yarders, he was wide-right with a 49-yard attempt in the third quarter that would have given the Eagles an 11-point lead.

Grade: C

An Eagles defense that had managed to hold four straight opponents under 20 points allowed the 2-9 Dolphins to score on six straight possessions. And their offense went to sleep in the second half, scoring just 10 points and converting 2 of 6 third-down attempts. Then, after the game, many of their so-called leaders either slipped out the door or refused to talk to reporters. A disgraceful performance all around.

Grade: F