Would you believe that the two NFL team performances below, based on the stats, come from the same team?
Game 1: 39 passing attempts, 303 passing yards, 12 rushing attempts, 64 rushing yards, 25:02 time of possession, 41-21 loss
Game 2: 16 passing attempts, 114 passing yards, 46 rushing attempts, 236 rushing yards, 37:39 time of possession, 44-6 win
Oh, and I forgot to mention that the second of those two games occurred after the team's star running back got injured and was put on IR. If that's not the case of a team with some identity issues, I'm not sure what is.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the mystery team in question, and the two games highlighted are their Week 3 loss to the Cowboys and their Week 8 a**-whooping of the winless Lions. Two very different teams with two very different levels of talent, sure. But we also have to remember that this is a Lions team that had stayed competitive against opponents like the 49ers, Vikings and Rams before the Eagles completely tore them apart.
The performance was a surprising one for Philly, who had been reeling in recent matchups and seemed to have hit a low point after an uninspiring Week 7 loss to the Raiders. What we saw couldn't have been further from a team lacking in motivation, and one NFL insider suggested that it's possible this identity — this "run it down their throats" mojo — might be closer to the true 2021 iteration of the Philadelphia Eagles.
As only he can do, Audacy NFL insider and host of Audacy podcast "Baldy's Breakdowns" Brian Baldinger broke down what we saw on the offensive side of the ball for the Eagles in Week 8.
The Eagles ran the ball more times against the Lions on Halloween than in any game over the past five seasons, finishing with four rushing touchdowns for the first time since Week 16 of the 2013 season. The last time they had 46 attempts in a rushing game, coincidentally, was when LeSean McCoy famously ripped off play after play against the same opponent, the Lions, in the Snow Bowl at Lincoln Financial Field.
Only nine times in the past decade have the Eagles totaled 40 or more rushing plays, and the list below captures all of them, courtesy of Stathead.
Is this, in fact, the true identity of the Eagles going forward? Against the high-powered offense of the Chargers in Week 9, we'll find out what Nick Sirianni's game plan looks like against a higher level of competition.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram