Nearly all season, as the Eagles limped to a 4-6 record in their first 10 games, one problem that coaches and played consistently pointed out was their inability to start quick.
They weren't lying. At one point this season the Eagles were averaging right around one-point in the first quarter, and in many games they weren't even able to total that many in the first 15 minutes.
Like many things, however, that has changed under quarterback Nick Foles — and keeping that going against the Chicago Bears will be key in this Sunday's Wild Card matchup.
Since taking over as the starting quarterback, Foles and the Eagles offense are averaging 4.3 points in the first quarter. That might not sound like much, but that is good for 18th in the NFL over the last three games, a significant improvement from being in last place for the majority of the season.
Against the Los Angeles Rams, the win that started the team's run to the playoffs, the Eagles scored on their opening drive of the game to take a 3-0 lead. After the Rams took the lead on the next drive, Foles and the Eagles went right back down the field for another field goal, keeping the game within reach and not allowing it to get out of hand early. In fact, the Eagles managed to score on three of their first four drives overall.
The offense was effective early on against the Houston Texans as well, going on a 13-play, 77-yard drive on their first possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead. Even against Washington, when they scored just three points, the offense managed to total 107 yards of offense. To put that in perspective, the Eagles totaled just 132 yards of offense in the first half in their Week 10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and 109 yards in first half of their blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The Chicago Bears have been better to start game overall than the Eagles have this season, as they are averaging 5.3 points in the first quarter this season. Over the last three games, however, the Bears are averaging 4.7 points in the first quarter — just 0.4 more than the Eagles.
A look at the Eagles under Doug Pederson and the Bears this season shows that there is a good chance whichever team scores first on Sunday will win the game.
This year, the Eagles are 6-1 when they strike first, as opposed to 3-6 when the opponent gets on the board first. Last season, on their way to a Super Bowl victory, the Eagles were a perfect 9-0 when they scored first. Overall, Pederson's team since 2016 is 21-3 when they score first (including the playoffs), but just 11-16 when they don't.
The Bears have been equally as predictable this season by which team scores first. Despite going 12-4, the Bears were just 4-3 this season when the other team got the first points — basically a .500 team. They were 8-1, however, when scoring first.
Which is why this Sunday, in what should be a close game, whichever team gets on the board first has a great chance of advancing to the next round.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
