Not the start the Eagles wanted after Monday night’s loss to the Commanders.
Run defense was a big issue for the Birds Monday, and entering Sunday, the Colts were the only team in the NFL that had not scored on an opening possession.
Something had to give, and it did on Philly’s side: buoyed by 50 yards on eight rushes, the Colts scored a touchdown on their opening drive, capped off by a one-yard run by Jonathan Taylor:
The biggest play of the drive was a 28-yard run by Taylor to get Indy into the red zone, but the most important play was one of the two passes: a 24-yard grab by Michael Pittman, one in which Matt Ryan avoided T.J.
Edwards’ uncontested rush, on a third-and-six that got the Colts into Birds territory.
If there was any positive on that drive, Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph both saw their first action as Eagles, with Joseph getting credit for one solo tackle and one assisted tackle.