Grading the Eagles' 15-10 win Saturday over the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field (see breakdown):
QUARTERBACK
Nick Foles: 23/30, 246 YDS
The first half was ugly, bordering on abysmal. Foles struggled mightily while throwing into a strong headwind in the first quarter, then overthrew everybody in the second. He botched two handoffs and took a bad sack. One errant pass went right to a Falcons defensive back, was deflected in the air, and miraculously caught by Torrey Smith.
For some reason, Foles' luck seemed to change from there (see observations). He found Alshon Jeffery for a 15-yard completion to set up a field goal at the end of the first half, and looked like an entirely different quarterback in the second half. The sixth-year veteran completed 12 of 15 passes for 145 yards in quarters three and four while leading the Eagles on a pair of long drives for field goals. He was confident and poised in the pocket, even when things were going wrong. In short, Foles did just about all anybody could've asked for.
Grade: A-
RUNNING BACKS
Jay Ajayi: 15 ATT, 54 YDS, 1 FL
Ajayi was running like a man possessed in the first quarter, carrying seven times for 49 yards with a nine-yard reception. Only a costly turnover marred an otherwise explosive start. The Falcons clamped down on the ground attack from there. Ajayi and LeGarrette Blount were met in the backfield on nearly every handoff, fighting for every inch. Blount managed to convert a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and Ajayi ripped off a 32-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter for good measure. Corey Clement added four receptions for 29 yards as well. Fumble aside, solid work from the Eagles' three-headed monster.
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Grade: B
WIDE RECEIVERS
Alshon Jeffery: 5 TAR, 4 REC, 61 YDS
Jeffery wasn't targeted until the closing moments of the second quarter, but came up huge on a 15-yard catch with one second remaining in the half. He caught three more passes on the Eagles' opening possession in the second half to set up another three points. Torrey Smith pitched in three receptions for 39 yards. However, it was Nelson Agholor who came up with one of the biggest plays of the game - a 21-yard rush to set up the offense's only touchdown. Agholor finished with three receptions for 24 yards, and Mack Hollins got involved with a nine-yard grab. Slow start for the group as a whole, but once the targets finally came, they produced.
Grade: B+
TIGHT ENDS
Zach Ertz: 5 TAR, 3 REC, 32 YDS
Not nearly as impactful as one might have imagined against the Falcons' Cover-3 scheme, but Ertz made some plays that kept the chains moving. The Pro Bowler gave it his all when called upon to block as well. Brent Celek made a postseason appearance with a six-yard catch. The unit's day would've looked a lot better had Foles not overthrown Trey Burton for a potential huge gain, but it was enough.
Grade: B
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Eagles' production on the ground doesn't look great. Ajayi and Blount combined to carry 24 times for 73 yards - a meager 3.0 yards per carry average. Let's assume the Falcons were selling out to stop the ground attack, and instead look at what the O-line did well. The screen game was excellent, and most importantly, Foles had outstanding protection. The quarterback was sacked just the one time, and took only four hits total on over 30 dropbacks. Foles routinely had time to scan the field and room to step up in the pocket. The superb blocking had everything to do with the backup's success.
Grade: A
DEFENSIVE LINE
Fletcher Cox: 7 TKL, 2 TFL, 1.0 SK, 2 QBH
Cox was dominant from the outset, getting constant penetration up the middle of the Falcons' offense. As the game wore on, the rest of the unit stepped up, and the pass rush intensified. Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry each had two quarterback hits, while Chris Long, Derek Barnett and Beau Allen each registered one. Graham added a tackle for loss, though the Eagles had their share of issues against the run. The defensive ends consistently failed to set the edge, allowing Falcons ball carriers to rush for 86 yards on 20 carries - a 4.3 average. It wasn't a fatal flaw, but the D-line was getting gashed on off-tackle runs in particular.
Grade: B
LINEBACKERS
Nigel Bradham: 4 TKL, 2 TFL, 1.0 SK, 1 PD
Like many Eagles players, Bradham got off to a bit of an up-and-down start, taking some bad angles to ball carriers, missing tackles and getting himself out of position. However, Bradham managed to turn his performance around faster than some of his teammates. He broke up a pass on the Falcons' opening possession, forcing a field goal try, while a second-half sack proved to be a drive killer as well. Mychal Kendricks also finished with four tackles and nearly came up with an interception, while Dannell Elerbe tacked on two tackles.
Grade: B+
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Malcolm Jenkins: 8 TKL, 1 TFL
The Falcons averaged 5.8 yards per pass, which should speak volumes about the play in the secondary. Rodney McLeod had a sack, Ronald Darby had a tackle for loss, and Jalen Mills broke up two passes, both of which would've been touchdowns - including the potential game-winner in the game's final minute. Everything that happened up front with the pass rush was at least partly a result of the coverage forcing the quarterback to hold on the ball in the first place. Awesome job.
Grade: A
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jake Elliott: 0/1 XP, 3/3 FG
Early miscues were costly. Multiple Eagles players touched a short punt that had died in the wind, resulting in a turnover and a quick Falcons touchdown. That's a completely unforced error, albeit one created by harsh elements. Jake Elliott also missed an extra point, though he made field goals of 53, 37 and 21 yards. Even Donnie Jones wasn't perfect - two of three punts were downed inside the opponents' 20, but the other went for a touchback.
Grade: B-
COACHING
Eagles' record: 14-3
The Eagles are going to the NFC Championship. Need we say more?
Grade: A+
