Derrick Gunn has five bullet points from the Eagles' win 30-17 win over the Redskins in the season opener (see breakdown).
• Looks like Carson Wentz has a little Aaron Rodgers in him. His ability to shake tackles and buy time proved to be beneficial in this game (see story). The 58-yard TD strike to Nelson Agholor was a direct result of Wentz staying on his feet until Agholor could free himself. Lane Johnson and Jason Peters both said what Wentz is able to do by scrambling is something you can't practice and that they just have to improvise. Now all Wentz has to do is be a little bit more careful with the ball and not try to force issues, which almost got him in trouble a few times (see report card).
• Speaking of Peters, who left the game with a groin injury, he told me he could have gone back in, but the trainers didn't want him to tweak it and possibly cost him playing time down the road. Can't have a future Hall of Famer out for an extended period with Kansas City looming next week.
• The Eagles' defense had only sacked Kirk Cousins five times total in five previous meetings. In this game, they got to him four times. Jim Schwartz mixed in just enough blitzes to keep the 'Skins offense guessing. But it was their four-man pressure that did most of the damage against a quarterback that was averaging 315 yards passing against them (see 10 observations). Cousins threw for only 240 yards. Brandon Graham, who was credited with 2.0 sacks, said the Eagles had to get Cousins off his spot and make him as uncomfortable as possible.
• Zach Ertz has five career 100-yard receiving games and three of them have come against the Redskins. He didn't crack the century mark this time (93 yards) but he hauled in eight passes. Ertz told me for whatever reason he always gets pumped to play the 'Skins. Ertz is an excellent route runner and is a difficult matchup for opposing defenses. If he can stay healthy I believe he could finally reach that 1,000-yard receiving plateau this season.
• Jalen Mills thanked Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod for his first career interception. When I asked him why, he said because they were making all the right calls to put the secondary in proper positions. The 'Skins went to his side often and he knows with Ronald Darby now out he's going to get picked on even more so. Mills isn't the fastest cornerback in the league so his technique and positioning will have to make up for what he lacks in overall quickness.
