ATLANTA -– Tight end Zach Ertz emerged from Monday night's season-opening loss in Atlanta healthy. And that's very, very good news.
After missing the last few weeks of the summer with a core muscle injury that required surgery, Ertz returned to the field on Monday night and had three catches for 46 yards in the 26-24 loss to Atlanta. He was targeted eight times and felt he was "open a lot of the game."
"The ball didn't come my way because we had other guys making plays and I thought they did an unbelievable job," Ertz said. "Obviously, I'm sore from not taking a hit since last season, really, because I hadn't experienced any live action in the preseason but I'm just really looking forward to the Cowboys coming in."
Ertz made a spectacular diving catch of a Sam Bradford pass for 21 yards in the fourth quarter to set up the offense on a touchdown drive that gave the Eagles a brief 24-23 lead, and he should be a huge part of the offense moving forward. It's an offense, by the way, that needs to be much more consistent than it was on Monday night. The Eagles totaled 399 yards of net offense in the game, but just 125 in the first half. They turned the ball over twice on Bradford interceptions, yet they were 3-of-4 in the red zone and Bradford passed for 336 yards, completing passes to 10 different receivers.
"We need to execute. That's it," Ertz said. "It's all going to come together, but we just didn't execute in the first half. That defense plays so hard and so fast and you need to execute against them. They're physical. They truly capitalized on all of our mistakes and that's what held us back in the first half."
The #Eagles began Week 1 of the regular season in Atlanta for Monday Night Football. View the full gallery here...
RB Ryan Mathews turns it up
RB DeMarco Murray defends on the run
It's time for #PHIvsATL
DB Randall Evans stretches during pregame
G Brett Boyko warms up
The #Eagles prepare
LB Bryan Braman is focused during pregame
FlyEaglesFly!
Philly fans have made it!
Ready to fly!
Mike Quick meets some dedicated #Eagles fans during pregame
It's almost game time!
Defensive Coordinator Bill Davis waits for game time
RB DeMarco Murray gets ready for #PHIvsATL
QB Sam Bradford makes his debut
QB Sam Bradford takes snaps during pregame
RB Darren Sproles warms up in Atlanta
TE Zach Ertz is ready for Week 1
WR Riley Cooper and Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur are locked in
QB Sam Bradford warms up with a few throws
WR Nelson Agholor warms up
Ready for the throw
QB Sam Bradford makes the throw
The #Eagles Defense makes the stop
LB Brandon Graham makes the tackle
DE Taylor Hart goes up for the block
LB Brandon Graham holds on for the tackle
Excitement after LB Kiko Alonso's interception
WR Josh Huff runs the ball
QB Sam Bradford finds the open receiver
DT Bennie Logan makes the stop
CB Byron Maxwell breaks up the pass
The line goes to work
The coin toss
RB Darren Sproles holds onto the ball
WR Riley Cooper finds his route
WR Jordan Matthews tries to break free from the tackle
QB Sam Bradford makes the throw to his receiver
TE Zach Ertz works for the yards
RB DeMarco Murray changes direction
K Cody Parkey kicks one in
DB Walter Thurmond with the stop
QB Sam Bradford scrambles
Eagles Defense
DE Fletcher Cox forces the fumble
RB Darren Sproles moves to the outside
Breaking free
K Cody Parkey goes for the extra point
P Donnie Jones congratulates K Cody Parkey
S Chris Maragos gets in on the tackle
CB Nolan Carroll defends the play
RB Darren Sproles tries to run through the tackle
LB Brandon Graham closes in
DE Cedric Thornton gets up for the block
LB Connor Barwin goes for the fumble
DE Fletcher Cox is fired up
T Lane Johnson goes for the block
Fired up!
WR Miles Austin pushes for more
TE Zach Ertz protects the ball
QB Sam Bradford in the spotlight
RB Darren Sproles runs from the traffic
RB Ryan Mathews braces for the hit
RB DeMarco Murray scores a touchdown
Congratulations all around
DT Bennie Logan stops Atlanta
RB DeMarco Murray scores his second touchdown of the night
The #Eagles defense is putting up a wall
Keep pushing through!
TE Zach Ertz moves around the tackle
On fire!
RB DeMarco Murray shows what he's got!
CB Byron Maxwell gets ahold of the runner
T Allen Barbre gives RB Ryan Mathews a little extra help with the touchdown
The #Eagles celebrate RB Ryan Mathews' touchdown
High-fives all around!
We love #EaglesNation!
RB Ryan Mathews steers through traffic
S Malcolm Jenkins comes through with a huge stop
WR Jordan Matthews is in the clear
Teamwork!
WR Jordan Matthews is off to the races
QB Sam Bradford has time to make the throw
RB Darren Sproles makes them miss
WR Riley Cooper moves quickly
RB Ryan Mathews finds the opening
S Malcolm Jenkins holds on to make the big stop
LB Kiko Alonso congratulates S Malcolm Jenkins on the stop
