Sunday was more than a win for the Eagles in the sense that they were the big boys on the block in a battle of two of the more physical teams in the NFL. It was a win in every way and some of the aspects of the win stick out.
Let's take a look as we Clean Out the Notebook from a 27-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers that was more than a Battle Of Pennsylvania …
1. Offense finds its groove early
It made a difference as the Eagles came out smoking on offense and then finished the game with an incredible, clock-consuming drive (more on that later). The early success? It was very real. The Eagles had 148 total yards and 10 points in the first quarter, both season highs.
As the Steelers did all they could to take away Saquon Barkley and the running game, quarterback Jalen Hurts made plays in the passing game throughout the first half. He completed 12 of 13 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns with a 153 passer rating in the first half.
"Jalen did a great job of (adjusting) when we couldn't get the run game going the way we wanted to," Head Coach Nick Sirianni said. "I'd say, again, Pittsburgh held teams to 90 yards rushing, and I know we had more than that. So, we still were able to run the ball against a very good front, very good defense.
"But we were able to throw it in those scenarios. Again, we're going to focus on what we need to do, not what everybody else thinks we need to do. Our focus and our main thing for each and every week is how do we win this football game? Today we had to pass for 290 yards, and that was just a great job by our guys."
2. Final Drive: 21 plays, 99 yards, clock winds down to 0:00
Ending the game in victory formation is always the goal, but the WAY the Eagles did it on Sunday was rather remarkable. They had the ball at their 2-yard line after a penalty with 10 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the game and the thinking was: Move the chains. And the Eagles did just that, gaining five first downs, moving 99 yards (88 in net yards with 11 yards of penalties included in that 99 yards), and dashing any Pittsburgh hopes.
The goal is always, always, always to start fast and finish strong. Sunday was a prime example of that as the Eagles mixed the run and pass on the final drive to dominate.
"We've been able to do that a couple of times this year. It was crucial," Hurts said. "Hats off to Saquon, being able to do that all year in those moments. (RB Kenneth Gainwell) Kenny stepping up and making some of the plays he made tonight, not foreign to that at all. And just putting it all together."
3. Is it possible the defense keeps getting better and better?
We've seen it throughout the season – the Eagles are playing outstanding defensive football. The performance on Sunday was extraordinary and the numbers prove it. The Eagles held Pittsburgh to 163 total yards (107 passing, 56 rushing).
That's total yards.
For the game.
How bad was it for the Steelers? The offensive output was the Steelers' lowest in a single game since September 19, 2010 at Tennessee (127 total net yards). The Eagles did not allow a first down during Pittsburgh's first five possessions. The Eagles are the only team in the NFL to hold three opponents under 175 total yards in a game this season (119 at N.Y. Giants, 146 at Dallas, and 163 vs. Pittsburgh). The Eagles additionally have held five different opponents to no more than 150 passing yards.
"We're just playing our game," linebacker Nakobe Dean said. "Team defense. Everybody playing a part, doing his job."
On Monday, Sirianni said the defense was playing "relentless, getting to the football" style and it's true.
4. More on Jalen Hurts: Do you understand the kind of season he's having?
The numbers are mind-boggling when you step back and look at Jalen Hurts and his 2024 season, and on Monday, again, Sirianni said that Hurts should be "in the MVP conversation." Most people out there dismiss this, but Sirianni talks about Hurts' efficiency, his ball security, and "playing quarterback. Things that are kind of unseen, too. Situational football."
Now, for some numbers: In this 10-game winning streak, a franchise record, Hurts has averaged 8.7 yards per pass attempt, has 14 touchdown passes to one interception, and a total of 26 offensive touchdowns in those games. As a passer, he has compiled a 115.5 passer rating. Hurts has 14 rushing touchdowns, most in the NFL, and he has back-to-back seasons with 14-plus touchdowns on the ground.
5. Eagles sweep the AFC North
Philadelphia went 4-0 against the AFC North Division – Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh – and that means something to the team and to Hurts.
"Obviously, there's a ton of respect for that division and how they play ball. We knew that when we played the Browns, Bengals, Steelers, and Ravens," he said. "That multiplicity that we talk about, I think that's also in our style of play. And being able to play physical, play fast, play in space, all of these different ways. We just want to continue to get better in all of those things."
6. Injury Updates: Later in week
Sirianni did not offer injury updates on the team, saying those will come later in the week. Left guard Landon Dickerson left the game and did not return after suffering a knee injury. Barkley missed some reps in the first half but returned to the game in the second half. Safety/special teams ace Sydney Brown left the game with a head injury. All of those injuries will be updated when the team returns to the practice field on Wednesday.
