Short Yardage, Red Zone: Entering training camp, the team set out to improve its short yardage offense and red-zone production.
In Week 1, they were perfect in the latter category, scoring touchdowns on all three of the trips inside the Panthers' 20-yard line. Of course, the opportunistic defense set up a pair of scores with turnovers, setting up the offense at the Carolina 9 and 10. The other was a 10-play, 74-yard drive.
As far as short-yardage offense, Philadelphia's first offensive drive ended when Donovan McNabb threw incomplete for Brent Celek on a third-and-2 at the Carolina 47-yard line.
McNabb and Co. redeemed themselves on the first drive of the third quarter. On third-and-1 from Philadelphia's 29, Brian Westbrook ran to his right and picked up 2 yards. Midway through the quarter, following another turnover, McNabb closed out the day's scoring with his 3-yard touchdown run on a third-and-3 from the Carolina 3. On the final play of the quarter, Kevin Kolb connected with Celek over the middle for a 5-yard gain on a third-and-3 from the Eagles' 41.
In the fourth quarter, after Kolb fired incomplete for Hank Baskett, he hooked up with Celek again to convert a fourth-and-3 play from the Carolina 35. On the next drive, Kolb took a 9-yard sack on a fourth-and-1 from the Panthers' 38.
Offensive Balance: Striking an offensive balance has been an ongoing topic with the team under head coach Andy Reid. A look at Sunday's stat sheet shows the team did pretty well in Week 1.
Philadelphia ran 63 offensive plays against the Panthers and 32 of them were running plays.
In terms of big plays, the offense gained 15 or more yards on six plays. Two of those came courtesy of Westbrook bursts of 16 and 17 yards. DeSean Jackson broke off a 25-yard run on an end around and McNabb added a 15-yard run. McNabb also completed passes of 18 and 15 yards to Jason Avant and Kevin Curtis.
*-- By Bob Kent, 2:40 p.m., September 15, *
