THREE-AND-OUT: Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and an Unsung CB
PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles get to catch their breath this weekend before diving into a second-half schedule that begins with two road games then a four-game stretch against some of the best teams the NFC has to offer: home against the Seahawks, at the Packers, home against the Saints, at the Cardinals.
At least the Eagles can breathe a bit easier during their bye week after finding a way to beat the Cowboys, 23-9, on Sunday night. Their two-game winning streak improved their record to 3-4-1 and keeps them in first place halfway through the season.
“The season, it's a marathon,” said head coach Doug Pederson a day after a win that made him 4-5 against the Cowboys. “It's long, right? It's not a sprint. You don't sprint to the finish. Are we where we want to be? Yeah, we're in first place in the NFC East, but at 3-4-1, it could easily be the other way, right?
“It could be 4-3-1 or 5-3 or whatever it could be. But there's a lot of positive that we see as coaches on the inside that give us the encouragement and the opportunity to get better as a team.”
Here’s my three-and-out from Sunday night:
FIRST DOWN
Excellence of Brandon Graham. The veteran defensive end continues to play big. He notched his seventh sack of the season, which is third highest in the league behind Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald, each of whom have nine.
The sack came after the Cowboys had reached the Eagles’ 4-yard line and, after a three-yard loss on a running play, were staring at second-and-goal at the 7 and already leading 3-0. Dallas had good field position after a Carson Wentz fumble gave it the ball at the 25.
Graham rumbled past right tackle Terence Steele and drilled quarterback Ben DiNucci, popping the ball loose, which Graham promptly fell on.
The DE haunts the Cowboys. In 17 career games has eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries.
This latest turnover was turned into Jalen Reagor’s first career touchdown, on a 2-yard throw, though it required a 10-play, 83-yard drive that spanned 5 minutes, 46 seconds to make it happen.
There won’t be a Pro Bowl game this year due to COVID-19, but players were still be nominated for the honor. Graham, who finished with four tackles and a QB hit, should be well on pace to receiving his first bid.
SECOND DOWN
Javon Hargrave sighting. This may have been the best game Hargrave has played since coming on board as a free agent in the offseason. It was Hargrave who tackled Ezekiel Elliott for a 3-yard loss after the Cowboys sat at first-and-goal on the 4 and right before Graham’s strip-sack fumble.
The defensive tackle came up big on a third-one submarining to wrap up Elliott’s legs for no gain. The Cowboys picked up the first on fourth down, but on the same drive, it was Hargrave who chased DiNucci, who was rolling to his left on fourth-and-two inside Eagles territory to his left and deflected the QB’s attempted throw.
Hargrave also was in the backfield when T.J. Edwards had a strip sack-fumble that led to Rodney McLeod’s 53-yard scoop-and-score to virtually seal the game.
Hargrave had two tackles, but his impact was felt beyond those numbers.
THIRD DOWN
The Unsung. That would be cornerback Michael Jacquet. When Darius Slay left after 28 snaps, the rookie entered the game, his first taste of action on an NFL defense.
The undrafted free agent, who has good size at 6-1, 203 pounds, was elevated from the practice squad with Cre’Von LeBlanc and Craig James ruled out on Friday. The former Ragin Cajun from Louisiana ended up playing 30 snaps (38 percent) and still, Amari Cooper’s name was never heard.
Cooper had just one catch for five yards on five targets. He entered the game as the second leading receiver in yards receiving in the NFL.
Jacquet, meanwhile, had four tackles and one pass defended.
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