Eagles soar and the Chiefs come back
After beating the Jags, questions arise. Questions like: Are the Eagles the best team in the league right now? And: What will happen to Jalen Hurts? It's been a little while since the Eagles have been on top. After all, they had a muddy quarterback situation for a while, they had an ugly wide receiver situation for a while, they had a horrible defense for a while, and they had a record that reflected all these terrible things for a while. But after Tua Tagovailoa went down against Cincinnati, and the Dolphins fell to 3-1, the Eagles shone and made a statement. Everyone now knows the number one team. With Hurts playing the NFL world had better watch out.
At the same time, the Eagles aren't invincible, and that's important. I'm never an optimist concerning sports, and I'm certainly not going to change now. The Eagles are weak. As I pointed out last week, the Eagles vary in their attacks, and that will come back to bite them. Their passing game was not so great. A.J. Brown paved the way with 95 receiving yards, but DeVonta Smith mustered only 17. Not to mention Jalen Hurt's pick -six. It was Miles Sanders career day that made the difference. He sprinted for 134 yards, averaged five yards per attempt and had two touchdowns. Jalen Hurts also added a rushing touchdown and the Eagles destroyed Jacksonville on the ground. The Jaguars are an excellent team, with an excellent secondary, but even though Philadelphia won, they still need to be more consistent.
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| Miles Sanders rushed for 134 yards and had two touchdowns |
It was the defense that really solidified Philly's win. Trevor Lawrence threw a pick to James Bradberry, and Haason Reddick had two strip sacks. Lawrence fumbled the ball four times and threw under 200 yards. Philly's defensive line bottled up running back James Robinson, as he only had 29 rushing yards. The secondary also played Christian Kirk nicely for no touchdowns and 60 yards, most of which came off a 45 yard reception. Although the Eagles allowed 14 points in the first quarter, they finished strong and took down a hot Jaguars team.
The Steelers and Cardinals are lessons to learn from. In the 2021 season, Arizona started out 7-0 before losing to Green Bay, and only winning 4 of the next nine games, and losing in the Wild Card round. In 2020, the Steelers were on fire, as they won their first 11 games. But then they lost to Washington and lost three of their next four games. Oh, and they also lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
It's not difficult. Just because you cruise to some victories in the first couple games you play, doesn't guarantee any playoff success, let alone a Super Bowl. It is common to start out hot, and finish cold, and the Eagles are not exempt.
As much as I have griped about the Eagles, everyone has to admit that they are the best team in the NFC as of now, and have a relatively easy schedule ahead of them. Going across the country, are the Chiefs, who, as I would say, are the best team in the AFC right now.
The Ravens had a lot to add to the topic, but their burnout against the Bills is embarrassing and telling. They rocketed to 20 points over the first two quarters, but the Bill scored 23 unanswered points and Lamar Jackson threw two interceptions. The Bills narrowly beat Baltimore, but a win is a win. Regardless, Buffalo can not really be compared to Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes, in my opinion, is the best quarterback in the league. Tom Brady has a cannon arm, but is slow and old. Aaron Rodgers has a cannon arm but cannot lead his team far into the playoffs. Jalen Hurts is fast, agile, and resilient, but has a weak arm, and relies too heavily on his legs. Lamar Jackson is fast, but also can't lead his team very far. Josh Allen is really a mini version of Patrick Mahomes.
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| Mahomes passed for nearly 250 yards and tossed three touchdowns |
Excellent eyesight and awareness, as well as a rare combination of raw speed, athleticism, and strength are what defines these two quarterbacks. However, Patrick Mahomes's ability to extend plays and escape oncoming defensive lineman, that his weak offensive line often lets through, separates Mahomes and Allen. The Chiefs beat the Bucs, a sort of revenge game if you will from Kansas City's disastrous Super Bowl. Mahomes threw three touchdowns to guide his team to the win. Kansas City are on top of a mediocre AFC West division, and in my mind, on top of the AFC.
These two teams are at the top right now. They have all the factors, and are leading their conferences. However, the Eagles, with their 4-0 record, look like the better team.
The First Photo is taken from The Philadelphia Eagles.com. 10/3/2022. Photographer not given.
The Second Photo is taken from The Kansas City Star 10/3/2022. Photographer not given and Photo not on website.
Images used for commentary
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