The Eagles Good Far Outwighs The Bad In Week 1

The Eagles started out the 2023 season with a 5-point win away from home in New England. We all know how last season ended. The 2024 season began with a 5 point win away from home in Brazil. That is where any similarities end. The Eagles 1-0 start has a different feel for so many reasons!

The Green Bay Packers were many NFL analysts surprise choice to win the NFC Championship and go to the Super Bowl. Mac Jones is not going to be confused with Jordan Love anytime soon. Traveling to South America for a game played on a makeshift skating rink isn’t like a quick jaunt to Foxboro. The Eagles faced a much more complete opponent and didn’t let any of the potential distractions cost them a win. That is a huge positive, especially after the collapse of 2023.

We can’t say enough about what Saquon Barkley did in his Eagles debut. It was a joy to watch. He was dominant and a versatile weapon in the running and passing game. Quinton Mitchell was put in a position to be challenged all night long and turned in a steady and successful performance. He looks like a player that was ready for the stage. The craziest impact came from linebacker Zack Baun. His debut after a summer of people (including myself) wondering what he was going to be was a huge lift.

Jalen Hurts ill-advised first interception of the season was followed by a fumbled snap caused by new center Sam Jurgens. That was a horrendous way to begin a season. It took them 17 minutes before generating a point. In the meantime, the defense held Green Bay to two field goals, and the impact of Vic Fangio was felt early. What last year might have unfolded as a bloody beat down, this group stood tall and capitalized on some self inflicted Packer wounds. If they let the early tsunami of errors get them down the Eagles fly back to Philly losers.

Mekhi Becton had a perfect debut at a position he has never played before. Jalen Carter was tough to control all night and faced a continual double team. Nakobe Dean just might be the type of player the Eagles thought was worthy of a third round selection.

What team is equipped to cover the Eagles two ambitious and explosive wide receivers? AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are going to be monsters. The addition of Saquon Barkley showed you how much space can now be created for them both. Brown looking like a racehorse and Smith making continual catches in heavy traffic. It was a thing of beauty.

Winning when you don’t play your best is always a great teaching tool. The students will be feeling good and attentive to messaging. There are many things to clean up and it’s not an overreaction to say that Jalen Hurts might have the most to fix. The coaching staff should have plenty of players buying in to their messages and Nick Sirianni conducted himself like a calm adult. There are many potential issues, but remember that there won’t be many more talented teams capable of exploiting them.

Football is here. We got the first game last night, and then the Eagles season kicks off tonight vs the Packers. At the start of the season, nearly every team has a reason for optimism. You haven't played any games, which means you haven't lost any games. Even the Panthers can pretend they have a chance. Everyone starts the season 0-0. Technically, the NFL season could go anywhere.

But do the Eagles have a chance? Can they bounce back from losing 7 of the last 8, and get back to the Super Bowl? Will the issues that caused last season's collapse plague them again? Will they look more like they did in 2022, or 2023?

The start of the season is the time to be bold. Make that crazy prediction. Go out on a limb. If in 18 weeks you were right, you can rub it in everyone's faces. If you are wrong, only a few people are going to actually remember to call you out for it.

That is not to say make hot takes. There is a difference between being bold and being stupid. Saying that Zack Baun will win MVP is not bold, it is dumb. Saying that AJ Brown will be traded for Patrick Surtain is not bold, it is dumb. Luckily I have not seen anyone say that though.

Related: Jalen Hurts Showing Signs He Will Be Better Vs Blitz in 2024

Bold predictions need to be backed by some facts. They are things that can reasonably happen. The staff of 97.5 The Fanatic all shared their bold predictions about the Eagles before the season kicked off. Check them out below.

But here are some more bold predictions before the season kicks off tonight. From Jalen Carter winning some hardware, a rookie outperforming expectations, to Hurts getting back to his MVP form.

I'm borrowing this one from Bill Colarulo because I agree with him. This is not a shot at Brown, or an attempt to pit them against each other. I think both guys improve their numbers from last year. But, I think Smith will improve them a bit more. They have been WRS 1a and 1b, but Brown has been more productive the past 2 seasons. I think that flips, at least the yards. Kellen Moore's scheme, where he gets his WRs in space, is going to take Smith from a top 15 WR to being a guy who can get to 1,400 yards.

Smith has shown he is a great WR already. For a small guy, he makes amazing catches in traffic and on the sidelines. He has the speed, the hands, and the smarts to be a top WR. I think he takes a major step this season.

Okay, this one is a bit of a shot at Nolan Smith. I just don't see it. I hope I am wrong. I hope he turns his elite traits into elite production. But I have now watched him be unproductive for several seasons at Georgia and then watched him fail to get on the field with the Eagles. Then he had an underwhelming camp. The speed off the edge is great, but speed alone won't get to the QB. These Tackles are quicker than ever. The problem with Smith is we have seen he doesn't have the power or tools to beat a guy when they beat him to the spot.

Hunt also has great traits, only he is bigger than Smith. He also flashed his potential way more in camp. When they drafted him at the end of the 3rd round, people assumed he was a project and we would not see him. But his camp was good enough that he may see the field. And while I am not saying he racks up double-digit sacks, I can see him getting 4 or 5 as part of the rotation. And I think 4 or 5 will eclipse what Nolan Smith gives you.

Everyone expects Carter to be good. He fell off at the end of his rookie season, but hitting a rookie wall is not unusual. Not just Eagles fans, but people around the NFL, think very highly of Carter. In fact, James Palmer told The Best Show Ever that "there are people around the league who say Jalen Carter could be Defensive Player Of The Year, that is how highly he is considered."

It is easy to see him touching double-digit sacks. Especially if Jordan Davis plays as well as he did in the first 11 games last season. Those two will determine where the defense goes. They need to do it over a full season, but there is a reason the defense fell off when those 2 did. They were so good over the first 11 games, that it made up for a lot of flaws in that defense.

The plan for Quinyon Mitchell was for him to play inside in Nickel or Dime Packages, and outside in the dime package. But Isaiah Rodgers, the guy who would start outside in the Nickel and Dime, will miss week 1. That may keep Mitchell outside a bit more often in game 1. I think he looks so great there, they don't go back. He stays outside, but not only that, by week 5, he is shadowing the other team's best WR all game long. That may mean following them inside in the case of Cee Dee Lamb.

Vic Fangio has not shied away from criticizing his players. He told us that Cooper Dejean still has work to do to catch up. He told us at the start of camp that Bryce Huff was not ready, yet, to be a full-time player. But he has continually showered Mitchell with praise. He has shown trust in him by playing him inside and outside. It is quite clear he thinks very highly of him, and he will eventually trust him with being the top corner on the team.

Gainwell will not start here. Saquon is locked in for 3 seasons. But there will be a role for him. The Eagles are not going to run Barkley into the ground the way the Giants did. Their goal will be to keep him healthy for January. So they will mix Gainwell in.

I see him being very productive in those snaps. Especially as a pass catcher. Good enough, that in what is a contract year for him, he will earn himself a starting job somewhere else for next season. Andrew DiCecco has said over and over again on our airwaves how impressive he looked in camp. We know the Eagles will utilize the RBs more in the passing game. Gainwell will certainly be part of that.

Fans for some reason don't seem to like him much. But he has 12 TDs in 3 seasons as a part-time player and averages 4.4 yards per carry. He is better than fans think. I say he proves it this year.

John Kincade predicted Hurts to set career highs across the board. Tyrone Johnson said he will set a franchise record for passing yards.  I agree. I think having a real offense to run is going to take him to the next level. He will be able to dump the ball off, throw it over the middle of the field, use motion, and now he has the tools to respond to the blitz.

Hurts was so good in 2022. I think that is closer to the real him than last year. People forget he was the MVP favorite after 11 games. But then the collapse happened. And he shared a role in that. But with these weapons, and Moore calling plays, I think the offense is elite this year. Winning it is hard because there are so many great players. but his name will be next to Mahomes, Jackson, and McCaffrey at the end of the year.