For the second straight week, the Eagles had one half of good offensive football — and one half of not good offensive football.
In Week 3 against the Rams, the light came on at intermission. On Sunday against the Buccaneers, the power went out and the generator imploded during the halftime break.
In particular, the passing game disappeared in the final two quarters. After completing 15 of 16 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes of action, quarterback Jalen Hurts finished 0-for-8.
Via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Hurts attributed the first-half performance to “execution.” He used the same word, with apparently far less enthusiasm or elaboration, to explain the struggles in the second and third quarters.
The Eagles managed to fend off a Tampa Bay comeback, thanks to the performance of the defense. And Philly is now 4-0. But there are concerns about the offense, based on the first half of the Rams game and the second half of the Buccaneers game.
And it’s not just the passing game. Running back Saquon Barkley is averaging under 60 rushing yards per game, and he’s gaining 3.1 yards per carry. A year after rushing for 2,000 yards, Barkley is barely on pace to get half of that.
Still, the champs are unbeaten. The question is whether the wins are sustainable.