With a fourth-quarter efficiency that suffocated the hope out of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles reminded the NFL world why they need to be thought-about one of many favorites to get again to the Tremendous Bowl.
Between a landing drive that ended throughout the first minute of the ultimate quarter and a 21-play, 88-yard drive that ate up the ultimate 10:29 of the competition, the Eagles by no means let the Steelers have any type of reasonable probability of creating a comeback in what was a 27-13 assertion win inside Lincoln Monetary Discipline.
Taking up at their very own 3-yard line with 10:29 left, a false begin penalty pushed the Eagles again to the two. If the Steelers had been going to get again into the sport, the protection was given a golden alternative with area place to present Russell Wilson and the offense an opportunity to chop into the lead.
The Eagles, nevertheless, merely would not let that occur. Between the passing of Jalen Hurts and the working of MVP hopeful Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia proved that it has the weapons to maintain the opposing offense off the sector when the sport issues most.
Whereas Philadelphia’s passing sport has been on the heart of plenty of conversation this past week, it was the aerial assault that was the important thing to the Eagles’ remaining and decisive drive of the evening. Hurts related on 4 passes of 10 yards or longer on the ultimate drive, together with a 21-yard connection to A.J. Brown on Third-and-6 that breathed life into the drive early on.
Philadelphia’s remaining three drives of the evening all milked the clock, preserving Wilson sidelined and the Steelers protection attempting to guess what was coming subsequent. In all, Philadelphia had the ball for 11:12 of the fourth quarter’s quarter-hour.
Eagles’ final 3 drives:
– 13 performs, 47 yards, 7:08, FG
– 13 performs, 74 yards, 6:33, TD
– 21 performs, 88 yards, 10:29, finish of sport— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 16, 2024
These are the sorts of numbers that ought to give Eagles followers loads of optimism within the weeks forward. If Philadelphia can unleash Barkley on the bottom and add in a potent and efficient passing assault, it’s a mixture that can preserve opposing defensive coordinators up at evening.
Winners of 10 in a row, the Eagles will end the regular-season slate with three divisional matchups, together with the ultimate two video games at residence in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. That units up effectively for the Eagles to chase the NFC’s high seed and a possible first-round bye within the postseason.
That is the long run, nevertheless. For now, the Eagles can prep for Sunday’s sport in Washington in opposition to the Commanders with the arrogance that, if they’ve the lead late, they’ve the offensive rhythm and weapons to shut out any contest, similar to they did in opposition to the Steelers.
