The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense finally showed *some* competence against the Dallas Cowboys on October 26, but let’s be real, putting up only 21 points against a “terrible” Cowboys defense is not exactly a reason to throw a party. After grabbing a 21-20 lead in the third quarter, the Eagles completely stalled, failing to score a single point for the rest of the game.
A Rollercoaster of ‘Almost’
Look, after weeks of offensive struggles, there were definitely flashes of good football from the Eagles. They racked up 321 total yards, with touchdown drives of 75, 76, and 84 yards. For once this season, the offense actually gave folks more to feel positive about than the defense. That’s a wild sentence to even write given how things have been. The ground game showed some life, with a positive EPA of +0.05 per play, which is better than nothing. But the passing game? Still in the red at -0.11 EPA per play. It screams inconsistency, doesn’t it? They’ll make you believe, and then they’ll leave you hanging, especially when they need to drop back and throw.
Mannion’s Guts and Barkley’s Brilliance
Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion, bless his heart, opened the game with an under-center play-action call, a move the critics have been begging them to stop forcing. And what do you know? It worked, completing a pass even against pressure! You gotta respect Mannion’s guts for sticking with an approach he clearly believes in, especially after that first snap easily could have gone sideways. But hold on, the tape shows the Eagles still blowing protection and giving up a free rusher right at Tanner McKee. The downfield routes weren’t there, but McKee found the open man in the flat, a completely uncovered Barkley. Good on McKee for finding the answer, but it’s not exactly proof that all the offense’s underlying issues have magically vanished.
Speaking of Barkley, the guy is an absolute superstar. Even at what looked like 80% healthy, he was undeniably the best offensive player on the field. His vision, his uncanny ability to make defenders miss, it just changes everything for that offense. You watch him run, and you know a fully healthy Barkley would have punched it in for six on plays where he’s still coming up short. That tells you everything you need to know about how good he is, and how obvious it was he wasn’t quite at 100%. Even Dickerson, not quite the dominant force he once was, still understands how to create space and makes a difference.
So, what’s next for the Eagles after this uneven performance? They showed glimmers of hope, particularly with Barkley’s impact and a few well-executed drives, but the ultimate failure to score after taking a lead is just brutal. It is going to take a lot more than this to convince anyone that this offense is truly “well-designed and well-coached.” They’ve got to find a way to finish games, to get some answers when the passing game is called upon late, or it’s going to be a long season of ‘almost there’ moments.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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