Players are trending in opposite directions after the Philadelphia Eagles win over Green Bay. Here are two players looking to feed off stellar performances, while two others look to boomerang back from underwhelming outputs.
Eagles Two Trending Up & Two Trending Down
Trending Up – Miles Sanders
While the story of Sunday night was undoubtedly Quarterback Jalen Hurts, Running back Miles Sanders gets the nod here. The 25-year-old back notched a season-high 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a big win against the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday night. The former Penn State ball carrier also surpassed his season-high for rushing yards which now sits at an impressive 900 for the year. Sanders is fifth in the league in rushing yards while tied for fifth (with Hurts) in rushing touchdowns in his remarkable 2022 season.
All told, this Philadelphia Eagles rushing attack put up 363 rushing yards. That total ranks second in team history for yards in a game, trailing only the 1949 team with 374 against Washington. In conclusion, with Sanders in a contract year, he has certainly made his presence felt within the Eagles’ high-octane offense. Look for Sanders to stomp his way toward 1,000 this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
Trending Up – Reed Blankenship
Eagles Rookie Safety Reed Blankenship greatly impacted the game for the Philadelphia Eagles in their win over Green Bay. When Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson exited the game with what we now know as a kidney injury, Blankenship was thrust into the starting role for Philly. He made the most of it. The defensive back out of Middle Tennessee State led the team in tackles with six while adding an interception off Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
While the undrafted free agent made a big mistake, taking a wrong angle against Packers Wide Receiver Christian Watson on a touchdown reception, he played solid in relief of Gardner-Johnson on short notice. With CGJ expected to miss significant time with a lacerated kidney, look for Blankenship to see his fair share of snaps, potentially as a starter, in the Eagles’ secondary moving forward.
Trending Down – Special Teams Coverage Unit
While it’s difficult to pinpoint a single player on kickoff and punt returns to point the blame, this Philadelphia Eagles secondary struggled against Green Bay. This past Sunday, the Packers kickoff returner Keisean Nixon ripped off returns of 38 yards and 53 yards, respectively. Nixon averaged 34.4 yards per return against this porous coverage unit in Philadelphia.
Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay will need to get his coverage unit back on track ahead of this Sunday’s hotly-contested matchup at Lincoln Financial Field. While his unit has not cost the Eagles a game this season, the continued subpar play could come back to bite the NFC’s number one seed before seasons end.
Trending Down – Jack Stoll
Eagle’s second-year Tight End Jack Stoll is trending down after another dissatisfactory performance this week. The UDFA out of Nebraska played 64 snaps against the Packers but failed to register a catch. Furthermore, Stoll was not targeted once throughout the game. While the Eagles featured more than 11 personnel in the absence of Tight End Dallas Goedert, Stoll was used as an in-line blocker for most of the game. The 24-year-old pass-catcher will look to bounce back after two underwhelming performances in the past two weeks.
Wrapping Things Up
On offense, their Quarterback is playing at an MVP level, the rushing attack is among the most potent in the league, and the offensive line grades out of the top unit in the NFL. Sanders has proven he deserves the bulk of the workload when rushing the ball within the confines of the offense. His strong, shifty running ability has set up the offense for sustained success this season.
Adversely, Stoll will need to get back on track as the number one option at the TE spot. This Eagles team is missing their playmaking tight end, and Stoll will need to fill that void in the meantime.
Switching to defense, Blankenship looks to build on an impressive performance in prime time against Green Bay. While Philadelphia will need to figure out a long-term solution at the safety position in the absence of Gardner-Johnson, Blankenship looks to be the short-term Band-Aid. Look for Blankenship to continue asserting himself in the Eagles’ secondary.
As we wrap up with this Philadelphia team, the special teams unit for the Eagles needs to clean up gaping holes in coverage. This unit has given up excellent field positions to its opponents weekly, making certain drives challenging to defend. Continued practice and correcting mistakes will be crucial to the success of this unit moving forward in 2022.
The Philadelphia Eagles soar into week 13 with a full head of steam with the potential to clinch a playoff spot. Look for these Eagles players mentioned above to capitalize on their momentum and energy as Philly welcomes the 7-4 Tennessee Titans to town this Sunday.
