10 Takeaways from the Eagles win over the Washington Racial Slurs

For The Racist In Your Life

(As always, we don't say the name, and neither should you. If we all don't say the name, the name doesn't exist.)

10) The most striking thing to me in this game was just how predictable / timid / terrible HC Doug Pederson's play calling was. With the better team, he goes up-tempo once -- once -- in the entire game. After bad things happened, safe running plays were called. When the ball was between the 40s, that's when the trickeration happened, usually to disastrous levels. Power formations led to power handoffs, because NFL defenses never do well when they get to defend less ground. And so on, and so on. He played this game not to lose, but his team was so much better than their opponent, they won. But had they choked it at the close, it would have been on the coach. Something to file away for later.

9) I don't know who the guy in Nelson Agholor's jersey is, but I like him a hell of a lot better than tragic Little Nell from years past. We're just going to call him Aggy now. Aggy could actually be a player, and looked for all the world like a better WR3 than Jordan Matthews would have been. The touchdown was broken coverage and easy, but the near second score, where he tipped the high ball to himself? Would have never happened in years past.

8) Did someone trick Zach Ertz into thinking the team was out of playoff contention, and the game was actually in December? Dude was beastly time and again in this game, although still useless in the red zone. Good to see some things don't change.

7) I was sick to my stomach to see CB Ronald Darby go off on the cart, but the word is that it's a dislocated ankle, which means his season might not be over. The back ups played well in his stead, but there's a world of difference between DC's WRs and Kansas City's, who is next up on the schedule, on the road, with extra rest. Jason Peters and Caleb Sturgis were also nicked up, but seemingly, not terminal. With Peters, at this stage in his career, you never know.

6) I don't want to get too ahead of my skis here, but the man crush on Carson Wentz is growing, because the man keeps making me think of Aaron Rodgers. He wasn't perfect today, and the underthrown deep balls are a consistent concern, but the mobility in the pocket while still keeping his eyes downfield is a joy to watch.

5) The Eagles brought LeGarrete Blount here to salt away late leads and bang in short scores, and as he didn't do either of those things today, the RB situation remains worrisome. But at least we're keeping the Darren Sproles use down to its effective level, and Blount's catch and score was a welcome surprise for a guy who almost never contributes in the passing game.

4) I was thrilled and shocked to see the killshot defensive touchdown not get called back on review, because that kind of thing always gets called back in review. Regardless of whether QB Kirk Cousins' arm was moving forward or not, or if the ball was going backwards, at some point you just need to give the defense its due for making a play.

3) This was the Eagles' first win in five (gulp) tries against this DC team, and they may have continued to grease the skids for Cousins to leave town. Dude was awful today, missing a lot of open targets, failing in ball security, leaving himself open to extra hits for meaningless yards and in general, playing the way he does most of the time against the *rest* of the NFL. Good to see.

2) I watched the game in a nice enough sports bar here in Fremont, CA, where I'm living again for work, and as always, 10am football is delightful. I ate a big dumb breakfast, laughed at Idiot Ex-Patriate Browns Fan (dear God in heaven, Ex-Patriate Browns Fan is the absolute worst), then toddled off to the gym to sweat off the breakfast while watching the Niners derp away a game. (Well, that part isn't so great; would have much rather seen the Packers-Seahawks game between Real Teams.) NFL games ending before sunlight goes away makes this seem like much less of a vice, honestly.

1) Next week, the Eagles go to Kansas City to visit the suddenly terrifying Chiefs, who have extra rest, the better coach, a ton of speedy weapons to throw at a team that just lost CB1, and a historic home-field advantage that will be in full throat. For everyone that doesn't ever want to think Week 1 games are must win, I submit that this one... was.