The Eagles' Good, Bad & Ugly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — There were some things to like, a few things to dislike and still much to wonder about when it comes to the Eagles after their 23-20 escape from the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Good
Running back Darren Sproles' 1-yard TD that capped the Eagles' opening drive of the game. There is an interesting correlation here. When Sproles gets the ball, the Eagles move the ball offensively. He had two touches on the drive for 16 yards, including the scoring plunge.
Receiver Nelson Agholor scored his first career NFL touchdown when Sam Bradford hit with a 53-yard touchdown pass. This came after consecutive holding calls against left guard Dennis Kelly—and it was the first NFL touchdown scored by Agholor.
Safety Ed Reynolds' interception with 1:16 left that sealed the victory.
Reserve linebacker Bryan Braman's fumble recovery at the Buffalo 37 set up the Eagles' 14-7 go-ahead score in the second quarter.
Defensive end Fletcher Cox was having some fun with former Eagles' teammate LeSean McCoy. The two were talking it up quite a bit, but what shouldn't be lost is Cox made seven tackles and had a sack. His 10-yard tackle of McCoy for a loss with 6:43 to play pushed Buffalo back to the Bills' 10.
Linebacker Mychal Kendricks had a team-high seven tackles, including one for a one-yard loss on McCoy in the third quarter.
Tight end Zach Ertz' 41-yard reception with 4:45 left in the game, which brought the ball to the Bills' 18. It was a critical play with the game tied at 20-20. It set up Caleb Sturgis' 30-yard game-winning field goal.
Kicker Caleb Sturgis three second-half field goals of 45, 41 and 30 yards.
The Bad
Cornerback Byron Maxwell badly trailing Robert Woods on his 37-yard reception with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter. It gave Buffalo possession at the Eagles' 29.
The Eagles' defense—allowing Tyrod Taylor to scramble 14 yards on a third-and-13 at the Eagles' 33 with 1:07 left in the third quarter (Vinny Curry appeared held on the play). The following play Mike Gillislee took off 19 yards for a game-tying touchdown with :46 remaining in the third quarter, knotting the game up at 20-20. The Eagles blew a 10-point, 20-10 lead.
Tight end Brent Celek, for allowing Buffalo's Leodis McKalvin to steal the ball away from him at the Bills' 5. Matthews had the ball in his hands, and McKalvin yanked it away from him.
Receiver Nelson Agholor's drop with the Eagles sitting at the Buffalo 12 on a third-and-four.
The Ugly
Quarterback Sam Bradford taking a 15-yard sack at the 2-minute warning. The sack pushed the Eagles back to their 25, possibly giving Buffalo a chance for good field position to tie the score.
Left guard Dennis Kelly's consecutive holding calls in the second quarter. The Eagles went from the Buffalo 37, after Bryan Braman's fumble recovery, to the Bills' 47, to the Eagles' 43. Despite Kelly's holds, the Eagles were able to score, when Bradford hit Nelson Agholor with a 53-yard touchdown pass. It was Agholor's first career NFL touchdown.
Receiver Riley Cooper's personal foul call on the Eagles' sideline with 4:04 left in the third quarter. The 15-yard march-off gave Buffalo possession at the Eagles' 44. Buffalo's Marcus Thigpen's 14-yard return wound up being a 29-yard Buffalo gain after the Cooper penalty.