The Philadelphia Eagles steamrolled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-11 on Monday night, gaining 472 total yards, including 201 rushing and racking up 27 first downs. Yet, there is something just a fraction off with the offense.
The Eagles stalled at the 14-yard-line on the opening drive of the game, turning it over on downs. They made it to the 18-yard-line on the next drive before settling for a field goal. Philly went 1 of 5 in the red zone, and Jalen Hurts, playing through flu-like symptoms, tossed two interceptions as the passing game continues to ride an early roller coaster.
It's a sign of a monster program that Philly can dismantle opponents despite not playing its best through three weeks.
"It's a growth process. We're not a final product yet," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said after the game on Monday. "Everybody wants us to be a final product now, but it's a growth. You want to grow every day, so we're not going to be playing our best football until we get going into the season. We still [have] things to work on, and we still [have] growth to do. If you're truly in the mindset of getting better every day -- if you're truly in that mindset of getting better every day, which I know that we are on this team, you're going to continue to rise. You're going to keep getting better."
Good NFL teams spend the early part of a season finding out what that year's collection does best, then congeal down the stretch. The top-flight clubs collect wins along the way.
"Are we playing our best offensive football right now? No, and we shouldn't be yet, and it's a growth," Sirianni added. "All the teams are growing and no one's playing the best football that they should be playing right now. I've been pleased with where we are."
The Eagles are built to dominate the trenches. Each week, they've owned the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Rookie Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and the rest of the D-Line destroyed the Bucs on Monday night. Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens, Jordan Mailata and others on the O-line controlled the contest, leading a ridiculous 15-play, 9:22 drive to close the game.
The ability to win with the "big uglies" has covered injury issues in the secondary and a passing attack that hasn't hit its stride yet.
"I think whether we win or lose, I don't think I'll ever be satisfied," Hurts said on Monday. "That's always the mentality. So, there's an eagerness always -- win, lose, or draw -- to get better."
Philly is one of three 3-0 clubs to start the season. And there is room to get better. That should be a scary thought for the rest of the NFC.
