What I saw: Eagles vs. Jets
Here's what I saw during the Eagles' 45-19 win over the Jets at the Linc Sunday afternoon.
Oh, and if you're wondering about what needs to happen for the Eagles to win the NFC East, click here.
OFFENSE
* After struggling last week against the Dolphins, Michael Vick bounced back with a strong performance, completing 15-of-22 passes for 274 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also ran five times for 32 yards and a score. It was Vick's first rushing touchdown of the season.
* Brent Celek had the Eagles' first offensive touchdown with a great 26-yard catch that he tipped to himself in the first quarter. Earlier in the first, he had a 38-yard catch and run. Then in the third quarter, Celek had a 73-yard catch and run to set up a touchdown. He finished with five catches on six targets for a career-high 156 yards.
* LeSean McCoy finished with 102 yards on 18 carries, including three touchdowns. He now holds the franchise records for rushing TDs in a season (17) and total TDs (20). McCoy lost his first fumble of the season in the second quarter, setting up a Jets field goal. Entering this week, McCoy was the only running back among the league's top-10 rushers who had not lost a fumble.
* McCoy, Dion Lewis and Ronnie Brown all carried the ball on the Eagles' first scoring drive. Lewis, who has been unimpressive as a return man this season, fumbled on a kickoff return in the second quarter. It was the Eagles' second special-teams turnover. Curtis Marsh also touched a punt in the first half, and the Jets recovered. Eagles special teams gave up a big kickoff return to start the second half, which gave the Jets the ball at their own 42. Not a good showing by Bobby April's group.
* DeSean Jackson's 16-yard catch against Darrelle Revis got the Eagles in the red zone in the second and set up Vick's 11-yard touchdown run, which gave the Eagles a 21-0 lead. Jackson also chased down the Jets defender on after McCoy's fumble. He finished with two catches for 28 yards and left the game temporarily with an elbow injury before returning.
* The offensive line, which played perhaps its worst game of the season last week against the Dolphins, rebounded well, providing Vick with good protection and doing a good job in the run game as well.
DEFENSE
* The Eagles' defense forced four turnovers, and the Jets were 1-for-4 in the red zone. Entering the game, the Jets were the top red-zone offense in the league, and the Eagles' defense was 30th. This was the Eagles' second good defensive performance in a row. They held the Dolphins to 10 points last week.
* Kurt Coleman put a nice hit on Santonio Holmes, forcing a fumble, which Juqua Parker recovered and returned 47 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Parker lined up at defensive tackle with the second group because Trevor Laws was inactive. Brandon Graham played left defensive end, and Philip Hunt was at right defensive end. Darryl Tapp was also inactive. Hunt had a sack in the second quarter.
* Jason Babin blew right by the right tackle for his 16th sack of the season in the first quarter. Later in the first, Babin lined up like a blitzing linebacker and picked up another sack. Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins lined up at defensive end on the third-down play, which forced a Jets punt. We saw the Eagles use this formation last week as well. Babin added a third sack in the third, giving him 18 on the season.
* Casey Matthews did a good job, dropping LaDainian Tomlinson for a 4-yard loss after a completion in the first. He later brought Tomlinson down short of the first-down marker, forcing the Jets to settle for a field goal late in the first half. Overall, it looked like the linebackers played much better. Jamar Chaney had an interception. And Keenan Clayton made a nice play to break up a third-down pass in the second quarter, forcing the Jets to settle for a field goal.
* Joselio Hanson played more in the nickel in place of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for much of the first half, just like last week. When Asante Samuel left the game late in the second quarter, Rodgers-Cromartie replaced him at left cornerback. Rodgers-Cromartie made a great break on the ball in the third. The ball popped up in the air, and Chaney came away with the interception.
* Samuel was called for pass interference in the first. He was lined up in the slot to the right side on the play. Nnamdi Asomugha was called for pass interference, trying to defend Plaxico Burress in the second. He also got beat by Burress, who made a great catch, on a 9-yard touchdown in the third.
* Mark Sanchez's pass went right through Holmes' hands in the red zone in the first half, and Samuel came away with the interception.
* Holmes got open against Brian Rolle for a 25-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman were nearby too, but neither safety made a play.
* On 3rd-and-2 in the second, Sanchez was looking to hand the ball off, but the running back wasn't expecting it. Sanchez dove for the first-down marker, but Patterson forced a fumble, and the Eagles recovered, taking over at the New York 17.
* Trent Cole dropped back in coverage and got beat by Dustin Keller for a 41-yard gain in the second. The Eagles haven't run a lot of zone blitzes this season, but they got burned on this one.
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