Eagles numerology

The number of drops by Eagles receivers in the first seven games, including a season-high eight against the Panthers. That's three more than they had all last season. Jordan Matthews has a team-high 6, including two more on Sunday. Running backs Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews each have five. DeMarco Murray, who, like Matthews, had two drops Sunday, has four. Not all of Sam Bradford's passes have been perfect strikes. But all 28 drops were catchable balls, including the one Matthews missed in the first quarter Sunday that ended up being intercepted.

The Panthers' total number of rushing first downs against the Eagles. The Eagles came into the game allowing a league-best 3.8 rushing first downs per game. Hadn't given up more than five in a game this season. They were third in rushing average (3.5 yards per carry). Hadn't given up an individual 100-yard rusher in 18 games. But Jonathan Stewart and the Panthers gashed the Eagles for 204 yards. Stewart rushed for 125 on 24 carries. Seventy-nine of those 204 yards came on two carries - a 36-yard counter through a gaping hole in the Eagles' defense on Carolina's first possession, which led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Mike Tolbert, and a 43-yard reverse by wide receiver Ted Ginn that set up another Panthers' touchdown. The Eagles gave up five double-digit-yard runs.

The number of points the Eagles' offense squeezed out of three takeaways by the defense. Nolan Carroll's first-quarter interception resulted in a punt. The best they could produce from Malcolm Jenkins' and Byron Maxwell's second- and third-quarter interceptions was a pair of field goals by Caleb Sturgis. The Eagles, who have a league-high 19 takeaways, were 0-for-2 in the red zone against Carolina. They're 4-for-11 in the last three games and are tied for 22nd in red-zone touchdown percentage (47.6).

Sam Bradford's yards-per-attempt average on third down. It's the worst in the league. Bradford had his best third-down day of the season Sunday, completing eight of 15 passes and throwing for six first downs on third down. In the previous six games he had a total of 13. Tight end Zach Ertz, who led the team in third-down catches for first downs last season (21), caught his first two of the season from Bradford on Sunday. But Bradford's 15 third-down attempts produced just 63 yards.

The number of "X'' plays- pass plays of 20 or more yards - that the Eagles' defense gave up. Cam Newton only completed 14 passes, but 121 of his 197 passing yards came on those five plays. He averaged 8.2 yards per attempt. His 25-yard completion to Philly Brown on the Panthers' first possession set up Mike Tolbert's 2-yard touchdown run. And his back-to-back 20- and 28-yard throws to Ted Ginn and tight end Greg Olsen respectively on the Panthers' first possession of the second half set up a 2-yard touchdown pass from Newton to Tolbert that gave Carolina a 21-3 lead.

Blog: eagletarian.com