Eagles talking points
1. From Wentz, it came: The kid was superb again. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-3 win. He still has no turnovers. Remember: Wentz played just 1 1/2 seasons at a FCS (I-AA) college and got into just one preseason game. It is, arguably, the best start for a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
1. From Wentz, it came: The kid was superb again. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-3 win. He still has no turnovers. Remember: Wentz played just 1 1/2 seasons at a FCS (I-AA) college and got into just one preseason game. It is, arguably, the best start for a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
2. The defense rests: Actually, it never does. Dominant performances against the Browns and Bears indicated that this edition might be something special but no one predicted that it would hold the Steelers' offense, No. 4 in scoring, to three points. The Birds sacked Ben Roethlisberger four times, mostly thanks to fine coverage. Rodney McLeod's scintillating interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter was Big Ben's first pick of the season and kept that point total down. The defense has allowed 27 points in three games, best in the league.
3. Running by committee: Starter Ryan Mathews' sore ankle limited him to two runs for minus-5 yards early in the game, but backups Kenjon Barner and Wendell Smallwood combined for 121 rushing yards on 25 carries and a touchdown apiece.
4. Old man, 43: Darren Sproles' first two games were full of drops. Against the Steelers, Sproles, 33, caught six passes for 128 yards, including an improvised, 73-yard catch-and-run that made it 20-3 early in the third quarter. The 128 yards matched the second-highest total of his 12-year career and were his most since he gained 152 yards with the Eagles in Indianapolis on Sept. 15, 2014.
5. Dougie, fresh: Rookie head coach Doug Pederson was without his starting tight end, Zach Ertz. His starting running back, Ryan Mathews, was hurt and ineffective. Still, Pederson out-prepared, out-adjusted and out-coached Mike Tomlin. Meanwhile, Chip Kelly's 49ers got hammered in Seattle.
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