2024 Week 2: Falcons 22, Eagles 21
As we all saw on Monday Night, the Falcons stole a win from the Eagles thanks to Saquon Barkley dropping a wide-open pass that would have been a first down and the end of the game.
The hero from Week 1 is now the villain Week 2. Instead the Falcons, who struggled all night to move the ball, fired off big-play after big-play and took the lead with 34 seconds to go.
That final drive was the Kirk Cousins that we are all used to seeing, not this immobile/inaccurate version we’ve had to start 2024. Teams may need to reevaluate how they prepare their QBs during preseason, so many of the big name veterans are starting out slow: Burrow, Mahomes, Cousins, Allen, Hurts, to name a few.
=====================================
QB Report:
- Kirk Cousins (20/29 for 241 yards, 2 TD) finally found some life on the game-winning drive. During the Manningcast Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan were discussing briefly between plays how when they change teams and are learning a new offense, the easiest time to make the offense work is the two-minute drill. That was true with the Buccaneers and Brady, who had a slow start. This was the same in this game.
- Jalen Hurts (23/30 for 183 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 13 rushes for 85-1) is also off to a slow start, and with AJ Brown out this offense was stagnant. The Falcons and Eagles are at the same level in my mind. Especially offensively.
RB Report:
- Bijan Robinson (14-97-0, 4 catches for 25-0/5) had 14 carries and Tyler Algeier (9-53-0, 1 catch for 12 yards) had 9 carries. I like that FALCSON OC is able to recognize that both of them are good and as effective as one another, this should be one of the best RB duos if used that way and it seems to be heading that way
- Saquon Barkley (22-95-0, 4 catches for 21 yards) cost the Eagles their win. He was brought in to win games and hasn’t done it yet. I’ve seen Barkley drop that exact pass multiple times throughout his career so I’m not totally shocked, but you need to make that catch if you’re one of the most expensive backs in the league.
WR/TE Report:
- Devonta Smith (7-76-1/10) had a nice game with AJ Brown out, as he always does. Smith is the only thing that was working in this passing game outside of Barkley. Dallas Goedert (3-38-0/4) is a fine offensive player but he isn’t a game changing tight end.
- Britain Covey (6-23-0/6) had good targeting but I don’t see anything there with him, he’s the starting slot in Philly but he probably shouldn’t be.
- Darnell Mooney (3-88-1/7) had 3 catches, and most of his work was late in the 4th quarter. Mooney looks very good and is often open. Drake London (6-54-1/7) seems like the #1 for now but Mooney may take over that role later in the season. London looks more like a tight end than a wide receiver.
- Kyle Pitts (3-20-0/4) continues to frustrate, he‘s so freakishly athletic but for some reason it never works for him. Pitts is just an option in this offense, not the focus. With that being said, the Chiefs have allowed massive numbers to the tight end so far this year, spawning a craze over Isaiah Likely Week 1 and now Mike Gesicki this week. Pitts is poised for a big game this week.
D/ST Report:
- The Eagles best defensive player is Zach Baun, but they’ve committed to recreating the Georgia defense. On the final drive of the game none of their big early draft-pick Bulldogs made an attempt at disrupting the march down field.
- Zack Baun (9 tackles) impresses yet again, he’s always around the ball.
