Jay Ajayi: Eagles should have run more vs. Vikes

To their credit, numerous players are owning their mistakes.

Some call it a Super Bowl hangover. This issue isn’t just a one-week thing but an every week occurrence. Though, it seems, the Eagles have. They have a losing record and lost back-to-back games for the first time since 2016. That is, until Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph TURNED ON THE JETS!

If it wasn’t dropped passes, it was faulty blocking. “It’s not just the o-line, it’s not just me, it’s not just the backs”. For starters, it was questionable whether or not he even hit Cousins low.

Michael Bennet and Eagles fans were not happy with a roughing call on a drive that ended with a Vikings touchdown.

The Vikings are now crushing the Eagles, 20-3. The Eagles were only able to muster 22 yards rushing.

Non-garbage time stat line: 19/29, 255 yards, one touchdown. Meh.

Fox Philly analyst Garry Cobb seems to have a solution that may get the Eagles out of their funk. But more mistakes cost them. On first-and-goal at the Vikings 6, linebacker Eric Kendricks stripped running back Jay Ajayi and recovered the fumble at the 5. They bounced back against the Super Bowl Champion Eagles this week beating them 23-21, with a lot of help from star wide receiver Adam Thielen. One play that wasn’t ruled a pass could really have hurt the Vikings. The Eagles, however, did nothing with the turnover. Well for starters there isn’t much time to dwell on this game as a trip to NY awaits this Thursday as the Eagles play their first division game of the season against the Giants. Midway through the third quarter, defensive teammates Fletcher Cox and Jalen Mills had a heated exchange. The Vikings kicked a field goal with a late fourth-quarter drive.

Vikings DE Danielle Hunter over Eagles QB Carson Wentz during last Sunday’s game. They were 2 for 9 on third down. Bennett stayed in the tunnel during the anthem the first month of the season but already ran onto the field during pregame introductions.

But if we learned nothing else from the three games the Eagles have lost, we’ve learned that the defense’s ability to keep coming to the rescue isn’t going to continue forever. They have not played a solid four quarter game all season. Smallwood later stretched out for a 2-point conversion to make it 20-14. Perhaps more importantly, it appeared Bennett was blocked into Cousins by Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph. It set up Bailey’s 52-yard clinching field goal. They would have completely closed the gap with a touchdown on that drive. Weatherly popped the ball up and it landed in Joseph’s hands.

Without Cook, the Vikings rushed for 77 yards on 23 attempts.

Left guard Isaac Seumalo getting blown off the ball on the Eagles first play. But Wentz was called for intentional grounding and coach Doug Pederson elected not to let Jake Elliott try a 58-yarder.