6 alarming numbers from Eagles' 0-2 start

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After two terrible losses, you can pick at Eagles team from every angle and find something to criticize. Here are a half-dozen alarming stats that speak to bigger problems, and reasons why 0-2 may even get worse.

50 

That’s the number of points the Eagles defense has allowed in the last five quarters of play. Ten points a quarter. You won’t win a lot of football games with a defense that gives up close to a point a minute. Between Washington and the Rams, they had 14 possessions over those five quarters. The Eagles have forced two punts over those 14 possessions. Six TDs, three field goals, three kneeldowns, and two punts. Swiss cheese.

4

Carson Wentz has four interceptions already this season, two in each game. He’s never had multiple interceptions in consecutive games until the last two. And get this: From 2017-2019 (40 starts), he had multiple INTs three times. Total. Now back-to-back to start the season. But hey, at least he didn’t take any sacks against the Rams, right?

3

That’s the number of passes Wentz threw that went 20 yards or more in the air: the interception in the end zone, a 25-yard completion to DeSean Jackson, and a shot to an open Dallas Goedert that was overthrown by 5 yards. That’s it. In a game where the offensive line gave him time to operate, where he went largely untouched throughout, three deep balls. I remember someone talking about all this speed the team added to take the top off a defense, but where is it?

0

JJ Arcega-Whiteside has played 44 snaps this season. Wentz has thrown his way twice, both against the Rams. He caught neither pass. He has as many catches as me, as you, as your baby sister, as your grandmother, as your cat. Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf — taken seven picks after JJAW in last year’s draft — has as many touchdown catches, counting the postseason, as JJAW has catches to date.

2.5

This one is the number of sacks for a defensive line touted as the strength of the roster. 2.5 sacks in 66 opportunities. And only one full sack from a starter, Brandon Graham’s sack of Jared Goff yesterday. Josh Sweat got to Dwayne Haskins last week and Vinny Curry shared a sack of Haskins with TY McGill.

12 percent

That minuscule percentage is the amount of teams that have began a season 0-2 and gone on to make the postseason since the NFL expanded the playoffs to 12 teams in 1990. About a 1-in-8 chance. Now, that number is likely a bit higher, since the playoffs have expanded to 14 teams, but if you’ve read to this point, we’re guessing you think 12 percent seems way too high.

 

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