The colorful history of rookie QBs vs. the Eagles

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The good news is that the Eagles have won six straight games against rookie quarterbacks.

The bad news is that Joe Burrow might be just a little bit better than C.J. Beathard, Luke Falk and Dwayne Haskins.

Burrow, the first pick in this year’s draft, will become the seventh rookie to start against the Eagles since Doug Pederson became head coach and Jim Schwartz defensive coordinator in 2016 when the 0-2 Eagles face the 0-2 Bengals at the Linc on Sunday.

The Eagles have won their last six against rookies since Dak Prescott beat them at AT&T Stadium in 2016 in his eighth career start.

In losses to the Chargers and Browns, Burrow has completed 62 percent of his passes with three TDs, one INT and an 81.5 passer rating. He’s also rushed for 65 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.

Let’s take a look at the rookie QB performances against the Eagles since 2016:

2016

-Cowboys 29, Eagles 23: Dak Prescott 19-39, 287 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 79.8 rating

-Eagles 27, Cowboys 13: Dak Prescott 4-8, 37 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INT, 63.0 rating

2017

-Eagles 33, 49ers 10: C.J. Beathard 17-36, 167 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 46.9 rating

-Eagles 31, Lions 3: Mitch Trubisky 17-33, 147 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 38.3 rating

2019

-Eagles 31, Jets 6: Luke Falk 15-26, 120 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 37.3 rating

-Eagles 37, Washington 27: Dwayne Haskins 19-28, 261 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 121.3 rating

-Eagles 34, Giants 17: Daniel Jones 28-47, 301 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 76.6 rating

Here are some interesting notes on rookie QBs facing the Eagles: 

-The last rookie to beat the Eagles at the Linc was Jameis Winston of the Bucs, who had a historic performance in Tampa’s 45-17 win over the Eagles during the last hapless days of the Chip Kelly regime: 19-for-29 for 246 yards with 5 TDs and no INTs. Burrow will be the first overall No. 1 pick the Eagles have faced since Winston, who was the first pick in 2015.

-The best performance ever against the Eagles by a rookie was Robert Griffin III’s near-perfect 14-for-15 for 200 yards, 4 TDs and a perfect 158.3 passer rating in his 10th career start in 2012. RG3 beat the Eagles twice that year. Roger Staubach in 1969 is the only other rookie to beat the Eagles twice in the same season.

-The worst performance ever by a rookie QB against the Eagles was by Eddie LeBaron in 1952. The Little General was 3-for-10 for 16 yards, two INTs and no TDs for a 0.0 passer rating before getting benched in the Eagles’ 38-20 win over Washington at Shibe Park. He was replaced by Harry Gilmer.

-The most passing yards by any rookie against the Eagles is 345 by Zach Mettenberger, of all people. Mettenberger was the Titans’ rookie sixth-round pick in 2014 and threw for 345 yards in a game the Eagles won 43-24 at the Linc. Mettenberger started 10 games in his career and lost every one. That was the only 300-yard game of his career. The only other rookie to throw for 300 yards against the Eagles is the Giants' Jones last year.

-The last QB to beat the Eagles in his first career start was Stephen McGee of the Cowboys on the final day of the 2010 season, although that was a meaningless game for both teams. The last one to do it in a meaningful game was - and I shouldn’t even speak the name - Joe Webb of the Vikings in that devastating snow-delayed Tuesday loss at the Linc in 2010.

-The last rookie AFC quarterback to beat the Eagles is Audubon’s Joe Flacco, who threw a couple touchdowns in the Ravens’ 36-7 win over the Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium in 2008. That's the game Donovan McNabb got benched for Kevin Kolb at halftime.

-The only AFC rookie to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia is Vince Young in that 31-13 Titans win at the Linc in 2006. Young only completed eight passes. That was the game Donovan McNabb suffered a season-ending torn ACL, starting the Jeff Garcia Era. Five years later, Young coined the ill-fated phrase "Dream Team" at Lehigh.

-Eight Eagles QBs have won at least one game as rookies, led by Carson Wentz’s seven wins in 2016. The others are Sonny Jurgensen (3 in 1957), Jack Concannon (1 in 1964), Mike Boryla in (3 in 1974), John Walton (1 in 1976), Randall Cunningham (1 in 1985), Donovan McNabb (2 in 1999) and Nick Foles (1 in 2012).  
 

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