It’s getting harder and harder to find positive Eagles stats to mix in with the inevitable horrifying ones.
So we’ve sprinkled in a little DeVonta Smith, a bit of Kenny Gainwell and a couple other not-horrifying nuggets that will hopefully offset all the doom and gloom you’ll find in the rest of this week’s Roob’s 10 Eagles Stats piece.
Hey, we’re trying!
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RECORD-BREAKING SEASON: You wanted a record-setting Eagles season? You are getting one. The Eagles are on pace to allow the highest opposing completion percentage in NFL history. Opposing QBs have completed 74.4 percent of their passes through seven games. The NFL record for a full season is 72.7 percent by the 2016 Detroit Lions. But watch out for the Jaguars, who are also on record pace at 72.9 percent.
ANOTHER RECORD ALREADY BROKEN: Here’s a record the Eagles have already broken: Most times allowing a quarterback to complete 80 percent of his passes in a season (minimum 20 attempts). Dak Prescott, Pat Mahomes, Tom Brady and Derek Carr have all done it. The Eagles are the first team in NFL history to allow four quarterbacks to complete 80 percent of their passes in a season. And there are 10 games left! There have been 14 teams – most recently the Falcons and Colts last year – that allowed three 80 percent QBs in a season. In the first 1,285 games in franchise history, the Eagles allowed eight quarterbacks to complete 80 percent of their passes. In the last five games, they’ve allowed it four times.
THIS OUGHT TO BE IMPOSSIBLE: Only 15 teams in NFL history have ever allowed an 80 percent quarterback twice in a row. The Eagles have done it twice in a row twice in a row. Prescott and Mahomes hit 80 percent in back-to-back games, and so did Brady and Carr. So two of the 15 instances in NFL history of teams allowing two straight quarterbacks to complete 80 percent of their passes have been courtesy of the Eagles in the span of 27 days.
WHERE ARE THE SACKS? Through seven games, the Eagles have only 11 sacks, their 3rd-fewest after seven games since sacks became an official NFL stat in 1982. They had nine in 2012 and eight in 1993. Only the Falcons (10), Jaguars (8) and Chiefs (8) have fewer. They’ve gone back-to-back games without a sack for the first time since 2016.
NFL
SHAKY RUN DEFENSE: The Eagles have allowed 100 rushing yards in 10 consecutive games for the first time since a 12-game streak in 2012 – the last 12 games that Andy Reid coached here. The 10-game streak is second-longest currently in the NFL. The Vikings have allowed 100 rushing yards in 12 straight games. The Eagles have allowed the 4th-most rushing yards in the NFL – 133 per game – and that’s the most they’ve given up in their first seven games since 1999, when they allowed 135 per game.
FINALLY, A DEVONTA STAT! DeVonta Smith’s 32 catches equal the most ever by an Eagles wide receiver in his first seven games. DeSean Jackson also had 32. Tight end Keith Jackson had the most catches ever by an Eagle in his first seven games with 42.
REMEMBER THIS GUY? Zach Ertz caught 579 passes as an Eagle and his longest touchdown catch was a 35-yarder from Mark Sanchez against the Seahawks in 2014. His third catch as an Arizona Cardinal was a 47-yard touchdown. It was the longest catch by a Cards tight end since Jeff King caught a 48-yarder from Kevin Kolb against the Panthers in 2011. Ertz now has as many touchdowns of 47 or more yards as a Cardinal than the Eagles have in their last 39 games. Ertz is the first player in NFL history to catch a touchown pass in back-to-back weeks for different teams.
AT LEAST THEY’RE SCORING EARLY: The Eagles have scored in the first quarter in all seven games so far. This is only the 4th time in franchise history they’ve scored in the first quarter in their first seven games. They also did it in 1944, 2004 and 2009. Last time they scored in seven consecutive 1st quarters was Week 2 through Week 9 of the 2014 season.
HURTS PILING UP THE TOUCHDOWNS: Jalen Hurts now has 23 touchdowns in 11 starts – 15 passing and 8 rushing. That’s the most in Eagles history after 11 starts. Nick Foles had 21 – 18 passing and three rushing, followed by Sonny Jurgensen (20). Hurts’ eight rushing TDs are 2nd-most in NFL history by a B in his first 11 starts. Cam Newtown had 10.
CHASING LEE BOUGGESS? Kenny Gainwell had four more receptions Sunday, giving him 19 so far this year. That’s the 2nd-most in franchise history by a running back in his first seven games. In 1970, Lee Bouggess caught 28 in his first seven games. Gainwell’s 19 receptions are also most by a RB drafted in the 5th round or later in his first seven games since Andre Ellington of the Cards had 20 in 2013.
THAT’S ALMOST A YEAR: Derek Barnett is the only defensive end in the NFL that’s started all seven games this year and has no sacks. There are 38 defensive ends who’ve started at least five games. Only three of those 38 have no sacks. Overall, Barnett has gone 10 straight games without a sack. His last sack was Nov. 30, 2020, against the Seahawks.
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