Many mistakes were made by the Philadelphia Eagles in their Week 2 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, led by perplexing coaching decisions from head coach Nick Sirianni. Just two games into Sirianni’s head coaching career, it’s hard to grasp what type of play caller he is or how he alters his game plan. Determining Sirianni’s tendencies may take all year, but we do have an early idea of what to expect from the head coach two weeks into the season.
The Eagles offense struggled throughout the loss to the 49ers, even as Sirianni tried to find ways to get his game plan to work. The play calling was questionable and the offense was inconsistent as a result. Philadelphia’s defense stood tall against San Francisco, even if the Eagles allowed two 80-plus yard touchdown drives in the loss. The Eagles are tied for second in points per game allowed (11.5) and sixth in yards per game allowed (283) after two weeks — not a bad start for a unit full of unknown pieces heading into the year.
This week’s Eagles stock report focuses on the 49ers game. Many players’ stock should be sold after Week 2, even though there’s plenty to be encouraged about with this team through two games.
Stock up
Jordan Mailata
If you haven’t bought stock in Mailata yet, the price may be too high after another impressive game from the franchise left tackle. Mailata had to face a 49ers front that included one of the best edge rushers in the game in Nick Bosa, yet didn’t allow a single pressure in 31 pass blocking snaps.
There’s a bit of controversy to that statistic, as Bosa does beat Mailata on the play below — but the right interior of the offensive line collapsed before Bosa recorded the sack (we’ll get to that later). Mailata still had a strong performance against a pass rush that recorded 21 pressures against Philadelphia.
Darius Slay
Slay was targeted only twice, allowing just one catch for six yards — to Brandon Aiyuk on a quick out. Through two games, Slay has allowed just six catches for 36 yards.
Javon Hargrave
Another monster day for the Eagles defensive tackle. Hargrave amassed five run stops and led the team with two pressures. The only player on the defensive line to make a significant impact, Hargrave recorded six tackles and a quarterback hit in the loss.
Give Fletcher Cox credit for allowing Hargrave to make an impact, but the Eagles are getting what they’ve paid for with their top free agent addition in 2020.
Quez Watkins
Watkins leads the NFL in yards per catch through two weeks (28.0), thanks to a career-long 91-yard reception in just his eighth career game. Watkins led Philadelphia with two catches for 117 yards in the loss, the lone explosive play for an Eagles offense that was mostly dormant throughout the afternoon.
The Eagles have to be encouraged with what they have seen with Watkins this early in his career. He’s emerging as a big-play threat in their offense, backing up an impressive training camp and preseason.
Get the latest Eagles news from insider Jeff Kerr by downloading the CBS Sports app. Will Nick Sirianni boom or bust as an NFL head coach? Can Jalen Hurts live up to the hype? Get the CBS Sports app and find out. If you already have the app, you need to select the Eagles as your favorite team to get up-to-the-minute headlines.
Stock down
Derek Barnett
The Eagles are going to have to rely on Barnett to replace the loss of Brandon Graham after the heart and soul of the defense was lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles. Barnett did have two pressures in 21 pass rushing snaps Sunday, but committed a boneheaded penalty in the fourth quarter.
Barnett’s unnecessary roughness penalty on a Jimmy Garoppolo fumble cost the Eagles defense, which would have faced a third-and-15 at the 49ers’ own 27-yard line. Instead, San Francisco got a first down at their own 42 — which lead to a field goal later in the drive and gave the 49ers a 17-3 lead late in the game.
Philadelphia can not allow these penalties from Barnett to continue if he’s going to play more. Barnett played 45 snaps to Josh Sweat’s 27, mainly because the 49ers ran a lot of “21” and “12” personnel.
Landon Dickerson
Brandon Brooks is going to out multiple weeks with a strained pectoral muscle, leaving Dickerson as the frontrunner at right guard. His debut did not go well.
In 20 pass blocking snaps, Dickerson allowed five pressures, one quarterback hit, and four hurries. He forced Jalen Hurts to be uncomfortable throwing in the pocket throughout the afternoon, making Hurts improvise with his legs instead of his arm.
Let’s see what a full week with the starters does for Dickerson, as the Eagles second-round pick is much better than the performance he had Sunday.
Alex Singleton
Not the best day for Singleton, who had a rough day in coverage — allowing seven catches for 79 yards. Deebo Samuel’s 40-yard catch that set up the 49ers’ touchdown just before the half was with Singleton in coverage, an excellent throw by Jimmy Garoppolo that helped San Francisco get the lead for good.
Singleton also had five missed tackles in the loss, allowing several 49ers rushers to reach the second level. He’s certainly had better performances since becoming a starter for the Eagles.
DeVonta Smith
Maybe we’re being picky here since it’s Smith’s second career game, but Smith was pretty much a non-factor in Sunday’s loss. He finished with two catches for 16 yards while being targeted seven times.
Jalen Hurts tried finding Smith throughout the afternoon, as Deommodore Lenoir was all over him. Leonir allowed just one catch for five yards in coverage against Smith while being targeted five times. In a matchup between two rookies, the fifth-round pick got the better of the top-10 pick.
Jalen Reagor
Reagor’s big play was a touchdown called back because of illegal touching. He wasn’t able to take advantage of poor coverage by Leonir, and was forced out of bounds with little help from the cornerback. The nullified touchdown at the end of the first quarter certainly helped change the outcome of the game for the Eagles, one of many mental mistakes in the game.
Reagor finished with just two catches for five yards and was targeted five times, against a 49ers cornerback group missing their two starters. Not the best game for Reagor, who has to be better going forward.
