Eagles vs. Buccaneers Recap, Highlights From Thrilling Week 4 Recreation

TAMPA — The Eagles are 4-0 for the third time in 5 seasons below NIck Sirianni, however his message to his gamers after an uneven 31-23 win over the Bucs was easy: Do not let good get in the way in which of nice.

“It is a problem to not accept good,” stated quarterback Jalen Hurts, who threw for 2 touchdowns and a 24-3 lead within the first half. “It is a problem to be vital of yourselves, as gamers, as coaches, all people, and say ‘How can we be better than we’re?’ It is a humbling recreation. If you do not have that mentality, you are doing a disservice to the sport itself.”

1. Eagles Journey One Dominant Half – Once more

For the second week in a row, the Eagles performed effectively sufficient in a single half to make up for a poor half. Final week, they trailed the Rams by 19 factors within the third quarter earlier than a livid comeback; this time, it was a 21-point lead that shortly dwindled to eight because the Bucs threatened to tie a recreation that ought to have been lengthy over.

A dominant first half absolves the Eagles of a second half during which they really totaled destructive whole offense for the half – they misplaced 34 yards operating out of the tip zone to finish the sport with a security – and mustered solely three first downs. Additionally, the Eagles protection that had held the Bucs in verify for a full half gave up landing passes of 77 and 72 yards – no NFL staff has given up two passing scores over 70 yards since … the 2018 Eagles did in Tampa towards the Bucs.

Philadelphia will not play a staff with a successful report proper now till Week 10 after they go to Inexperienced Bay, so one good half might be sufficient to win most of these video games. However as they eye a return to the Tremendous Bowl and one other title, they know they need to set the bar a lot greater, realizing more durable video games are awaiting theme ultimately.

‘We’re speaking about discovering methods to win’ 😤 Jalen Hurts on Eagles battling warmth in win over Bucs

Jalen Hurts joined Tom Rinaldi to debate the Philadelphia Eagles 31-25 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.

2. Bucs’ Particular Groups Nightmare Continues

How uncommon is it to have a kick or punt blocked three video games in a row? The Bucs have accomplished precisely that. Whereas they had been in a position to survive a fourth-quarter blocked punt towards the Texans and a discipline objective block returned for a landing by the Jets, they weren’t as lucky Sunday.

Riley Dixon’s first punt of the day was blocked by Cameron Latu and returned 36 yards by Sydney Brown for a landing, setting the tone for a protracted day for the Bucs. Particular groups coordinator Thomas McGaughey has not been capable of finding a blocking scheme that may keep away from the worst issues that may occur, and head coach Todd Bowles vowed to seek out a solution earlier than their subsequent recreation.

“It’s one thing we are going to determine within the conferences,” Bowles stated. “We’ll have a look at the entire operation, how we’re doing it, why we’re doing it, if we’re doing it with the proper individuals, and if we’re doing it with the proper scheme. That’s three weeks in a row the place one thing went fallacious, and we are going to get that mounted.”

Sydney Brown (left) celebrates scoring a landing off one other Eagles particular staff success. (Logan Bowles/Getty Photographs)

3. New for 2025: Tush Push Variants!

As a lot consideration as is given to the Eagles’ famed tush push short-yardage formation, Philadelphia did not have any conventional tush pushes on Sunday, lining up equally twice and fooling the Bucs with slight variations. A lot consideration is given to packing our bodies on the line of scrimmage that inevitably the countermove for the Eagles is tush push Play Motion for simple scoring.

On their first offensive landing, the Eagles had Hurts line up as if for a quarterback sneak, however he threw an underhanded cross to tight finish Dallas Goedert, who adopted blockers in for a 2-yard rating. And after a fumble restoration within the third quarter, they lined up on a third-and-1 like within the tush push, however he then handed off to Saquon Barkley, who ran to the left untouched for a six-yard landing.

The primary rule of tush push variants is they do not discuss tush push variants, so when requested in regards to the play, Hurts was downright imprecise: “I haven’t got an excessive amount of of an in-depth remark for what it was,” he stated. “It was precisely what you noticed.”

4. Turnovers Lastly Chunk the Bucs

Baker Mayfield had landing passes of 77 and 72 yards — the primary NFL QB to have two 70+ in the identical recreation since Ryan Fitzpatrick in a 2018 Bucs-Eagles recreation — however did not have a lot else on an up-and-down day. 

Mayfield went three video games and not using a turnover to start out the season, however he had a vital turnover from the Philadelphia 11-yard line, throwing a regrettable interception. Bucky Irving additionally misplaced a fumble, which was the Bucs’ first turnover of the season. 

Mayfield stated he wasn’t restricted by a biceps damage that stored him from throwing at Thursday’s follow, however his precedence this season was limiting his turnovers, so he was dissatisfied when he tried to do an excessive amount of. 

The interception got here on first down, in order that’s a state of affairs when he needs to throw it away and take a look at once more on the following play. 

“Once we took care of the ball, we had been undefeated,” Mayfield stated of Tampa Bay’s 3-0 begin. “Once we did not, (we) misplaced the sport.”

Baker Mayfield was below strain early and sometimes towards the Eagles on Sunday. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs)

4 ½. Chase McLaughlin’s File Day

It got here in a loss, however McLaughlin hit a 65-yard discipline objective on the finish of the second half that matched the second-longest in NFL historical past. 

Notably, it stands alone because the longest outside kick ever. The report stays Justin Tucker’s 66-yarder for the Ravens in 2021, and Brandon Aubrey had a 65-yarder for the Cowboys final 12 months, however each of these had been indoors.

McLaughlin got here again and added a 58-yard discipline objective that ties for the fourth-longest in Bucs historical past. Within the final two video games, he is 8-for-9 on discipline objectives with a game-winner and 4 makes of 54 yards and longer. He has as many kicks of 54 or extra yards and longer in a span of eight days as any Bucs kicker has of their complete careers in Tampa. McLaughlin has has 11 such kicks in his profession, and no person else has greater than 4.

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade overlaying the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You may comply with him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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