The Philadelphia Eagles visited Cincinnati to take on Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 8. Both teams were on two-game winning streaks, but the Eagles came out on top with a 37-17 win. It was a good, all-around win for Nick Sirianni’s team. The Eagles are finding their stride after a slow start to the season. Here are five takeaways from Philadelphia’s dominant Week 8 win on the road:
Jalen Hurts put together another solid, turnover-free game for the third consecutive week. The franchise quarterback didn’t need to throw the ball too much, attempting just 20 passes. Hurts threw for 236 yards and had four total touchdowns, including three on the ground. He completed 80 percent of his passes and had a 132.5 passer rating.
Hurts outplayed Burrow in their first meeting in the NFL. The two quarterbacks have a bit of a rivalry dating back to their college days. Hurts helped his team improve to 5-2 while Burrow and the Bengals dropped to 3-5.
The Eagles have one of the most talented offensive skill groups in the National Football League. The big boys came to play in Week 8.
Saquon Barkley continued his impressive resurgence in 2024, rushing for 108 yards on 22 carries. The 27-year-old is the second-leading rusher in the league behind Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry. He needs 234 rushing yards for the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career.
DeVonta Smith was the Eagles’ leading receiver in Week 8 after having one catch for -2 yards a week ago. Smith hauled in six passes for 85 yards, including a 45-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown grab to give the Eagles a 24-17 lead. The Eagles needed to get the 2020 Heisman winner going, and they did just that.
A.J. Brown didn’t record a touchdown in Week 8, but the Pro Bowl receiver had 84 yards on five catches. This was Brown’s lowest yardage in a game this season.
The Eagles were without two starting offensive linemen against the Bengals. Star left tackle Jordan Mailata is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in the win against the Cleveland Browns that landed him on Injured Reserve. Right guard Mekhi Becton missed the Week 8 matchup after suffering a concussion in the win against the New York Giants.
Fred Johnson got the start at left tackle and Tyler Steen started at right guard. Hurts wasn’t sacked all game and the Eagles had 161 yards rushing. Johnson played especially well against Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson who has seven sacks in 2024 and had 17.5 sacks a season ago.
Vic Fangio’s defense is finally starting to click as a unit. They held Burrow and the Bengals’ offense to 17 points and just 58 yards rushing. The Eagles sacked Burrow only once but generated pressure throughout the game. The problem was that Burrow was able to move around and make some plays on the run.
The Eagles’ defense forced two turnovers, including a fumble and a beautiful deflection by Isaiah Rodgers to C.J. Gardner-Johnson for an interception.
The Eagles’ young defensive back duo continued to prove their worth in Week 8. Quinyon Mitchell is playing like an elite cornerback through his first seven NFL games. He allowed just one catch for 13 yards on two targets against the Bengals. Cooper DeJean finished with three tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended, including a huge fourth down stop on an open field tackle of superstar receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
The Eagles have yet to score a first-quarter point in 2024. It’s hard to be mad about that in Week 8 because the Bengals’ offense went on a 17-play touchdown drive in the game’s opening possession. Hurts and the Eagles offense didn’t touch the ball for the first time until there were under five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Jake Elliott kicked a field goal 50 seconds into the second quarter.
The Eagles are getting hot at the right time. They’re on a three-game winning streak and take on the 2-6 Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in Week 9. They’ll head to Dallas to take on the 3-4 Cowboys the following week and then head back home to face the NFC East-leading Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. The next few weeks could have big divisional implications heading into the second half of the season.
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