“Fly, Eagles, fly!” fans of the Philadelphia Eagles holler.
“Pound, Eagles, pound!” would be more apt.
The Eagles, big, strong and fast, beat on their opponents until they cant hold up.
Baltimore Ravens defenders fared well through three quarters Sunday, before massive-and-mobile Eagles blockers sprang Saquon Barkley for a 25-yard scoring run that stretched the lead to an insurmountable nine points inside of eight minutes.
The 24-19 victory between Super Bowl contenders lifted the Eagles in the race for the NFL’s top seed, which brings a much-desired first-round playoff bye. The Eagles (10-2) remained close to the Detroit Lions (11-1) and Minnesota Vikings (10-3) and ahead of the Green Bay Packers (9-3).
On the road, the Eagles dealt the Ravens just their second loss in 25 games against an NFC club in the Lamar Jackson era.
Once again, the Eagles rewarded the judgment of team-builders led by GM Howie Roseman.
Consider the three players who teamed up for the clinching TD.
Barkley’s first season with the Eagles is shaping up as his best NFL season. He’s a candidate to become the NFL’s first MVP-winning running back since Adrian Peterson won the award in 2012. He had a better game than Jackson, the Ravens’ quarterback. Getting 107 yards against the NFLs second-ranked run defense, the ex-New York Giant provided another payoff on his three-year, $26-million contract.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata led Barkley into the right-side hole between right guard and right tackle.
Malaeta stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 346 pounds.
The play required more agility and quickness than someone so large should be able to provide. But Eagles scouts judged six years ago that Mailata, an Australian football player with no experience at American football, could become a good NFL tackle. Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman traded up 17 spots to draft him in the seventh round; Malaeta, a Super Bowl starter two seasons ago, has provided exponential returns on that investment.
The Eagles’ right guard created space for Maleata’s block that thwarted All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith.
That guard is Mekhi Becton, who engulfed a Ravens tackle.
At 6-7 and 364 pounds, Becton was athletic enough at Louisville for the Jets to draft him 11th overall as a left tackle.
Like Barkley, Becton is having his best NFL season. Bectons salary? $2.75 million.
The way its going, to defeat the Eagles would be like overcoming one of Philadelphias most celebrated athletes, the heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier, who cracked opponents bones — including Muhammad Alis jaw — with left hooks and left crosses.
Phillys pounding-and-explosive offense has two No. 1 receivers (when DeVonta Smith is healthy), a complete tight in Dallas Goedert (who had a TD catch Sunday) and the two-way playmaking of QB Jalen Hurts, who had another Tush Push scoring sneak on Sunday.
No wonder Barkley is busting loose after halftime, against battered opponents. Barkley, a 233-pounder and 4.41-second sprinter at the 2018 NFL scouting combine, has six TD runs of 20-plus yards in the second half.
Eagles offensive opponents arent doing much against a D that’s rising fast under Vic Fangio. An emerging playmaker is Jalen Carter, an agile 314-pounder. Roseman got him ninth in the 2023 draft Carters after off-field issues spooked some teams.
Mediocre outing
Giving the Ravens a shot, their D allowed no points in the first and third quarters.
Otherwise, the Ravens were subpar.
Justin Tuckers kicking slump deepened. The five-time All-Pro, 35, missed from 50 and 54 yards and doinked a one-pointer.
The pass offense seldom produced an in-structure attempt, much less a completion; so it became a run-around pass-or-scramble attack. Not much worked beyond Derrick Henry gaining 111 yards from scrimmage.
The Ravens (8-5) fell further behind the Steelers (9-3) in the AFC North.