Each week, prior to kickoff, let’s take a look at some of the numbers that matter and keep them in mind when the game begins.
1. Dallas Goedert is a good place to start, because he has been outstanding in his first five games. Some of his numbers are worth exploring a bit here …
a. Goedert has 335 receiving yards, ranking third in the NFL among all tight ends. Good stuff, right? It gets even better.
b. He ranks second in the NFL in yards after the catch (YAC) among all players with 272 yards!! That includes wide receivers (Cooper Kupp leads NFL WR with 267 YAC, behind Goedert) and running backs (Austin Ekeler has 279 and is the only player who has more YAC than Goedert). A YAC-beat, indeed!
c. Goedert has 7 receptions of 20-plus yards, ranking behind only wide receivers Tyreek Hill (Miami) and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota), both of whom have 8 receptions of 20-plus yards.
Clearly, one of the great matchups to watch is that of the Eagles’ wide receivers against the Dallas cornerbacks, but it’s also very obvious that Dallas has to watch, um, Dallas. Goedert is a huge part of the offensive equation for the Eagles.
2. We all know that right tackle Lane Johnson is at the top of his game. But the analytics are just ridiculously impressive. Consider: he has played in 620 pass-blocking snaps since the start of the 2021 season and during that stretch has allowed not a single sack and all of one quarterback hit. That equates to a league-best 0.2% knockdown percentage. It’s no wonder, then, that Johnson is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded pass blocker (87.8) in 2022.
3. There have been a lot of quarterbacks who have played in the NFL since 2000, but only six of them have totaled 1,625 yards and 10 total touchdowns with two or fewer giveaways in the first five games of a season and one of them is Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. That’s how good he has been to start this campaign. The other five names, and it is an impressive list: Patrick Mahomes (2019), Drew Brees (2018), Matt Ryan (2016), Peyton Manning (2013), and Aaron Rodgers (2011). Gives you some perspective, doesn’t it?
Adding to that, Hurts, who is second in the league only to Buffalo’s Josh Allen in total yards, is one of only three quarterbacks since 2000 to lead his team to a 5-0 record while compiling those numbers, joining Manning and Rodgers.
The Dallas defensive speed and its big-play ability will be a stern challenge for Hurts and the Eagles. Patience is important. Ball security is paramount. Hurts has…
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