Cats Scratched

PHILADELPHIA – For much of the week, the discussion about the game between the Eagles and Panthers lacked juice, with prevalent storylines as difficult to come by as Carolina’s path to victory.

The Panthers were double-digit underdogs.

The parking lots surrounding Lincoln Financial Field, typically charged up and raucous hours before kickoff, were tame, also reflecting the lackluster buzz.

While it wasn’t their finest effort, the Eagles took care of business, winning 22-16 for their ninth straight win, second-longest in the NFL behind the Lions’ 11 straight.

An 8-play, 70-yard early fourth-quarter scoring drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown strike from Jalen Hurts to Grant Calcaterra for the first touchdown of the tight end’s career, gave the Eagles a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Saquon Barkley once again fueled a one-dimensional offense, with the superstar running back eclipsing legend LeSean McCoy to become the new franchise single-season rushing leader.

Barkley, who rushed for 120 yards on 20 carries, now has 1,623 on the season to top McCoy’s 1,607.

Hurts completed 14-of-21 pass attempts for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another 60 yards and a score on the ground.

Defensively, linebackers Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean led the way with 11 tackles each, with Baun adding a sack to his afternoon, giving him 3.5 on the season. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson corralled an interception of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young for his third of the season.

GETTY IMAGES: Starting for an injured Dallas Goedert, Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra caught the game-winning TD vs. the Panthers.

Let’s get to the observations.

* Eagles inactives: WR Britain Covey (neck), QB Tanner McKee (3rd QB), S Sydney Brown (knee), S Reed Blankenship (concussion), OL Nick Gates, OL Darian Kinnard, and OL Trevor Keegan. Given the safety shortage, rookie free agent Andre Sam’ was elevated from the practice squad. Sunday was his NFL debut.

* DTs Jalen Carter and Milton Williams proved very disruptive along the interior on the Panthers’ opening drive. Carter was credited with three quarterback hits on the drive alone. The tone was set early in this one, with Panthers QB Bryce Young slinging a slant route to rookie WR Xavier Legette. Carter pressured Young, who got the pass off, but Legette was met by S C.J. Gardner-Johnson on what was a bang-bang hit that forced an incompletion. Gardner-Johnson has emerged as a defensive leader.

* Another slow start from the Eagles’ offense. QB Jalen Hurts completed 1-of-3 pass attempts for six yards. He also took a sack, with LB Josey Jewell dropping Hurts for an 8-yard loss. RT Lane Johnson was also called for a holding penalty, negating an 8-yard Saquon Barkley run. Also notable that two of  Hurts’ three attempts went to seldom-used WR Jahan Dotson. The Eagles, by the way, average 1.3 points in the first quarter for the season.

* Hurts on the Eagles’ third offensive possession settled in, completing 3-of-4 pass attempts for 37 yards. The key play was a 27-yard connection to WR DeVonta Smith on a 3^rd-and-8. Hurts capped the possession with a 1-yard plunge, putting the Eagles in front 7-3. The offensive line, which seemed to be reeling a bit in pass protection, afforded Hurts some time to get into a rhythm.

* Hurts, however, was unable to build off a prosperous third series, going 0-for-2 on the ensuing drive, including an overthrow on a 3rd-and-7 to a leaping 6-foot-6 Johnny Wilson. His passes early, sans the third possession, were largely off the mark.

* The Panthers, with little to lose, went for it on a 4th-and-3 in the red zone, with Young completing a short pass to TE Tommy Tremble in the right corner of the end zone. Tremble gained a step on Gardner-Johnson.

* Young on a 3rd-and-3 with two minutes remaining until the break sailed a deep shot to WR Adam Thielen down the right sideline. The pass landed in the hands of S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who returned it 15 yards to the Panthers’ 44-yard line. The Eagles preserved the turnover, marching 44 yards on 7 plays, with Hurts capping the drive with a 4-yard strike to Smith in the left corner of the end zone.

The sequence is worth noting due to Gardner-Johnson’s role in flipping the field. He set the tone early with a big hit and made a play on the ball when thrown in his direction to get the offense back on course.

* Second-year CB Kelee Ringo might not have won a starting job coming out of training camp, but credit the Georgia standout for owning his special teams role. Ringo, who has thrived as a gunner, continues to combat jammers with physicality and made a nice tackle on Panthers PR Raheem Blackshear, limiting him to a 1-yard pickup. Working opposite Ringo at the other gunner spot this week was Avonte Maddox, who filled in for Sydney Brown (knee).

* Third-year TE Grant Calcaterra is a prime example of player development. It took a few seasons for him to really make his mark, but Calcaterra clearly has the trust of Hurts and has made major strides as a blocker. He’s always been willing, but he now appears to be far more technical and savvy in his approach. Calcaterra snared his first NFL touchdown against Carolina, a 4-yarder from Hurts early in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead touchdown.

* Poor in-game management from Panthers HC Dave Canales in this one, burning a timeout in the third due to the play clock and another on an unsuccessful challenge at the goal line. This left the Panthers with just one remaining in the third quarter of what was a one-score game.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.