Weathered the Heat

TAMPA, Fla. – Soupy-like conditions descending upon Raymond James Stadium presented a unique set of challenges for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it was the visiting Eagles who were able to string together enough plays to stifle a ferocious Buccaneers comeback, outlasting the home team, 31-25.

GETTY IMAGES: Two touchdowns from TE Dallas Goedert in the first half were major factors in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 31-25 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell had a hand in forcing two key second half turnovers, returning possession to the Eagles and halting a red-hot Buccaneers offense. But the Eagles, for a half anyway, didn’t play complementary football, with the offense sputtering, unable to generate any semblance of cohesiveness.

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs had the ball with a chance to even the score, but it was defensive tackle Moro Ojomo who stormed through for a sack, dropping Mayfield for a 9-yard loss on a 2nd-and-12 with the clock running under two minutes. The Bucs’ final attempt proved futile.

Let’s get to the observations:

The Eagles inactives for Week 4 included CB Adoree’ Jackson, OLB Azeez Ojulari, QB Sam Howell (3rd QB). C/G Drew Kendall and WR Xavier Gipson. Jackson, who said Friday he’d test out his groin injury before the game, was spotted doing some light jogging during pregame warmups. His absence bumped third-year CB Kelee Ringo (more on his afternoon later) into a starting role on the outside, opposite Quinyon Mitchell.

A bit surprising with Nolan Smith placed on Injured Reserve to see Ojulari rendered inactive. Instead, fellow OLB Ogbo Okoronkwo made his Eagles debut, got the nod.

The Eagles and Bucs elected to not utilize their practice squad elevations. It’s worth a reminder that on Wednesday, the Eagles signed S Marcus Epps, TE Cam Latu and CB Parry Nickerson to the active roster.

* Very efficient first half from Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who was decisive and timely with his throws, but the game proved to be a tale of two halves. The Eagles’ offense had five 3-and-outs and one 5-and-out, with Hurts failing to yield a second half completion. It seemed he was trying to zero-in on WR A.J. Brown, but the two were unable to establish a connection. The running game also proved inefficient

* If you were paying attention to Jake Elliott’s kickoffs, you might’ve noticed his new-look variation of the knuckleball kick that gave the Eagles some challenges last week against the Rams. He tested it out on the opening kickoff.

* The defense was up first. Ringo started at cornerback opposite Mitchell and veteran OLB Za’Darius Smith started in the absence of Nolan Smith. Ringo rotated sides with Mitchell from the opening series on. Vic Fangio’s unit forced a 4th-and-5, bringing on P Riley Dixon. There were early fireworks for the Eagles, as Latu stormed through to reject the punt, sending the ball into the waiting arms of S Sydney Brown, who scooped the loose ball and bolted 36 yards into the end zone for the game’s first score. That makes touchdowns in consecutive games for Michael Clay’s special teams. Latu has proven to be a strong addition for Clay’s unit, bringing athleticism and physicality.

* Not sure if it was by design or to give RB Saquon Barkley a breather, but A.J. Dillon, who happens to be slightly more secure in pass protection, entered on third downs. It’s notable because without Will Shipley (oblique) the past two games, the Eagles rarely utilized another running back.

* Second-year CB Quinyon Mitchell continues his stellar playing, providing blanket coverage on rookie WR Emeka Egbuka on consecutive plays on the Bucs’ second series, swarming to force incompletions. Mitchell also made a secure open-field tackle on Bucs RB Bucky Irving, stopping him in his tracks after a pickup of two. Mitchell is also growing as a leader. On that same drive, it initially appeared as though close friend Cooper DeJean came up with a shoestring interception, and Mitchell took exception to an unnecessary shot on DeJean from Bucs T Tristan Wirfs and came to his teammate’s defense, along with a host of other Eagles defenders, including OLB Jalyx Hunt.

* Really nice play design from the Eagles on their first touchdown drive, which covered 73 yards on 8 plays. Lined up for a short yardage scrum from three yards out, the Bucs sold out up the middle but were vulnerable on the outside. Hurts shoveled the pass to TE Dallas Goedert, who burst into the end zone to extend the lead to 14-0. The Eagles ran it again in the second quarter, with the aggressive Bucs front charged into the backfield to bottle up Hurts and Barkley. Hurts flipped it to Goedert once again, who rumbled in from five yards out. “The Brotherly Shov(el),” if you will.

* Due to a lack of traditional pressure, Fangio has been far more aggressive in terms of dialing up blitzes than he typically has at any point in his storied career. One of the players deployed in that role has been LB Zack Baun, who from the opening drive, had a clean look when bearing down on Mayfield. Baun, all over the field Sunday, collected a sack of Mayfield, dropping the Bucs QB for a 12-yard loss. Baun also used his length to get his hands up, mucking things up and narrowing throwing windows for Mayfield. Smart, instinctive player.

* The Eagles lost two players in the first half in OLB Ogbo Okoronkwo and RG Tyler Steen. Okoronkwo was immediately ruled out with a triceps injury. Never a good sign. Veteran Matt Pryor entered the game for Steen. Steen returned for the second half but appeared to be wearing a brace on his left knee. He was clearly gutting it out. Stalwart RT Lane Johnson also exited the game in the second half with a shoulder injury and was questionable to return. Fred Johnson, a hero a week ago against the Rams, again filled in.

* Bucs K Chase McLaughlin converted a 65-yard field goal as the first half expired, and the home team took the field after the break as if that kick injected some life into them. The Tampa defense forced a quick 3-and-out, and WR/PR Kameron Johnson ripped off a 46-yard return. It took a drive to get going, but the Bucs offered a counterpunch, with QB Baker Mayfield connecting with WR Emeka Egbuka for a 77-yard touchdown to get into the Eagles’ lead. Initially, I wasn’t sure Mayfield got enough on the throw – and it looked like S Reed Blankenship might pick it off – but he threaded the needle, with Egbuka pulling away from the safeties Blankenship and Drew Mukuba.

* Life comes at you fast, in this case series-to-series. It looked as though Jihaad Campbell initiated a game-changing play for the Eagles, forcing an Irving fumble deep in Philadelphia territory that was recovered by Kelee Ringo. The Eagles scored a few plays later and appeared to have things well at hand. But on the ensuing drive, RB Bucky Irving beat Campbell up the sideline, reeling in a pass and pulling away for a 72-yard touchdown to narrow the Eagles lead to 11 late in the third quarter. A tough ask for Campbell to match and carry Irving up the sideline. Campbell would come up huge again, picking off Mayfield in the end zone

* Mitchell, DeJean and S Reed Blankenship all did a really nice job tackling in space. When Bucs RB Bucky Irving, a tough runner who can shed tacklers, got past the second level, the aforementioned were there to wrap up and limit damage. Some of those runs could have otherwise resulted in backbreaking plays.

* With CB Kelee Ringo taking on an elevated defensive role, the gunner pairings were S Sydney Brown and rookie CB Mac McWilliams. McWilliams got held up on one rep in the third quarter and was stonewalled, losing his helmet in the process.

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