The Philadelphia Eagles won in New Orleans for the first time in 16 years on Sunday, defeating the Saints, 15-12.

It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t easy, and it didn’t always make sense. But somehow, someway, the Eagles are 2-1.

Here are six takeaways from the monster win.

Honorable Mentions

• Dallas Goedert is alive and well (it was career day for him with 10 catches for 171 yards and he capped it off with a 61-yard reception that put the Eagles in position for the GW score

• Reed Blankenship is a true ball hawk (Blankenship intercepted Derek Carr as he tried to mount a game winning drive)

• Quinyon Mitchell is coming closer and closer to his first career interception (Mitchell was in perfect position to pick the ball off in the 3rd quarter, but swatted the ball down instead of trying to catch it. Mitchell also blanketed Rasheed Shaheed for most of the game.

• Nolan Smith did an excellent job in setting the edge against the outside zone runs that Kubiak and Saints like to utilize. Smith might be the Eagles best run defending OLB outside of Brandon Graham.

• Bryce Huff is starting to alarm me. Through 3 games, he has yet to record a single stat outside of an assisted tackle and he once again was routinely stifiled at the point of attack by tight ends on multiple snaps. He also played just 18 snaps in the entire game,

1) The demise of the Eagles defense was greatly exaggerated

The energy heading into this game felt eerily similar to the stretch over the last handful of games in 2023.

Players were dejected in the locker room. Conversations about Nick Sirianni’s job security spread all over the national and local media.

It felt like the Eagles season was teetering.

And the way they responded on Sunday, all but put almost every concern to bed.

They Saints had scored at least 40 points in back to back games to start the season. They had the number one offense in the NFL. The Saints rushing offense had racked up 370 rushing yards in two games. Their offense had averaged 6.9 yards per play.

The Eagles came into the matchup allowing a league worst 6.4 yards per carry and they ranked last in run defense DVOA. On paper, the matchup seemed like a loss for Philadelphia.

But football isn’t played on paper.

The Eagles defense showed up and showed up in a major way. They were fast. They were physical. They generated pressure on the quarterback. They were multiple with their fronts.

After last week’s debacle, Vic Fangio had his unit ready to play and props to him.

In the words of Cam Jurgens, “The defense was the reason we won this game.”

2) Jalen Hurts has issues, but he shows up when it matters most

Jalen Hurts isn’t without flaws. No quarterback is.

Hurts has become somewhat of a turnover machine, with giveaways in each of the first three games of the season.

He threw a bad interception early in the matchup against the Saints. It came on a similar passing concept that he and DeVonta Smith connected on for a touchdown on Monday night against the Falcons, only this time, veteran safety Tyrann Matheiu baited Hurts on the throw and picked it off.

A few minutes later, Hurts carelessly fumbled the ball as he was trying to escape the pocket and didn’t see (or feel) the defender coming up behind him.

But in the fourth quarter with 1:57 left in the game, without his top two receivers and the entire starting right side of the offensive line, Hurts delivered just like he’d done all game (outside of the two terrible turnovers).

He made some extremely clutch and confident throws under pressure and out of structure in a very difficult environment on the road.

Hurts completed 76 percent of his passes for 311 yards. With everything seemingly crumbling around him, Hurts put the team on his back and led them to victory.

Games like Sunday are why you pay Hurts $250 million.

In the words of Nick Sirianni, “Jalen Hurts is a freaking winner.”

3) Nick Sirianni has to figure out his identity as a CEO head coach

Nick Sirianni was the talk of the town following the Eagles week 2 loss (and for good reason).

When he elected to: 1) pass on third down in Falcons territory and 2) kick the field goal to go up 3 on 4th down, he became public enemy number one in Philadelphia.

The performance he followed it up with on Sunday was nothing short of infuriating. The Eagles trailed 3-0 and had the ball in Saints territory on 4th and 1 with just one timeout and 14 seconds left in the first half. They didn’t pick up the first down and went into the half down 3-0.

Sirianni once again later in the game elected to gamble and go for it on fourth down (instead of taking the points) and the result was the same (failure to convert and no points).

While Sirianni may be experiencing some growing pains as a true CEO style head coach and what we see is the result of his evolution as a head coach, it seems like he’s struggling to find the identity that he wants to have: being aggressive and analytically sound or reserved and playing safe.

In order for the Eagles to realistically compete in the NFC, Sirianni has to get this figured out.

The Eagles also dealt with a ton of mind blowing penalties. They were flagged 7 times for 45 yards. Sirianni has to have his team more prepared and disciplined next week.

4) The real Vic Fangio stood up against the Saints

The Eagles held the number one offense in the NFL to 219 total yards, 12 first downs and just 4.0 yards per play.

The players executed, but the situations they were put in by Vic Fangio allowed them to do so.

Coming into the game, it was talked about ad-nausuem how much the Saints utilized outside zone runs and the play action passing game.

Fangio responded by matching the condensed sets the Saints like to implore by utilizing 5-2 and even 6-1 fronts in order to stifle the high powered running game, and it worked.

Nakobe Dean was kept clean and able to fit gaps against the run.

Zack Baun more in the vain of week 1 than week 2. Baun flew around the field making tackles, (attempting to) covering Alvin Kamara out of the backfield, and was used as a psuedo LB/EDGE.

Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter were flat out dominant today in this game.

The coverage was also sound (outside of a few busts over the middle of the field). And it was all able to take place because of the situations that Fangio put them in.

The Fangio system was created to slow down the Kyle Shanahan zone run – heavy play action – heavy pre-snap motion and it worked to perfection on Sunday.

Fangio deserves a lot of credit for the win.

5) The Eagles took a lick and kept on ticking

As stated for most of the 2nd half, the Eagles were without their top two wideouts and both starters along the right side of the offensive line.

Players who aren’t typicallycalled to contribute – – Tyler Steen, Fred Johnson. Parris Campbell, and rookie Johnny Wilson all stepped up in the middle of a game that they were desperately needed in.

Those players deserve a ton of credit for being ready when their number was called. Steen didn’t allow a pressure or QB hit in 58 snaps and Fred Johnson more than held his own in relief of Lane Johnson.

Parris Campbell made the first two catches of his career as an Eagles and Johnny Wilson made some key blocks (including a block down the sideline on Dallas Goedert’s 61 yard catch and run in the 4th quarter) and caught the first pass of his NFL career on a crucial 3rd down and 8.

Some how, some way the Eagles found a way to win Despite all of the self inflicted wounds (7 penalties for 45 yards) and injuries to key players that they dealt with in the game, they found a way to win.

It was a true team win in every facet.

6) Saquon Barkley is amazing

The Eagles (specifically Howie Roseman) broke conventional wisdom and payed big money to a running back in the offseason. Only thing is, this running back isn’t your average everyday running back.

Saquon Barkley is a true difference-maker and threat to score when he touches the ball.

This was evident in the third quarter when he broke off a 65-yard scamper for a touchdown in the 4th quarter.

he Eagles offense had moved the ball well all game, but they routinely shot themselves in the foot and made head-scratching decisions that resulted in them outgaining the Saints by well over 150 yards, but scoring ZERO points through 3 quarters.

Then Saquon happened.

The Eagles leaned on Barkley on offense as they got going on offense. Barkley found running lanes, made defenders miss, and was the steady force that kept the Eagles offense chugging along.

Barkley ran 17 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles are at their best when they’re leaning on the run and working in the passing game off some of those runs.

It worked out for them on Sunday.

Cover Image: AP Photo/Butch Dill