10 (mostly) positive Eagles stats after four wacky weeks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles finally got a win, so we wanted to keep this week's 10 Eagles Stats column positive.
So we did. Totally, absolutely, completely positive.
Almost.
Here are 10 mostly positive Eagles Stats you won't find anywhere else!
1. Travis Fulgham’s 42-yard TD was the Eagles’ longest offensive touchdown in a fourth quarter since Jordan Matthews’ 78-yard TD catch from Sam Bradford against the Cards in 2015. It was the Eagles’ longest 4th-quarter go-ahead touchdown since Jeremy Maclin’s 68-yarder from Nick Foles against the Jaguars in 2014. It was the Eagles’ longest 4th-quarter TD catch by a rookie in 30 years - since Calvin Williams’ 45-yarder from Randall Cunningham against the Dolphins in 1990. And it was the longest 4th-quarter game-winner by an Eagles rookie since Ted Dean’s 49-yarder from Norm Van Brocklin against the Giants at Franklin Field in 1960.
2. Cameron Johnston averaged 51.2 yards per punt Sunday, his 12th career game over 50 yards per punt. The only punters in NFL history with more 50-yard games in their first three seasons are Sam Martin [15], Matthew Bosher [14] and Britton Colquitt [13], and Johnston has 12 games to go after them. Johnston’s 47.7 career average is highest in NFL history.
3. Alex Singleton’s pick-6 Sunday came in his 14th career game. Only two Eagles have ever had a pick-6 earlier in their career - both against Dallas in Dallas. In 2001 at Texas Stadium, William Hampton had a pick-6 off Ryan Leaf in his 9th career game, and in 2015 at AT&T Stadium, Jordan Hicks had a pick-6 off Matt Cassel in his 8th career game. Next-fastest was Otis Smith, who had a pick-6 against Washington QB Mark Rypien in his 15th career game in 1991, and Joe Lavender, who victimized Marty Domres of the Cowboys in 1974 in his 16th game.
4. Carson Wentz is only the fifth QB in Eagles history to rush for a touchdown in three straight games. Michael Vick did it twice, Donovan McNabb twice and Randall Cunningham and Adrian Burke once each.
5. The Eagles had 8 sacks against the Bengals and 5 against the 49ers. This is the first time they’ve had 5 or more sacks in consecutive games since 2006, when they had five against the Texans in Week 1 and eight against the Giants in Week 2. Before the Bengals game, the Eagles had 5 or more sacks just twice in their previous 66 games going back to 2016.
6. John Hightower’s 4th-and-4 catch for a first down in the fourth quarter was the first 4th-down conversion by an Eagles rookie since Damaris Johnson’s 32-yard catch from Nick Foles against the Cowboys on a 4th-and-9 in 2012.
7. Sunday’s game was the Eagles’ first road win in a decade in which they trailed going into the fourth quarter. Last time it happened was Dec. 19, 2010, when they trailed the Giants 24-10 going into the fourth quarter before a wild rally capped by DeSean Jackson’s game-winning punt return TD with no time remaining gave them a 38-31 win. The Eagles had won only two of 26 games under Doug Pederson when they trailed going into the fourth quarter.
8. The Eagles’ 17 sacks are 3rd-most in franchise history after four games. They had 19 in 1991, when they had the NFL’s No. 1 defense, and 18 in 2004, when they reached the Super Bowl. They also had 17 in 2008, when they reached the NFC Championship Game.
9. The last three Eagles with a reception of 40 yards or more were playing in their first game ever as an Eagle. Deontay Burnett had a 41-yard catch against the Giants last December in his first game after being promoted from the practice squad, Jalen Reagor had that 55-yard catch in his first NFL game in Washington last month and Travis Fulgham Sunday against the 49ers.
10. OK, here's the one negative one, but, man, you just have to tip your hat to George Kittle, who'll be the best tight end in history by the time he's done: Kittle's 183 yards Sunday are the most ever by a tight end against the Eagles. The previous high was 175 yards by Taz Anderson in the Cards’ 45-35 win over the Eagles at Busch Stadium in 1962 (Taz never had more than 85 yards in any other game). It’s the 8th-most yards ever by any NFL tight end (and the most since Kittle had 210 against the Broncos in 2018). Kittle’s 15 catches are the most ever against the Eagles. The previous high was 13 by T.O. in 2002 and Wes Welker in 2007.