In their much anticipated start of the 2015 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles headed to the Georgia Dome to take on Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. However, the party was spoiled as a second-half comeback was not enough, leading the Eagles to drop their season opener by the final score of 26-24.
Despite seeing Sam Bradford and the Eagles’ offense explode in the preseason, a very mistake-ridden offense came out in the first half. The Eagles started with a quick three-and-out, and continued
to struggle tremendously throughout the half.
Bradford and the offense showed much miscommunication with costly incompletions and poor timing. These missteps coupled with a running game putting up just eight first-half yards led to punter Donnie Jones finishing most of the early drives.
The Eagles would start to get some movement in the second quarter, leading to a 29-yard Cody Parkey field goal, but the missteps would soon continue. The Falcons defense would get good pressure on Bradford, leading him to eventually throw his first interception of the season to William Moore.
The Eagles were able to make a key play on defense with a spectacular one-handed interception in the end zone by linebacker Kiko Alonso, but unfortunately that would be the only defensive highlight of the first half.
It was all the Matt Ryan and Julio Jones show in the first half as the duo connected for 97 first-half yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Eagles got off to a hot start in the second half with safety Walt Thurmond getting an interception to set up an eight yard DeMarco Murray touchdown. The offense would remain hot, scoring on their next two possessions with a Murray five-yard catch, and a one-yard run by Ryan Mathews.
Unfortunately, the comeback came a little too late. A Matt Bryant 47-yard field-goal put the Falcons back up, and a missed 44-yard field goal by Parkey kept the Eagles from regaining the lead.
Bradford and the Eagles looked to rush down the field to get into field-goal position, but a Bradford pass went through Jordan Matthews’s hands and landed in the hands of Ricardo Allen to seal the deal.
This Sunday, the Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys for the first divisional game of the season. We’ll see how the Eagles defense stacks against a Cowboy offense missing their biggest weapon.
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