Eagles put the CLAMPS on Buccaneers | NFL Game Recap | CBS Sports

specifically in the run game. Where did you see the most effective in this game? They just control the game within the game, within the trenches. When you talk about running the football, that was their calling card tonight. We saw that generate some production a week ago against the Minnesota Vikings led by DeAndre Swift. Clearly he is the featured guy for their offense in regards to running the football. Once again, he took control of that title again tonight. The Buccaneers, a defense that usually had, they usually been known to be a pretty stout defense against opposing offenses rushing the attack. They had no answer for DeAndre Swift. I mean, he had a field day and kudos to the entire offensive line unit as well, led by Kelsey Elaine Johnson and the crew. They did a phenomenal job in making things easy for number zero. Look at these highlights. I mean, Joe, you can go get some yards, some quality yards and fantasy points with those holes that he had the luxury of running through for four quarters. So this is something that they can build upon because if you remember a year ago, they were a very, very quality sound offensive running group, offensively on the on the offensive side of things. And now having a new running back in DeAndre Swift, remember last year was Miles Sanders, he's no longer there. I mean, this is something they can build upon and also to another bright spot. We started to see the connection with Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown. That's where I want to go. It's only a matter of time. Yeah, they got things going. Okay, as a receiver, it's okay to have a little uproar every now and then on the sideline and say, Hey, I'm still here. I still can give you some quality numbers. And he did. So tonight, as you saw the numbers right there, Swift, 305 rushing yards behind what many consider the best offensive line in the sport on the passing front. You said it. The connection starting to come along, but maybe not the momentum that you want to see in that connection. There were still points where A. J. Brown could have caught one of the end zone where hurts could have put a ball on him in a different spot. But nine for 1 31 is hard to argue with. No question. This isn't the final form of this connection. Where do you still see the points of improvement for A. J. Brown and Jalen? I think that chemistry and the rhythm has been a bit off, especially off what we saw last season. A few reasons. Number one, they didn't participate in preseason. I think that's important. Number two, they have a new play caller. Now, granted, coach has been there for quite some time. He's the quarterback coach. But now you talk about calling play, so it's going to take some time to establish that relationship between play caller and quarterback in the entire offense. But I'll say this when you talk about already having the running game showing up, it's only a matter of time before the aerial attack gets in place as well. And when they do, it's going to be a very difficult, daunting task for any defense that's playing against them to slow them down because they had the personnel Jalen Hurst quality feature franchise quarterback. No debate. A. J. Brown quality wide receiver. Number one. No debate. Smith. Another wide receiver one. And Dallas got her as well as a top tier like tight end. So they have the personnel. We just haven't really seen the rhythm there just yet, but I believe it will surface sooner than later. And when they do, they will be flying high. We are nitpicking here. One of the best teams in football. 25 points in this offensive exposition. 35 I believe a week ago, 25 prior. So we're finding the points of improvement in a team that really has all the pieces that they need to get where they are trying to go. Let's talk about the defensive side of the ball for the Eagles. 174 total yards for the Buccaneers. And there were some chunk plays that this number would have been even smaller. 41 yards on the ground. The strength of the offense for the Eagles is very much the strength of their defense. It starts inside. What are you seeing from that front seven right now? Man, they got some dominant guys in the trenches. They rotate them extremely well. So they're fresh, led by the veteran and Fletcher Cox. Jordan Davis is starting to play lower football with his pad level, which is important. And then Jalen Carter might be the most talented one on the defensive front, and he is the youngest one. So when they play the way they played tonight, it helps everyone else because I think the more the bigger concerns with their defense are the second level guys in the linebacker and of course dealing with some injuries in the secondary. But today they had no issue because the front guys just dominated so much and so consistent. And if they continue to play to that level, eventually they will get healthier in the secondary. I'm not quite ready to say they can deliver the 70 plus sacks that they had a year ago, but they can still put nice quality sound pressure on opposing quarterbacks. And they did so tonight made life miserable for Baker Mayfield. I mean, Jalen Carter, we saw him make a place in the back field the very next play, making a play from four yards down the field, forcing that fumble. They are a talented bunch at all levels. I think a thought here on Tampa Bay also in order because if you looked at the schedule preseason, I told you two and one, you'd say we'll take it. Assuming who the Minnesota Vikings, we thought they were going to be. And this matchup here against the Eagles, they start the season two and one in a very wide open division. Now I'm sure the Saints have something to say about that. Carolina has started struggling moving forward off of this game. What are some of the coaching points? You've seen Baker Mayfield really lean on his top target and Mike Evans. That's where they're really most productive offensively. But you gotta feel good at two and one coming out of this game. Despite your inefficiencies, you have to feel good at two and one because you would rather be two and one than one in two or three. And secondly, their division, right? The Derek Carr injury could be something to monitor moving forward. Carolina clearly seems to be going in the wrong direction. You really don't know what you got in the young quarterback in Desmond Ritter, who's leaving the line of Falcon. So you have to like that makeup within their division. But when you talk about the entire NFC, they have to get better. Number one, they have to run the football. I mean, they haven't ran the football in a long, long time. It feels like the last time they were running the football. Well, you know, you either had Cadillac Williams award done. And the thing is, when you had Tom Brady, the inconsistencies and running the football was kind of swept under the rug because you had Tom Brady and then eventually you got things going right now. They're not running football at all. They can't win any battles in the trenches to open up running lanes for the running backs. Secondly, tonight, it seems like when Baker is not throwing the football to Mike Evans or Chris Godwin, he's not effective. So he has to find a way to equally distribute the football when his two top targets are not open. And that rattled him tonight when he had to try to throw the football elsewhere and he was not connecting with those said past catches. So me personally, this is a team that didn't put forth their best effort. Defensively, the biggest surprise for me, they couldn't stop. I really felt like they can slow them down better than what Minnesota could not do last week. Deandre Swift, if they just wanted to run the football against Tampa, they would have had success in winning, running the football and probably winning this ball game without needing to throw the football. So those are my two concerns running the football for Tampa, playing better against run offenses and eventually finding other past catches that you can trust and rely on to make things happen for the quarterback in Baker Mayfield. Big one coming up in New Orleans against the Saints. We'll see what car status is, but could miss some time due to that A. C. Joint issue he's dealing with could mean a big win for Tampa Bay coming off of this loss. Final thought here. Let's include, I don't know both of these teams, but it's a question about one of them. B Mac. Did we watch the best team in the NFC tonight? No, I think we watched the second best team. I'm with you see in Philly. I still believe the San Francisco 49ers. I think they're the best team in totality. I think Philly will be better than what they have displayed in three weeks of play. And that could be a scary thing for the rest of the NFC because they haven't played their best football as a team, right? But they're getting better. But I think Philly is the second best team. I think Tampa, they're a team that's just better than everybody else around them in their division right now in their division. You got Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans and who knows if Tampa is actually the best team because you know, New Orleans might have a thing to say about that and saying to be safe for Atlanta. But you just need to be better than everybody else around you. That's not saying a lot when you have championship aspirations. But right now, I think that's that's the that's the best way to put it for Tampa and Philly number two in the NFC San Francisco and Philadelphia, man. Those are two complete football teams at each and every level. It's another win in a three and oh start here for the dirty birds as they come away with one over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. B Mac. We thank you.