Eagles grades: Offensive line comes up big against the Ravens, and the entire defense comes up huge

BALTIMORE — Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance Sunday in a 24-19 win over the Ravens:

Jalen Hurts was steady and composed against one of the better defenses in the league and made crucial throws when necessary. He had some early errant throws, but he managed the game efficiently and again didn’t turn the ball over. His passing numbers — 11-for-19 for 118 yards and a touchdown — weren’t eye-popping, but they got the job done.

Hurts did convert a big third-and-7 with a 9-yard pass to tight end Dallas Goedert in the fourth quarter. He also had accurate tosses on slants and dig routes to A.J. Brown in the second quarter that got the Eagles back in the game. On the ground, Hurts converted a third down in the red zone with a 9-yard draw. A play later, Hurts scored off the Tush Push when he picked up a fumbled snap and lunged for the goal line.

Saquon Barkley kept his race for the NFL’s MVP award very much alive. He went over 100 yards rushing for the eighth time in 12 games this season. Barkley didn’t get many chances early in the second half, but he got going in the fourth quarter. Barkley had four carries for 46 yards that ended with his 25-yard scoot into the end zone to give the Eagles a 21-12 lead. He also caught two passes for 10 yards.

It was tough sledding in the first half against one of the NFL’s better run defenses, but Barkley churned out 45 yards on 10 carries.

Backup Kenneth Gainwell didn’t get a touch on offense. Will Shipley played with the first unit for the first time in a while. With two-back personnel, he took a swing pass that was behind the line for a run and picked up 4 yards.

Brown played a huge role in the Eagles’ comeback after a slow start. All of his statistics — five catches for 66 yards — came in the second quarter. Brown caught two slants for 22 yards that helped the offense finally get moving. And then he hurt the Ravens with a couple of catches on deep dig routes over the middle on the Eagles’ next series. He drew a holding penalty in the fourth quarter but had a false start earlier in the game.

DeVonta Smith (hamstring) warmed up before the game, but he was inactive. Rookie Johnny Wilson (hamstring) was also out. That meant that Parris Campbell was on the game day roster for the first time since October. He and receiver Britain Covey were surprisingly targeted on the Eagles’ first possession, but they never saw another pass from Hurts.

Goedert had a solid game as a receiver and blocker. He finished with three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown. Goedert scored the Eagles’ first touchdown on a 17-yard catch-and-run off a run-pass option play in the second quarter. He injured a knee in the fourth quarter.

Receiver Jahan Dotson caught one pass for 7 yards. Tight ends Grant Calcaterra and C.J. Uzomah were up and down as run blockers. Calcaterra replaced Ben VanSumeren, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Friday, as the lead-blocking fullback.

The O-line eventually won in the trenches against one of the more physical front sevens in the league and gets praise for helping Barkley get over the century mark again. Left tackle Jordan Mailata had the key block when he pulled ahead of Barkley’s 25-yard touchdown run. Right tackle Lane Johnson was right there on the other side creating the hole the running back zoomed through.

Center Cam Jurgens appeared to get beaten when Barkley was dropped for a loss early in the third quarter. But he partnered up with guards Landon Dickerson and Mekhi Becton for a number of double-team blocks in the run game. Dickerson had a key block on Barkley’s 9-yard run that converted a third down in the second quarter.

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In terms of pass protection, Hurts wasn’t under a lot of pressure when he dropped back, unless he held the ball too long. He was sacked only twice.

Derrick Henry averaged only 4.3 yards a rush and that was a win for an Eagles defensive front that wore down the Ravens O-line as the game progressed. Defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Milton Williams were monsters up front. Carter’s tackle for loss on a Zay Flowers jet sweep played a role in the Ravens having to settle for a field goal on their opening drive. Carter’s sack of Lamar Jackson just before the half helped keep the Ravens out of the end zone.

Jordan Davis played more than normal with the Ravens employing a lot of heavy personnel. The nose tackle got in the backfield and contributed to a run for no gain in the second quarter. He teamed up with defensive end Josh Sweat for another run stop near the line on the Ravens’ next drive. He forced a fumble in the third quarter that the Ravens recovered. Backup nose tackle Thomas Booker helped spell Davis with him playing more.

With the Eagles light on the edge following Brandon Graham’s season-ending triceps surgery, Sweat saw an uptick in his snaps, as did Nolan Smith and rookie Jalyx Hunt. Sweat played well and had several quarterback pressures. He finished with five tackles. Smith sacked Jackson just before the half, giving him 4½ for the season. He committed an illegal use of hands penalty in the first quarter. Hunt notched a half-sack.

Zack Baun was a beast. He was around the ball all game and led the Eagles with 13 tackles. He split the sack with Hunt, which dropped Jackson for a 14-yard loss. Kicker Justin Tucker missed the subsequent 47-yard field-goal attempt wide left. Baun dropped Henry for a 4-yard loss in the second quarter.

Nakobe Dean wasn’t quite Baun’s equal, but he played well. He finished with double-digit tackles, as well, and did well to flood Jackson’s passing lanes in zone. Oren Burks played one snap when Dean left with an apparent injury. He was targeted on the play but managed to run Henry out of bounds.

Isaiah Rodgers started on the outside with Darius Slay (concussion) sidelined. He had a few leaky moments vs. Flowers, but he held up over the long haul. Rodgers kept a bubble screen to a short gain in the third quarter.

Quinyon Mitchell was phenomenal. The rookie kept his side of the field blanketed for most of the evening and Jackson stayed away from him. Mitchell came up and dropped tight end Mark Andrews for just a short catch off play action in the first quarter. He ran step-for-step with Flowers on a deep cross in the fourth quarter. Mitchell left briefly in the third quarter after Baun in friendly fire rolled into him from behind.

Kelee Ringo replaced Mitchell while he was out and wasn’t exposed. Slot corner Cooper DeJean broke up a deep pass to receiver Nelson Agholor in the third quarter. DeJean came up in the zone and decked Henry on a dump pass. He was flagged for holding early in the fourth quarter.

Avonte Maddox was the sixth defensive back in dime personnel and was flagged for holding on the Ravens’ first third-down conversion.

Vic Fangio’s two-high safety shells played a large part in confounding Jackson & Co. C.J. Gardner-Johnson may have been deep in the post on Andrews’ 23-yard catch that converted a third down in the third quarter. But he rebounded with good coverage on a crosser to tight end Isaiah Likely in the fourth quarter.

Reed Blankenship left in the third quarter with a concussion. He played solidly before the head injury, although Jackson did hit on some downfield throws when he extended plays. Blankenship was in man coverage when Andrews caught the Ravens’ first touchdown pass, but he had to cover the tight end for a long time.

Tristin McCollum took Blankenship’s spot. Jackson went at him soon after on a 16-yard pass to Andrews.

Braden Mann had some key punts. He averaged 48.5 net yards on six boots. Mann had a 58-yard punt down to the Ravens’ 1 in the second quarter when the Eagles dearly needed it. He had another that pinned the Ravens at their own 5-yard line in the third quarter. With his counterpart struggling, Jake Elliott made all his kicks.

Ringo hit Ravens punt returner Tylan Wallace after he signaled fair catch on Mann’s first punt. He had another penalty later in the quarter for running out of bounds on another punt. Rick Lovato has been perfect with his snaps all season, so it may be nitpicky for his first mention to come after his first penalty. But the long snapper’s hold required a re-punt that resulted in Ringo’s personal foul.

Covey had four punt returns for 29 yards. He left in the fourth quarter with a neck injury.

Nick Sirianni has his team riding an eight-game winning streak with an impressive road win against one of the AFC’s better teams. The Eagles were sloppy early with six penalties and other miscues in the first quarter. But Sirianni’s team hung in there and played physical football.

The Eagles had yet another slow start on offense. On the first drive, after a Barkley first-down carry, Shipley, Campbell, and Covey were the targets on the next three plays, which led to a punt. The next three drives weren’t much better, but on the Eagles’ fifth series, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore dialed up reliable slants to Brown and a variety of runs for Barkley that worked.

Moore’s call on third-and-1 early in the second quarter didn’t work out. Was it close enough for the Tush Push, or at least two Hurts sneaks in a row if the quarterback was stopped just inches short? Either way, the run play resulted in Barkley getting tackled in the backfield.

Fangio did a remarkable job in holding one of the top quarterbacks and offenses to 19 points. The defensive coordinator may have been behind in the early chess match. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken employed his preferred heavy personnel, which Fangio matched with his five-man front. Baltimore was able to run and pass vs. the Eagles base package, which kept DeJean off the field. But the Eagles were able to tighten up their gaps and forced the Ravens to go three-and-out on three straight possessions.

Fangio’s scheme forced Jackson to make throws into heavy coverage or take check-downs as Baltimore managed a last-gasp touchdown to avoid being shut out for the final three quarters.