Every once in a while, somebody on the Eagles does something so impressive, so remarkable, that we split our weekly Roob’s Eagles Stats into two. So you might see a Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley stats piece one day and then the general Eagles stats piece the next day.
This time it’s a little different.
For the first time ever, we’re devoting an entire Roob Stats Bonus Edition not to a single player but to a group. The defense.
The Eagles blanked the Raiders 31-0 Sunday and it was a historic, record-setting performance in a number of ways.
On Tuesday, you’ll see our usual weekly Roob’s Stats. For now, let’s take a look at what the Eagles did defensively Sunday.
1. We have to start off with 75 yards, which is all the Raiders managed against the Eagles. That’s the 8th-fewest yards against the Eagles in their 93-year history but the fewest in 70 years, since Dec. 4, 1955, when the Eagles held quarterback Ogden Compton and the Chicago Cardinals to just 49 yards in a 27-3 win at Connie Mack Stadium – one net passing yard and 48 rushing yards. It’s also the 10th-fewest yards any team has gained in a game since 1992. It was the Raiders’ 2nd-fewest yards ever, their fewest since they had 58 in a 41-10 loss to the Chargers at Candlestick Park in 1961. The Eagles held the Raiders to 1.8 yards per play, 3rd-lowest in franchise history and lowest in 33 years, since they held Stan Gelbaugh and the Seahawks to 1.45 yards per play – 87 yards on 60 plays – in a 20-17 win at the Kingdome.
2. The 31-point margin of victory is the Eagles’ largest in a shutout in 44 years, since they beat the Cardinals 38-0 at the Vet in 1981 behind three touchdown passes by Ron Jaworski. Before that you have to go back to 1953 and a 38-0 win, also over the Cardinals, at Connie Mack Stadium. Sunday’s loss combined with their 31-0 loss to the Chiefs in October made the Raiders only the third team in the last 25 years to lost two shutouts by 30 or more points in the same year. The 2021 Texans lost 31-0 to the Colts and 40-0 to the Bills and the 2002 Panthers lost 30-0 and 41-0 to the Falcons. The shutout was the Eagles’ first since they beat Washington 24-0 at FedEx Field in 2018 and only their second ever at the Linc. In 2014 they beat the Giants 27-0. Overall, it was the Eagles’ 42nd shutout, but 28 of those 42 came between 1933 and 1955.
3. The Raiders had only 29 net passing yards, 64 yards by Kenny Pickett minus 35 sack yards. That’s the fewest net passing yards the Eagles have allowed in 24 years, since a 27-3 win over the Seahawks in 2001 at Kingdome. In that game, Matt Hasselbeck threw for 62 yards and was sacked seven times for 41 yards for 21 net passing yards. Pickett’s 64 passing yards are the fewest against the Eagles on 25 or more attempts in 46 years, since David Whitehurst of the Packers threw 26 times for 53 yards in a 21-10 loss to the Eagles at Lambeau.
4. The Eagles have allowed 144, 106 and 29 net passing yards the last three games, and the 279 combined net yards is the fewest passing yards they’ve allowed in a three-game span in 48 years. In 1977, they held the Buccaneers, Rams and Lions to 26, 136 and 95 yards for a three-game total of 257. Last time they allowed 279 or fewer net passing yards and held opposing QBs to 51 percent or worse in a three-game span was 1959, when the Browns, Cardinals and Rams combined for 46 percent and 273 yards.
5. The last three quarterbacks to face the Eagles have had a passer rating under 60: That’s 56.9 for Caleb Williams, 59.6 for Justin Herbert and 47.9 for Kenny Pickett. It’s only the second time in the last 25 years the Eagles have held three straight QBs to a passer rating below 60. In the 2017 Super Bowl season, four straight QBs did it: C.J. Beathard of the 49ers (46.9), Brock Osweiler of the Broncos (53.4), Dak Prescott (30.4) and Mitch Trubisky (38.3). 6. This was the first time in 34 years and only the second time since 1955 that the Eagles allowed fewer than 50 yards both rushing and passing in the same game. The Raiders had 46 rushing yards and 29 net passing yards. Last time the Eagles limited a team to fewer than 50 yards both rushing and passing was Sept. 15, 1991, in a 24-0 win over the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys had 45 net passing yards and 45 net rushing yards. That was the game the Eagles sacked Troy Aikman 11 times. Before that, the last time it happened was that 1955 game against the Cards, who had one net passing yard and 48 rushing yards.
7. The Raiders managed only seven first downs Sunday, the fewest against the Eagles in 32 years and tied for 3rd-fewest since 1950. Last time they allowed seven first downs in a game was in a 37-26 win over Steve Walsh and the Saints at the Vet in 1993. Last time they allowed fewer was in a 30-0 win over the Broncos at the Vet in 1992, Randall Cunningham over John Elway. The Broncos had just four first downs in that game. The only other time in the last 75 years a team had seven or fewer first downs against the Eagles was a 44-7 win over the Lions at the Vet in 1979. The Lions had just five first downs.
8. The Raiders gained exactly 1.0 yard per pass attempt Sunday. As in 36 inches. With 64 gross yards passing on 25 attempts minus 35 yards on four sacks, that’s 29 net passing yards on 29 drop-backs. That is the 4th-lowest yards per pass play against the Eagles ever and lowest since that Seahawks game at Husky Stadium in 2001, when Seattle had 62 gross passing yards on 24 attempts and 41 sack yards on seven sacks for a total of 21 net passing yards on 31 plays for 0.68 yards per pass attempt. They also held Seattle to 0.67 yards per pass attempt in their 20-17 overtime win at Kingdome in 1991 and they held the Bucs to 0.81 passing yards per attempt in a 13-3 win at the Vet in 1977.
9. By holding the Raiders to just 75 yards, the Eagles improved from 22ndto 15th in the NFL in team defense – from 341.6 to 322.6 yards per game. They improved from 18th to 11th in pass defense (209.6 to 196.7) and 26thto 23rd in run defense (132.0 to 125.9).
10. The Eagles have allowed just 12 touchdowns in their last eight games. The last time they allowed fewer TDs in any eight-game span was the last eight games of the 2001 season, when they allowed eight on their way to their first NFC East title since 1988. They’ve also allowed just eight passing TDs in their last 10 games, matching their fewest in a 10-game span also since 2001. The nine passing first downs they’ve allowed the last two weeks are also their fewest since 2001. Finally, the Eagles allowed just 3.1 yards per play vs. the Chargers and Raiders. That’s their lowest two-game span on record.