The Eagles lose their fourth game in a row after Bryce Young threw for 281 yards, elevating the Panthers to a 25-14 win.
“We all have to do better,” Head Coach Nick Sirianni said after the game. “The whole consensus here is it’s not just one thing. It’s not just one player on an island, It’s not just one coach on an island. This is a team game, an ultimate team game, and we all have things that get better.”
Tanner McKee threw for 215 yards and a touchdown in his season debut, but the offense struggled to stay ahead of the sticks with multiple self-inflicted errors.
“I thought (our) defense played a heck of a game,” McKee said. “It’s really hard to win in the NFL only putting up 14 points. And obviously we put that on ourselves as an offense. I put that on myself as a quarterback to create more explosive plays and put more points on the board.”
Dameon Pierce accounted for all Philadelphia’s 35 rushing yards as the Eagles’ ground game continued to be ineffective without running back Saquon Barkley – as well as a rotated offensive line that allowed four tackles for loss.
“Too many flags today from us,” said Jordan Mailata. “We most definitely shot ourselves in the foot. But again, it’s all execution errors and stuff that we can control and try not to put ourselves in that position.”
The Eagles’ defense held the Panthers to only 24 rushing yards in the first half, but then allowed over 100 in the second half alone.
Tight end Dallas Goedert made 426th catch as an Eagle in the loss, tying Brian Westrbook for 4th-most career receptions in Eagles history.
Keyshawn James-Newby and Cole Wisniewski – both seventh-round rookies – made their debuts for the Eagles after being elevated from the practice squad. With Nolan Smith leaving the game early in the second quarter with a concussion, James-Newby found himself as one of the primary edge rushers for the rest of the game.
“You always got to prepare yourself like you are the starter. You got to study like you are a starter because at the end of the day, you never know,” James-Newby said after his NFL debut.
Bobby Okereke was dominant for the Panthers’ defense, recording eight tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hit, and two passes defensed.
“They had a lot of good packages,” McKee said of the Panthers’ pass rush and blitz schemes. “I need to get the ball out and live to see another day instead of taking a 10 yard sack or whatever it was. And so I can be better on that end.”
On the offensive side of the ball, Jalen Coker showed just how dangerous he can be with 97 yards on six catches. Tight end Tommy Tremble caught both of Young’s passing touchdowns.