Shorthanded Eagles drop seven passes, including possible game-winner, in crushing loss
The Philadelphia Eagles came into Sunday’s contest missing some key receivers and it cost them the game. The Eagles dropped seven passes, including a possible game-winner, in a 27-24 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 3.
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The Eagles knew things were going to be tough going in. The team lost both Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson to injuries last week. Both players were ruled out for Week 3.
It wasn’t all bad. Zach Ertz was one of the few pass catchers healthy enough to play. The team’s second tight end, Dallas Goedert, also played despite a calf injury that limited him in practice Friday.
Other than those two, the Eagles were left with Nelson Agholor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Mack Hollins as their primary wide receivers.
That group mostly disappointed. Agholor managed to score two touchdowns, but also had two drops and a fumble during the contest. Ertz, Goedert, Hollins and running back Jordan Howard all registered a drop.
Despite all that, the Eagles still had a chance to win the game late. With under a minute to play, Carson Wentz threw a deep pass to Arcega-Whiteside near the Lions’ goal line. It hit Arcega-Whiteside in the hands and fell to the ground.
If caught, Arcega-Whiteside may have scored. And even in a scenario where he came up short, the Eagles would have had time to pull off a few more plays near the goal line.
Arcega-Whiteside’s drop gave the ball back to the Lions. Matthew Stafford took a knee twice, clinching the win for Detroit. Through three games, Detroit is 2-0-1.
The loss drops the Eagles to 1-2 on the season. With Wentz playing well, the Eagles desperately need to get their playmakers so they can get back on track.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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