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Honestly, if you turned off the TV with two minutes left on that Monday night in September, nobody would've blamed you. The Philadelphia Eagles had a 98.5% win probability. They had the ball, the lead, and Saquon Barkley was looking like the best investment Philly had made in years. Then, the wheels didn't just come off—they basically evaporated in front of nearly 70,000 screaming fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles vs Falcons 2024 matchup wasn't just a Week 2 game; it was a masterclass in how quickly "guaranteed" wins can turn into absolute nightmares.
That Saquon Barkley Drop: The Moment Everything Broke
We have to talk about the drop. It’s the elephant in the room. With 1:46 left in the fourth quarter, the Eagles faced a 3rd-and-3 at the Atlanta 10-yard line. A first down ends the game. It's over. Kirk Cousins stays on the bench, and the Eagles move to 2-0.
Philly called a rollout. Jalen Hurts threw a pass that was, for all intents and purposes, perfect. It hit Saquon Barkley right in the hands.
He dropped it.
The clock stopped. Instead of kneeling out the game, the Eagles had to settle for a Jake Elliott field goal. Sure, they went up 21-15, but they gave Kirk Cousins 1:39 and a glimmer of hope. In the NFL, that’s basically an eternity if your defense is playing soft. Barkley was incredibly blunt after the game, saying, "I let my team down today... If I make the catch, game's over."
Kirk Cousins and the 0.7% Miracle
While Philly fans were busy processing the drop, Kirk Cousins was busy being "Captain Kirk." Coming off an Achilles injury, people were questioning if he still had "it." He’d looked rusty in Week 1. Honestly, he looked a bit shaky for most of this game too. But when the Falcons took over at their own 30-yard line with no timeouts and a 0.7% chance to win, Cousins became a different person.
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It was clinical.
He went 5-for-6 on that final drive. He found Darnell Mooney for huge chunks of yardage, carving up a Vic Fangio defense that suddenly looked very confused. Then, the dagger: a 7-yard touchdown dart to Drake London in the corner of the end zone. Younghoe Koo nailed the extra point, and just like that, it was 22-21 Atlanta.
The Numbers That Don't Make Sense
- Kirk Cousins: 20/29, 241 yards, 2 TDs.
- Jalen Hurts: 183 passing yards, 85 rushing yards, 1 INT.
- Bijan Robinson: 97 rushing yards (6.9 per carry).
- Saquon Barkley: 95 rushing yards, but 1 massive drop.
It’s wild to think that the Eagles dominated time of possession—over 35 minutes to Atlanta's 24—and still found a way to lose. They ran 71 plays to Atlanta’s 48. Usually, that’s a recipe for a blowout win. Not this time.
Why the Eagles Defense Failed the Finish
Most people blame Barkley, and yeah, that’s the easy narrative. But let’s look at the "prevent" defense. The Eagles gave Cousins massive cushions. Drake London and Darnell Mooney weren't just catching balls; they were practically alone in the secondary during that final 70-yard march.
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Nick Sirianni defended the decision to throw on 3rd down instead of running it to kill more clock, saying they wanted to "junk it up" and get the first down to end it. It’s a gamble that looks brilliant if he catches it and like a fireable offense if he doesn't.
When the Eagles finally got the ball back with 34 seconds left, the magic was gone. Hurts tried to force a deep ball to DeVonta Smith, but Jessie Bates III—who was arguably the best player on the field that night—snagged the interception to seal it.
Key Takeaways for Your Next Box Score Deep Dive
If you're looking back at the Eagles vs Falcons 2024 game for betting trends or just to settle an argument with a friend, remember these three things:
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- The A.J. Brown Factor: The Eagles were without their star WR1 due to a hamstring issue. While DeVonta Smith stepped up (7 catches, 76 yards), the lack of a secondary vertical threat allowed the Falcons to bracket Smith when it mattered most.
- Improbable Comebacks: This was the 7th-most improbable win in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). Don't let anyone tell you Atlanta "outplayed" Philly for 60 minutes; they outplayed them for the last 90 seconds.
- The "Tush Push" Still Works: Jalen Hurts scored on the 1-yard Brotherly Shove earlier in the 4th. The play isn't dead, even without Jason Kelce, but it can't save you if you can't stop the pass on the other side.
For those tracking the rest of the season, watch how Philly handles late-game clock management. This game changed their trajectory and put a lot of heat on Sirianni's decision-making.
To dig deeper into the stats, you can check the full drive charts on NFL.com or watch the condensed highlights to see exactly how much room the Eagles' secondary gave up on that final drive. If you're analyzing future matchups, keep a close eye on the Eagles' injury reports regarding their receiving corps, as the drop-off in production without their top duo is significant.