Why didn't Eagles throw to Dallas Goedert vs. Patriots? DeVonta Smith on baby dance TD

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. − The Eagles opened their 2023 season with a hard-fought 25-20 win on the road against the New England Patriots.

The Eagles, defending NFC Champions, are considered among the favorites to return to the Super Bowl, behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and top receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, along with a defense that had 70 sacks last season, the third most in NFL history.

It was an emotional game for the Patriots and their fans as legendary quarterback Tom Brady was honored at halftime.

Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories in his 20 seasons at quarterback, setting several NFL records, including most yards passing at nearly 90,000.

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The Patriots, meanwhile, are not the Super Bowl juggernaut that they were during Brady's heyday. They're coming off an 8-9 season and have missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

Still, they gave the Eagles fits on a rainy afternoon, even after the Eagles took a 16-0 lead in the first half, helped by two touchdowns set up by the defense.

But the Patriots scored two touchdowns in the final 4:34 of the half, cutting the Eagles' lead to 16-14 as Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne from 19 yards out with 25 seconds left in the half.

The Eagles, meanwhile, stalled on offense after taking the big lead. They didn't get a single first down in the second quarter.

Hurts was 9-for-13 passing, but for only 47 yards, in the first half as the Eagles had only 98 total yards in the first half. He finished 22 of 33 for 170 yards and a touchdown.

Here are several observations as the Eagles held on for a 25-20 win over the Patriots:

No signs of Dallas Goedert, Eagles offense into 3rd quarter

Dallas Goedert had 55 catches for 702 yards in just 12 games last season. Yet through Goedert wasn't even targeted until the fourth quarter. The ball was thrown well over his head. The last time Goedert went without a catch in a game was Sept. 22, 2019 against Detroit. Goedert played sporadically that game after missing the previous game with an injury.

"Today, I was blocking more than catching the ball," Goedert said. "That’s fine. We got the job done. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but a win’s a win, and it’s tough to do in this league ... The benefit for me is I get to be in there in the run game, and I get to take my frustrations out on the D-ends and the linebackers.

"Maybe next week will be my week. If not, we’ll keep chopping away until it comes."

Added Hurts: "You try not to let the conditions of the game deter you from playing a certain type of way. I just think for us, we just want to execute at a high level. We got different guys getting opportunities to make plays. And some guys, it may not seem as much ... There’s a lot to grow from in that, and there’s a lot for me to personally grow from as well, to continue to be a point guard for the offense."

It wasn't just Goedert. D'Andre Swift didn't have a single carry up until that point. He was targeted twice with one catch for no gain.

Patriots, after awful start, get back into game as Eagles offense sputters

There were times when rust showed for the Eagles offense as none of the main starters played in the three preseason games.

The offensive line seemed to have trouble with edge rusher Matt Judon in particular, and Hurts often had to throw the ball away.

Still, the Eagles had a big early lead as the defense caused two turnovers.

But Jones, booed early on, rallied the Patriots on a scoring drive late in the first half, cutting the Eagles lead to 16-7. Jones completed passes of 15 yards to JuJu Smith-Schuster and 23 yards to Demario Douglas, then a 9-yard TD pass to Hunter Henry.

DeVonta Smith on his fatherhood after Eagles touchdown

Eagles wide receiver DaVonta Smith became a new father Saturday before the Eagles left for New England as he and longtime girlfriend welcomed a baby girl they named Kacy. In honor of that, Smith used his first touchdown celebration of the season to show how he's preparing for fatherhood.

After scoring, Smith cradled the football in his arms, rocked it to sleep while showing it off to his teammates.

"It was amazing. Everybody was talking about it, like, 'You score, you gotta rock the baby.' So it was just amazing," Smith said after the game.

Smith added that he got a parenting tip from fellow receiver AJ Brown. "Yeah, get your sleep when you can."

Eagles blowing out sloppy Patriots early, lead 16-0

It's still the first quarter, but the Eagles already have 2 touchdowns set up by the defense. The first came on Darius Slay's 70-yard interception return when he picked off Jones' pass after it deflected off intended receiver Kendrick Bourne.

That gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead.

On the first play of the Patriots' next possession, former Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott fumbled the ball after he caught a short pass. Jordan Davis caused the fumble and Zach Cunningham picked it up at New England's 26. Smith then caught a 5-yard TD pass. The extra point missed, but the Eagles had an early commanding lead.

Eagles take early behind Hurts

In the quagmire of a rainy afternoon, the Eagles drove down the field but stalled at the end of the drive and settled for a Jake Elliott 32-yard field goal. Still, the opening drive revealed quite a bit. Kenny Gainwell was the starting running back, and the Eagles went to him often.

Gainwell had 6 carries for 29 yards, and 2 catches for 14 yards. Hurts, meanwhile, converted a 3rd-and-11 from the Patriots 23 by running for 14 yards.

But facing a 3rd-and-goal from the 6, New England's Matt Judon sacked Hurts and they settled for a field goal at the end of a 14-play drive that used up 7:18.

Brandon Graham ties a storied franchise record

Just by suiting up Sunday, defensive end Brandon Graham will tie a franchise record that has stood for 61 years.

That's because Graham is starting his 14th season with the Eagles, tying Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik, who spent 14 seasons with the Eagles from 1949-62.

Graham, who's 35, said he never met Bednarik, who died in 2015 at the age of 89. But he is honored to share a record with "Concrete Charlie" who was part of two championship teams with the Eagles, in 1949 and 1960.

"Happy to still be here after so many years," Graham said.

Eagles fully healthy, Patriots not for opener

The only intrigue about the Eagles is which six players are game-day inactives. That's because everybody on the 53-man roster is listed as eligible to play Sunday.

That list included RB Rashaad Penny, whom the Eagles signed as a free agent last spring. Penny, a former first-round pick, played in just five games last season after breaking his leg while with Seattle. But the injury hasn't limited Penny this summer.

That left D'Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott as the only running backs on the active roster. The other inactives are QB Tanner McKee, CB Mario Goodrich, CB Eli Ricks, OL Tyler Steen, DT Moro Ojomo and TE Albert Okwuegbunam.

As for the rest of the 48-man game-day roster, the Eagles gave their two practice-squad elevations to punter Arryn Siposs and punt returner Britain Covey. They had to elevate Siposs because they don’t have a punter on the 53-man roster. It's expected that rookie

Surprisingly, the Eagles didn't designate Tanner McKee as the emergency quarterback, a new rule that enables a 49h player on game day. Had they gone with McKee, he could have only played if both Jalen Hurts and backup Marcus Mariota weren't able to play at some point during the game.

Conversely, the Patriots have several key injuries. On Saturday, cornerback Jack Jones was ruled out with a hamstring injury, then placed on injured reserve. Starting right tackle Riley Reiff was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week. Two other starting offensive linemen − Cole Strange (knee) and Mike Onwenu (ankle) − are inactive today, as is starting WR DeVante Parker (knee).

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles take big lead over Patriots, hold on for win on Tom Brady Day