6 lessons from Eagles’ Week 4 win over 49ers: Carson Wentz’s mobility is his greatest asset, Doug Pederson still has his edge

The Eagles finally showed some signs of life during their 25-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The prime-time victory was the first win of the season for the struggling bunch. Now 1-2-1, the Eagles lead the lowly NFC East entering the second quarter of the campaign.

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The Sunday Night Football win was an eye-opener, as the Eagles showed they can still play the role of division champs, despite their terrible start to the season.

Here are six lessons learned from the Eagles’ Sunday Night Football win over the 49ers:

Carson Wentz needs to stay on the move

For the fourth consecutive week, Wentz’s passing prowess was erratic. That said, the franchise quarterback made up for his passing struggles with his legs. Wentz showed off his elusiveness regularly, moving around the pocket and speeding upfield for chunks of yardage.

Wentz’s pedestrian passing stat line — 18-of-28 for 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception — was greatly aided by his rushing output (seven carries for 37 yards and a touchdown). He scored on the ground for a third time this season, which tied a career-high, and he just simply looked more comfortable on the move. If the Eagles want to avoid further hiccups on offense, moving Wentz around is the right move for the foreseeable future.

Doug Pederson hasn’t lost his edge after all

After three weeks of having his fortitude routinely questioned, Pederson went all-out on taking chances against San Francisco. The play-caller immediately went for a two-point conversion following the Eagles’ first touchdown score of the game. He then chose to attempt two fourth-down conversions in the second half as the Eagles trailed the 49ers by a score.

Pederson showed faith in his offense, and the group responded with a tenacity that hadn’t been shown in recent weeks. The Eagles aren’t done, and they now own the lead in the NFC East division race.

It’s time for a change at linebacker … specifically with Nate Gerry

It’s been four weeks, and it’s hard to see what Gerry actually brings to the defense. While he’s been around longer than anyone else, he’s also had twice as many mishaps as his fellow linebackers. With Alex Singleton immediately coming in and making plays, it’s hard to understand why Gerry is the go-to for Jim Schwartz at linebacker.

Benching Gerry probably isn’t an option right now — especially with T.J. Edwards dealing with a hamstring injury — but the Eagles need to try some different personnel groupings to protect themselves. Gerry has routinely missed tackles, gotten lost in coverage and even had some communication errors.

At some point, the Eagles need to see what someone else can do because it’s hard to match the number of mistakes that Gerry seemingly makes on a weekly basis. Singleton or rookie Shaun Bradley could be better options than Gerry, but neither player has received the opportunities to prove they belong.

Travis Fulgham might be a find

The second-year wide receiver was a late arrival to Eagles training camp this summer. After being cut twice during the offseason by the Lions and Packers respectively, Fulgham was claimed off waivers by the Eagles in September. Despite being new to the offense, Fulgham made an impression on the coaching staff with his consistent hands.

Sunday, Fulgham showed off his reliable hands, catching a 42-yard touchdown pass from Wentz. The big connection was the most explosive play of the season for the Eagles’ offense.

Fulgham spent the first three weeks of the campaign on the practice squad, but he already has more catches, yards and touchdowns than last year’s second-round pick, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who missed the Week 4 matchup with a calf injury.

At this point, why not go with Fulgham over Arcega-Whiteside, who is unquestionably a bust? That’s a question that needs to be answered at the NovaCare Complex this week.

Turnovers really do come in bunches

The Eagles came into the weekend as one of three defenses without an interception. The defense was also one of only two units without a turnover in general. Sunday against the 49ers, that drought ended in dramatic fashion.

First, safety Rodney McLeod picked off 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens in the second quarter. Then, cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc produced a strip-sack on the quarterback. And finally, linebacker Alex Singleton took an interception to the end zone for a pick-six in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles’ defense needs to ride this wave of turnover momentum and capitalize in Week 5 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Eagles have shown that good things can happen when they win the turnover battle.

Jordan Mailata swam when thrown into the deep end

Mailata’s first start wasn’t perfect. In fact, he got off to a pretty rough start with a drive-killing third-and-1 false start penalty in the first quarter. But, the third-year lineman battled back and settled down as the night went on. The 49ers have a fierce defensive front, and Mailata was able to show competent growth throughout the matchup.

The Eagles put Mailata in a tough spot, starting him in a must-win game on Wentz’s blindside. Again, he wasn’t perfect, but he was commendable. With Jason Peters out for at least two more weeks, perhaps Mailata can grow on the fly and lock down the role for even longer.

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