Another week went by with the Philadelphia Eagles failing to score in the first quarter, putting the streak of being scoreless in the opening 15 minutes at seven games (eight if including the regular-season finale against the New York Giants last season). The Eagles are the only team that has not scored a point in the first quarter this season.
Does it really matter? In a way, it does.
The Eagles are defying history with the first-quarter ineptitude, becoming the first team to go scoreless in the first quarter through their first seven games since the 1991 Green Bay Packers. They are just the sixth team to be held scoreless in the first quarter through seven games since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
The other teams that accomplished this feat didn’t fare so well.
| Teams without first-quarter point through first seven games | Final Record |
|---|---|
2024 Eagles | TBD; currently 5-2 |
1991 Packers | 4-12 |
1988 Buccaneers | 5-11 |
1986 Lions | 5-11 |
1977 Falcons | 7-7 |
1976 Falcons | 4-10 |
*Since AFL-NFL merger
The 1933 Chicago Bears are the only team in NFL history to not score a first-quarter point through the first seven games and still make the playoffs. That’s the trend the Eagles are trying to buck with their nonexistent scoring in the first quarter.
The Eagles did score on their first possession in Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, although the points actually came in the second quarter. This was the first time the Eagles scored on their opening possession this year.
Of course, this is how the Eagles are defying the odds. Philadelphia is second in the NFL in offensive points per game from the second to fourth quarter (24.1 PPG). The Eagles trail only the Lions (26.1 PPG) in that category.
The Eagles are finding ways to score points, just not in the opening 15 minutes. They’re on pace to become the first team in 91 years to make the playoffs despite their lack of scoring in the first quarter.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
October 28, 2024 | 4:15 pm
