Birds fans get idea of what they missed with Claypool
The Eagles could have taken Chase Claypool off the board in the first round of the draft last spring. They studied him along with the rest of the wide receiver class before selecting Jalen Reagor.
Eagles fans lamenting the decision to draft JJ ArcegaWhiteside instead of D.K. Metcalf last year probably wish they’d taken Claypool after the second-round pick of the Steelers scored four touchdowns to beat them Sunday, three on receptions and another on a misdirection run.
You could do a lot worse than Claypool and Travis Fulgham, the consolation prize in the Eagles’ 38-29 setback at Heinz Field, as your wide receivers. Just look at oft-injured DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery.
Fulgham, who had two receptions entering the game, is one catch from being their third-leading receiver after hauling in a careerhigh 10 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. That’s the most receiving yardage for an Eagle since Jackson collected 156 in the 2019 season opener.
Fulgham made one mistake all day: he forgot to save the ball from his first touchdown and run it over to his parents, who were among the limited crowd attending the game along with his sister.
“I’m just trying to do what I can,” Fulgham said. “If Carson throws me the ball, just come down with it and make the play. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the win. But I’ll keep building on it.”
Five of Fulgham’s receptions were on third down, four for first downs and a four-yarder for the score.
“I’m familiar with him because he’s an Old Dominion guy and I’m a Virginia boy but I don’t know that we are globally familiar with him,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. “I don’t know that he has enough of a resume for us to be overly concerned about, but, boy, he made some plays today, and I’ve just got a lot of respect for what he was able to do.”
Claypool had a monster game with seven receptions for 110 yards and three touchdowns, the longest from 35 yards. He also tallied on a two-yard run.
A product of Notre Dame,
Claypool clocked a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Reagor ran a 4.47 at 195 pounds in Indy.
Fulgham is all business. He didn’t blame a non-call when defender Joe Haden got physical batting away a pass on third-and-five at the 39-yard line of the Steelers late in the game. Jake Elliott pushed a 57-yard field goal attempt wide right after the next snap.
“I absolutely should have made that play,” said Fulgham, a waiver wire pickup from the Packers. “That’s on me. I should have came up with that play to continue that drive and hopefully get the team the win.”
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Carson Wentz was sacked by T.J. Watt on the first series.
Ben Roethlisberger was dropped by Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave on his first series.
The rest of the half was a back-and-forth touchdown duel
The battle of the NFL’s top two pass rushes fizzled because the offensive lines played well, although the Eagles allowed four more sacks. Losing right tackle Lane Johnson again didn’t help.
Rookie Jack Driscoll replaced Johnson.
Wentz was part of the problem as well. He completed 20 of 35 attempts for 258 yards with two TD’s, two interceptions and a 75.7 passer rating.
“I’m.sure there were times when you can get the ball out of your hand, I think there were times were guys were covered up, some pressure sacks,” Pederson said. “So, it was a little bit of everything, but until I can evaluate the film it’s hard to answer the question.”