This past Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, the Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) suffered a 27-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers (6-0). The Panthers are currently one of the best-ranked teams in the NFL.

In the midst of an overall difficult game for Philadelphia, a few Eagles stood out. For the first time this season, quarterback Sam Bradford stood tough in the pocket, even running for a first down on one play, an impressive feat considering his two repaired ACLs. His statistics were poor, however, as he threw for 205 yards and an interception. Bradford’s teammate, second string running back Ryan Matthews, looked very impressive in limited work, rushing for 97 yards on six carries, including a 63-yard touchdown run. Meanwhile, on defense, cornerback Nolan Carroll led the team with nine tackles and an interception. Mychal Kendricks recorded seven tackles and a sack, showing a solid return from his hamstring injury.

Barring these players, there were few other bright spots for the Eagles, especially since mounting injuries are dogging nearly every player. Linebacker Kiko Alonso continues to be sidelined with a knee injury and hopes to return in week 9. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor was unable to play the Panthers due to a shin injury. During the game All Pro Left tackle Jason Peters suffered back spasms and was carted off the field; he did not return.

The players who could make it onto the field did not perform well. The offense continued to look sloppy, with Philadelphia’s receiving corps dropping a combined total of seven passes – their highest number of drops per game in ten years. The offensive line let up 5 sacks. Philadelphia defense allowed Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart to rush for 125 yards and halfback Mike Tolbert to score on a key goal line play.

Ultimately, the Eagles played a very poor game against the Carolina Panthers. One can argue that the situation was due more to the Panthers’ good performance than the Eagles’ deficiencies. But the fact is that the Eagles have a banged-up group who simply cannot seem to execute down the stretch. After dropping to third place in the NFC East, if the team wants a crack at the postseason, they have to start performing and making simple catches.

Following Sunday’s defeat, the Eagles have two weeks to prepare for their next tilt against the rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, November 8, at 8:30 PM. Tune in to NBC to watch your Philadelphia Eagles attempt to bounce back.