Eagles PFF Grades: Eric Rowe struggles after being forced into action

Pro Football Focus is everyone's favorite site that grades NFL player performances. Let's take a look at what they had to say about Eagles players from Philadelphia's loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 12. PFF offers explanation on their grading system on their website. Read more about that here.

OFFENSE

Best

Jason Kelce +2.5
Mark Sanchez +1.9
Jason Peters +1.0

Analysis

Some Eagles players may have given up on Chip Kelly, but Kelce isn't one of them. The team's starting center is dealing with a knee injury that has caused his leg to swell and turn black and blue in color. Despite this, he's still giving effort. He didn't allow any pressure on the quarterback.

Sanchez's stats don't look so bad: 19 completions on 27 attempts (70.4%) for two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 116.1 passer rating. Some of that success came in garbage time, however, and it's clear he wasn't good enough to carry the team. The offense stalled all too often with him at the helm.

Peters only played 11 snaps but managed to earn a positive grade before having to leave with an ankle injury.

Worst

Lane Johnson -5.4
Dennis Kelly -2.0
DeMarco Murray -1.5
Nelson Agholor -1.1

Analysis

Johnson was the worst graded player of the game on both sides of the ball. He allowed three sacks and two hurries. He also struggled as a run blocker and even committed an illegal hands to the face penalty.

Kelly did not play well when forced into action at right tackle. He allowed one sack and four hurries.

Murray continues to look like a giant waste of money. The team's starting running back ran for 30 yards on 14 attempts for a mere 2.1 average. He just looks slow out there. Currently, PFF ranks 66th out of 68 running backs this season (minimum 25% snaps).

Agholor had two receptions for 15 yards. He would have received a neutral grade if he hadn't taken his helmet off on the field in frustration and earned himself a dumb penalty.

DEFENSE

Best

Fletcher Cox +1.6
Brandon Graham +1.6

Analysis

Cox received a negative run grade but earned a positive pass rush grade. He finished with five hurries and one tackle.

Graham had two hurries and two tackles, including a strong tackle for loss on Ameer Abdullah early in the game.

Worst

Mychal Kendricks -4.2
Eric Rowe -2.9
Walter Thurmond -2.3
Cedric Thornton -2.1
Byron Maxwell -1.9
Malcolm Jenkins -1.4

Analysis

Is it just me or has the Eagles defense been not so great ever since Kendricks returned? I'm not suggesting he's the only thing wrong with it, but he certainly deserves some of the blame after turning in performances like he did on Thursday. Kendricks missed three tackles and allowed four receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown. Look at the terrible angle he took on this play:

Who wants to tell me DeMeco (the team leader) & Kendricks are giving 100% effort here? https://t.co/C2GcNQ0sRu

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) November 26, 2015

Rowe struggled in the absence of Nolan Carroll, who suffered a broken ankle and had to be carted off. The rookie cornerback obviously had a tough matchup in going up against Calvin Johnson. Rowe was targeted 10 times. The team's 2015 second round pick allowed receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns. He was also marked down for a missed tackle. Brian Baldinger gave a scathing review of Rowe on Twitter:

Eric Rowe can't play...He doesn't have the foot quickness to stay with NFL WRs

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 26, 2015

None of Philadelphia's other defensive backs were much better. Thurmond, Maxwell, and Jenkins all struggled in coverage. Thurmond was marked down for three missed tackles while Maxwell and Jenkins each had one.