Before you dig into this Victory Monday edition of the Official Review, Driven by AAA, make sure to check out Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro's 10 observations from Sunday's 20-17 win over the Chiefs, as well as Matt Ryan's feature on rookie Andrew Mukuba's game-changing interception.

Kevin Patullo's history with the Eagles helps in the clutch

While Kevin Patullo is new in his role of offensive coordinator, he's been around the organization since Nick Sirianni was hired in 2021. It's Patullo's strong relationships with the players that aids in understanding which plays are right in crucial situations.

"The knowledge of the players, the ability to have conversations, and the connection he has with those guys. Communication is so key because you're constantly trying to work to get better and he has great open communication with all positions on offense," Sirianni said on Monday. "I think you see it in situational football, it might not be as obvious to you guys, but what we want to do in certain situations you're way out in front of and so that continuity in that aspect, knowing what the players do well, trying to emphasize what the players do well, and finding a way to win. What we've been able to do the last few weeks, at times it hasn't looked pretty altogether, but we found a way to win, and that's the main goal."

Za'Darius Smith brings more than pass rush to the Eagles

Za'Darius Smith was signed the day after the Eagles beat the Cowboys on opening night and he wasted no time in helping his new team get a win in his season debut.

The veteran defensive end had four tackles in 20 defensive snaps and split the Eagles' first sack of the season with rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Even when he wasn't on the field, he was hyping guys on the sideline and coming off the field.

"I love his energy. He loves playing football. You love that about him," Sirianni said. "I think what you could really tell on the tape yesterday and you could tell on the field, was how much energy we had as a football team. I always think the energy you have as a football team is coming off the plays that you make, but also, you're celebrating the success of your teammate and the team. ... There was a lot of energy on that sideline because guys were genuinely happy for each other that they were making plays, all for the team's success and the joy of their teammate which was cool."

As for Smith's role moving forward, that remains to be seen, but it was a productive outing for a player who did not have Training Camp or preseason to jell with the defense.

Jalen Hurts: We showed up when it mattered most

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Chiefs blitzed Jalen Hurts on 16 of his 25 dropbacks (64.0%), the highest blitz rate by the Chiefs defense in a game since Steve Spagnuolo became defensive coordinator in 2019.

Hurts finished with 101 passing yards on 15-of-22 attempts, but when the Eagles faced a third-and-10 early in the fourth quarter of a three-point game, the quarterback stood tall in the face of the blitz and aired the ball deep down the right side for wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who caught the jump ball against cornerback Trent McDuffie for a 28-yard gain, the longest offensive play for the Eagles on the day.

Earlier in the game, Hurts tried a similar pass to beat the blitz, but Smith was unable to come up with the catch and fell hard to the ground on his back.

Hurts had the perfect quote to encapsulate Smith's performance.

"He came down on his back, but he came up in the clutch. What else could you ask for?" Hurts said. "Showing up when the moment requires someone to show up – a hell of a play by Smitty, the same play he made here two years ago, same part of the field, other one ended in a score. Overall, everyone stayed within themselves. Finding a way to win is something you have to take pride in. Take pride in winning, one, and take pride in what is required to win. As a team, defensively, they played lights out. Offensively, we showed up when we needed to. 26 (RB Saquon Barkley) showed up when we needed him to. We just want to continue to build."

Sirianni on the Tush Push: 'It's an exciting play'

The Tush Push was one of the hot-button topics all offseason and the Eagles continue to utilize the short-yardage play to help win games. On Sunday in Kansas City, the Eagles either scored a touchdown or gained a first down on four of six Tush Push attempts. Another would have gained a first down, but the Chiefs went offsides first, moving the chains for the Eagles.

Sirianni credited the Chiefs for making it tough sledding, but the Eagles will continue to implement it as long as other teams are unable to get them off the field.

"It's an exciting play. There's been a lot of discussion about it and when you bring more attention to a play, it brings more attention to football," Sirianni said. "I think it's kind of a cool thing, obviously, how much people debate it, how much people discuss it. I'd be confident too in our other plays to run in that area on those situations, but this play has been working well, so you keep going back to it. There are alternatives too for us to run that I think we would be successful with because of the resources we put into our offensive line, our quarterback, and the guys that are making the play go. I think there's a beauty to it in that everyone knows what you're going to run and you can still get the (first down or touchdown)."

Jalen Carter: 'Always something to get better at'

Don't tell Jalen Carter that the Eagles held the Chiefs to just 17 points or held them to a mere 33.3 percent success rate on third down in Sunday's win.

"We didn't execute all the way. There's a lot of things to get better at. We got the dub. We're going to watch film, learn, and get better from there," Carter said.

In his first game this season, Carter played 80 percent of the snaps on defense and accounted for two tackles, including one for a loss. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Carter generated three QB pressures, or one every 9.1 percent of his pass rush snaps.

"We got the dub. It wasn't the best. Our goal is to keep teams under two touchdowns. It's always something to get better at," Carter said.

Other News and Notes

• Lane Johnson did not allow a pressure across 25 pass blocking snaps in Week 2 against the Chiefs, while every other Eagles offensive lineman allowed at least one pressure.

• After not blitzing Patrick Mahomes on any of his dropbacks in Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles blitzed Mahomes 11 times in their Week 2 victory (28.9%).

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