PHILADELPHIA — Asante Samuel stared directly at his former team’s sideline and started trash-talking right after the coin toss. By the fourth quarter, Samuel was dancing on the field between plays.
Matt Ryan made it easy for his loquacious teammate to gloat.
Ryan threw touchdown passes on Atlanta’s first three possessions against the Eagles and new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and the Falcons remained the NFL’s only unbeaten team with a convincing 30-17 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.
“We’re 7-0 over here baby,” Samuel said. “If I was over there now, they have to go to work.”
The Falcons are 7-0 for the first time in the franchise’s 47-year history while the Eagles (3-4) lost after a bye for the first time in 14 games under coach Andy Reid since 1999.
“That was an embarrassing performance,” Reid said. “I’m stating the obvious. We need to get better. I need to do a better job. This is fixable. We have the talent.”
Ryan finished 22 of 29 for 262 yards and three TDs for his first win against his hometown team in three tries.
Michael Vick didn’t turn the ball over for once, but he played so-so and failed to beat his former team in his second start against the Falcons since returning to the NFL in 2009.
“Whatever decision coach makes, I support it,” Vick said when asked about possibly being benched for rookie Nick Foles. “I know I’m giving it everything I have when I’m out there.”
Reid said he’s going to evaluate whether he makes a quarterback change. The defense was the problem against Atlanta, however.
The Falcons scored on their first six possessions before punting for the first time with 5:35 left.
“When you do that, it’s going to be a good day,” Ryan said.
This was a validation win for Atlanta. The Falcons entered with no victories over a team with a winning record and their opponents were a combined 13-24 going into this weekend. Perhaps that’s why they were a surprising 3-point underdog despite Philadelphia’s recent struggles.
“We like to have a lot of fun,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “We have a very mature group. We have a bunch of guys who are mentors. We’re good at focusing on the task at hand. We’re on point when we kick off and guys have done a good job focusing all season.”
Reid’s Eagles have lost three in a row since starting 3-1. Reid fired Juan Castillo and replaced him with Bowles two days after Philadelphia blew its second straight fourth-quarter lead in an overtime loss to Detroit.
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