By Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

LANDOVER, MD -- The Eagles defense forced four turnovers, including a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, powering a 30-17 Week 1 victory over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field, the type of victory that can set the tone for the rest of the season.

Here are some instant observations from a victory that also featured an injury to Ronald Darby that could have long-term ramifications for this team.

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Timely blitz, Jalen Mills' interception proves pivotal

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Alex Brandon | AP Photo

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It has been well-documented that Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would vastly prefer to generate pressure on the quarterback with the front four over sending extra pass-rushers and blitzing, but it was one blitz call that proved to be monumental Sunday.

With 12:21 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Eagles leading 19-17 and the Redskins facing a 3rd down and 6 at the Eagles' 14-yard line, Schwartz dialed up a blitz call that sent Jordan Hicks up the middle which forced Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins to rush his throw off his right foot which was intercepted by Jalen Mills.

Holding the Redskins without points on that possession was huge because it gave the ball back to the offense for a chance to salt out a victory.

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Tim Jernigan's impact already being felt

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The Eagles' offseason addition who has the chance to be among the most impactful, is defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, and he certainly showed why against the Redskins.

Not only did Jernigan sack Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins with 10:33 remaining in the third quarter, but it was Brandon Graham who forced a Cousins fumble with 1:26 remaining in the game that Fletcher Cox returned for a touchdown thanks in part to the attention that the Redskins offensive line had to pay to Jernigan rather than simply double-teaming Cox.

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Nelson Agholor appears to have turned a corner

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media

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After two disappointing seasons to open his career, Nelson Agholor opened the 2017 regular season with the kind of performance that gives hope he has turned a corner and can become a legitimate weapon as the Eagles' slot receiver.

Agholor was a focal point of the Eagles' passing game against the Redskins, inheriting Jordan Matthews' role as the frequently targeted slot receiver position that quarterback Carson Wentz targets early and often as a bit of a security blanket.

In addition to a highlight reel worthy 58-yard touchdown catch and run from Wentz with 11:43 remaining in the first quarter, Agholor hauled in 6 catches for 86 yards and one touchdown.

If Agholor continues to prove he can be a reliable option in a passing game that includes the likes of Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, and Zach Ertz it will certainly give a boost to an offense that passed the ball 39 times against the Redskins.

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WATCH: Wentz-to-Agholor highlight reel 53-yard touchdown

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Running the football will be a chore for this offense.

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Mark Tenally | AP Photo

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If Sunday is any indication, the Eagles offense has a chance to be as or more one-dimensional this season as it was in 2016 when head coach Doug Pederson dialed up only 438 running plays (27 per game) as compared to 607 passing attempts.

Against the Redskins, the Eagles ground game simply was never able to get any traction, which led to Carson Wentz taking a barrage of hits both in the backfield as well as while scrambling from the pocket.

LeGarrette Blount (46 yards), Darren Sproles (2 yards), and Wendell Smallwood (4 yards) will need to be much more consistently effective than they were in Week 1 when they averaged 2.8 yards per carry, or else Wentz could be in for another significant workload in his second season.

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Carson Wentz's deep-ball remains erratic

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Alex Brandon | AP Photo

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There's probably a reason that slot receiver Jordan Matthews and tight end Zach Ertz were the Eagles' most productive pass-catchers for the Eagles last season, and Nelson Agholor and Ertz led the way in the aerial attack on Sunday against the Redskins.

Carson Wentz simply has yet to achieve consistency delivering accurate deep-ball passes down the field, which was evident on Sunday.

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Carson Wentz has been tremendous eluding the pressure in the pocket, extending plays and making something out of nothing today. #Eagles — Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) September 10, 2017

Wentz was 1-for-7 with a touchdown on deep-ball throws. Clearly, there were snaps when Wentz was under duress and throwing across his body down the field to try and make a play, but there were others where he simply under-threw or overthrew the intended target.

If there is one area to Wentz's game that will likely come under scrutiny if it doesn't improve this season it is his deep-ball, which as a rookie he finished 14-of-53 for 441 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions on passing attempts over 21 yards.

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How can Eagles replace Ronald Darby?

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Ronald Darby's injury sends defense scrambling:

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Geoff Burke | USA TODAY Sports

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When Ronald Darby went down with what appeared to be a gruesome ankle injury, the Eagles were sent into full-fledged scramble mode at the cornerback position after keeping only four active for Sunday's game.

In Darby's absence, Jalen Mills and Patrick Robinson were the outside cornerbacks with Malcolm Jenkins moving from safety to slot cornerback and Corey Graham moving into the lineup alongside safety Rodney McLeod.

Long-term, this is not a sustainable option for the Eagles after sitting third-round rookie Rasul Douglas and Dexter McDougle against the Redskins.

Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins thrived against the Eagles' depleted secondary, finishing 23-for-40 with 240 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

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Eliot Shorr-Parks | NJ Advance Media

Eagles-Redskins takeaways

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THE NO HUDDLE SHOW:

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Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoPHL.