Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Eagles’ problems extend deeper than a loss to the Jets.
Is there a good reason other than roster talent to believe in the Philadelphia Eagles right now? Seriously, if you have a good answer I’d like to see your work — because despite dropping their first game of the season to the Jets there’s nothing about this team that shows they deserve being 5-1 right now.
We saw this one year ago with another 5-1 team who consistently played down to their competition and squeezed out wins by a single score: The Minnesota Vikings. All season long we heard from Vikings fans that it didn’t matter, wins are wins, and labored justifications for their inconsistent results. Then the 13-4 teams got bounced in the Wild Car round by the Giants — by a single score.
If you’re mapping out the best teams in the NFL after the first third of the season it feels like the Eagles are simply being included by default. Nobody has really stopped to think about whether they actually are one the best teams in the league, or drafting off the expectation that they’d be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl once more.
The loss to the Jets was embarassing, but not necessarily a debacle. Robert Saleh’s team is the best defensive unit in the NFL outside of San Francisco, and they’d be a legitimate Super Bowl contender with a real quarterback. That still doesn’t change the calculus that this team crumbled against the Jets, largely based on the horrific play of Jalen Hurts on Sunday — and it’s not the first time we’ve seen disappointing results from Hurts and the Eagles this season.
Let’s remove the game on Sunday from the equation for a second and look at the rest of their games so far:
Five point win over the Patriots (1-5)
Six point win over the Vikings (2-4)
14 point win over the Buccaneers (3-2)
Three point win over the Commanders (3-3)
Nine point win over the Rams (3-3)
This is a team struggling against the most mid teams in the NFL. Their 20.2 point against per game ranks 8th in the NFL. They score 21.08 per game, which is 14th in the league. Advanced stats don’t do the Eagles any favors either, with Philadelphia playing teams with a -7.9% in total DVOA, one of the easiest schedules in the NFL up to this point.
The risk of a Super Bowl hangover was always real, but what we’re seeing more than anything is a team that’s really missing its offensive and defensive coordinators from a year ago, both of whom got head coaching jobs. It all feels like too much change too quickly for a team just rounding the corner to find its way, and Jalen Hurts is struggling as a result. An inconsistent run game has led to too much pressure for Hurts to have to play hero ball, and a huge reason for the loss on Sunday was because the QB felt the need to do too much on offense and turned the ball over as a result.
A year ago this team felt like a well oiled machine dominating easy games, winning their toss-ups, and pushing the best teams in the NFL to the limit. In 2023 this Eagles team doesn’t have a clear identity — and they’ve taken a mammoth step back. It hasn’t reflected in wins or losses yet, but with a six game stretch coming up that includes the Dolphins, 49ers, Chiefs, and Bills it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see this team in a hole.
There has to be a sense of urgency in Philadelphia that starts right now, because this team is far too talented to rest on its 5-1 laurels, look at this Jets loss like a blip on the radar, and get caught in a deep hole that becomes impossible to dig their way out of.
Winner: Cleveland Browns
You can get down to a granular level and say the reason this team was able to pull out a win was missed field goals by Jake Moody and some beneficial injuries that kept two of the Niners’ best weapons off the field — but that discounts that the Browns are still without Nick Chubb and started Philip Walker at quarterback.
You best believe this is going to be a game tap every team adds to their preparation, because nobody has contained the Brock Purdy-run 49ers offense this well.
This wasn’t so much a case of mind blowing individual plays that warped the game, and rather a complete defensive performance that kept San Francisco to 215 yards and 3-of-12 on third down. It was a major achievement, and defense like this is what could carry Cleveland into the playoffs.
Winner: Tyreek Hill
This was a baller move, I don’t care about the penalty — it was worth it.
Loser: Justin Fields
I feel really bad putting Fields in the loser column this week after his hand injury, but prior to him being hurt the Bears’ offense was a putrid dumpster fire with Fields at the helm. Whatever progress was made against the Commanders washed away vs. the Vikings — a team that has honestly struggled against the pass a lot this season so far because of their lack of a secondary.
There was some nice dual threat traits to Fields’ game, but everything is so bad with this passing game right now that I don’t know if it can be rectified. The worst part is that we seem destined to be hurtling towards Caleb Williams ending up on the Bears next, where his career can be sacrificed on Chicago’s altar as well.
Winner: The Detroit Lions
Are the Lions the best team in the NFC outside of the 49ers? Yeah, probably.
This team is doing everything right at the moment. They’re winning the games they should, and stepping up when needed. The old characteristic Lions are dead, and honestly the Lions of 2022 would have dropped that game on Sunday against the Buccaneers.
Above all else Detroit is playing with pride. There’s earnest belief in their own ability, and it’s showing in how they play. Jared Goff is one of the best quarterbacks in the league right, Amon-Ra St. Brown is fast becoming an elite receiver, and defensively everyone is stepping up as well.
Football often isn’t heartwarming, but man, it’s such a feel good story for this franchise.
