The Eagles played perhaps their most complete game since… probably the Miami game 370 days ago.
I have been a huge critic of Nick Sirianni for a while now. Beating an up-and-down Cincinnati team doesn’t prove a whole lot, but the Eagles are improving, and that simply cannot be ignored. A season ago, the Eagles were hanging on for dear life. They were winning by the skin of their teeth with luck and missed opportunities by their opponents (see slim victories over the Chiefs, Bills and Cowboys). That 2023 team continually got worse as the season progressed. There weren’t significant injuries to blame. The team simply did not improve… at all. The coaching was a disaster. The execution was a disaster. Everyone held on to the rope for as long as possible until they all let go at once during that drubbing at the hands of the 49ers.
Despite new additions and new coordinators, it seemed like much of the same for the better part of the first six weeks of the season. The Eagles were barely getting by, their execution was poor and every game/drive/play was a grind. Significant injuries made it all worse as well. Yet, here they are; 5-2 and within striking distance of the top teams in the NFC.
Their success and improvement is a credit to their defense first and foremost, a steady, dominant run game, and a continually evolving passing attack.
The young secondary has been a revelation. The Eagles were a disaster on the backend in 2023. They used their top two picks in the 2024 draft on cornerbacks and both have been spectacular. Quinyon Mitchell is already one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks. If you require proof, how about 82 yards allowed in coverage against Drake London, Chris Olave, Mike Evans, Amari Cooper, Malik Nabers and Ja’Marr Chase… COMBINED. And then there’s Cooper DeJean. DeJean’s insertion into the slot has sealed the Eagles biggest hole with overwhelming results. He’s an elite tackler and though he made a bone-headed mistake on 3rd and 22, he made up for it with an excellent tackle on 4th down later in the game. Did I mention the Eagles linebackers make plays? The pass rush could still use more production but there’s been growth there, too, as Nolan Smith has been a menace since the bye.
Though the Eagles still find ways to ignore Saquon Barkley too often, they’ve continued to tweak their offense. There’s been a few more mesh plays, more plays under center and a willingness to push the ball downfield. It’s far from perfect, but it’s better. I still think they need to run from under center more. Barkley with a head of steam is better than Barkley accelerating from a standing position. Barkley is also open in the flats A LOT and Hurts still needs to understand that option is almost always there. They also need the ball in DeVonta Smith’s hands on crossers. He’s probably the most underrated YAC receiver in the NFL. If I had to put a number on it, I’d say the offense is operating at 67% capacity. There is still plenty of room for growth, but after a year of stagnation, it is nice to see things are changing for the better.
Finally, though the Eagles are far from perfect, the obvious improvement and change is visible. Dare I say, Sirianni deserves a good amount of credit? The schedule gets tougher and the weather will get worse, but the Eagles are in the mix. For as frustrating as this team has been, and as much as I wanted him fired, Sirianni never lost his locker room. Professional players are rarely… if ever… loyal to a sinking ship. The 2024 Eagles seemed destined for the ocean floor and Sirianni has ferried the ship to harbor, at least for now.