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Tag: eagles

  • NFC Hierarchy/Obituary: Week 7 edition

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    Week 6 of the NFL season is in the books, and we have a lot of movement within the Hierarchy, including a new team at the top. We were primed to kill off the Giants if they had lost to the Eagles Thursday night, but, surprise (!), that didn’t happen, to put it mildly. There are no new obituaries this week.

    Obituaries

    None.

    Graveyard

    092225Graveyard2025AftefSaints

    Hierarchy

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    15) Cardinals (2-4): The Cardinals got screwed on Sunday, when this pass interference (or hold or whatever you want to call it) wasn’t called on a fourth down play that sealed a loss. This is a little tough to see because of the shadows, but whatever:

    Maybe they didn’t call that because McBride flopped for no good reason after the interference? Or maybe officials just aren’t calling pass interference penalties late in games, like they didn’t in the Eagles-Broncos games with Dallas Goedert? Or maybe the Cardinals are just cursed:

    Last week: 13

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    14) Giants (2-4): The good from the Giants’ Thursday night win over the Eagles: They might have themselves a quarterback! Jaxson Dart is feisty, competitive, and he can make plays with his legs. We’ll see if he can become more refined as a passer, but the tools he has already shown are a good start. And having a legit quarterback is kind of a big deal! So, you know, that was an exciting night for Giants fans, emphatically beating a nemesis in the Eagles, in large part because of a rookie quarterback and running back.

    The bad from the Giants’ win: Head coach Brian Daboll is a dolt. His behavior on Thursday night — entering the medical tent and screaming at a doctor on the sideline — was reprehensible, and should be a much bigger story coming out of that game than it is. He’s not a leader. He’s a moron. And if Dart pans out the rest of this season, he’s going to argue to Giants ownership that the Giants have their Josh Allen, and he should keep his job so as not to derail Dart’s momentum with a new head coach. And you know what? That’ll work, because Giants ownership is dumb, too.

    Last week: 15

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    13) Cowboys (2-3-1): Cowboys defensive rankings through their first six games: 

    Cowboys defense  Stat  Rank 
    Points per game  30.7  31 
    Yards per game  411.7  32 
    Passing yards per game  269.5  32 
    Rushing yards per game  142.2  29 
    Yards per play  6.2  30 
    Takeaways per game  0.7  26 
    First downs per game  24.2  31 

    My official #analysis: The Cowboys’ defense is bad.

    Last week: 11

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    12) Panthers (3-3): The last time the Panthers had a winning or even a 0.500 record was in 2021. 

    • 2022: Started 0-2, finished 7-10, never got to 0.500.

    • 2023: Started 0-6, finished 2-15, never got to 0.500, obviously.

    • 2024: Started 0-2, finished 5-12, never got to 0.500.

    • 2025: Started 0-2, and then 1-3, won their last two games to get to 0.500. 🎉🍾

    Also, over the last two games, Rico Dowdle has 389 rushing yards and 84 receiving yards. The Panthers as a team have the best rushing yard differential in the NFL, at +289.

    Last week: 14

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    11) Commanders (3-3): The Commanders had a golden opportunity to take over first place in the NFC East, and then, (fart noise).

    And really, the officials gave the Commanders all kinds of breaks throughout the night, but Jayden Daniels was like, “Eh, no thanks.”

    That’s a really bad loss, not just because it was to a mediocre team at home, but also because they now have head-to-head losses to the Packers, Falcons and Bears, and a 1-3 record overall against NFC teams. They’re not going to win many tiebreakers.

    Last week: 8

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    10) Falcons (3-2): Bijan Robinson is pretty good.

    Also, the Falcons have allowed the fewest yards per game in the NFL so far this season. Can’t say I’d have predicted that one.

    Last week: 12

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    9) Bears (3-2): Hey, remember when Deebo Samuel took a swipe at his own team’s long snapper and kicker?

    Well, that kicker, Jake Moody, now with the Bears, made a game-winner against Deebo, now with the Commanders.

    Deebo had 4 catches on 5 targets for 15 yards.

    The Bears have actually won three straight games.

    Last week: 10

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    8) Vikings (3-2): After consecutive games in Europe, the Vikings had their bye Week 7. They’re 3-2 with a +26 point differential despite having a bunch of their starters missing multiple games:

    • 4 games missed: LB Blake Cashman

    • 3 games missed: QB J.J McCarthy, RB Aaron Jones, WR Jordan Addison, EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel

    • 2 games missed: LT Christian Darrisaw, C Ryan Kelly, LG Donovan Jackson, S Harrison Smith

    • 1 game missed: RT Brian O’Neill

    That’s, like, all of their most important players, minus Justin Jefferson.

    Credit them for winning ugly with backups.

    Last week: 9

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    7) 49ers (4-2): The 49ers’ defensive is unrecognizable these days. Here were their starters in the Super Bowl about 20 months ago, and where they are now:

    EDGE Nick Bosa: ACL injury, season over.

    DT Javon Hargrave: Released, cap casualty, now with the Vikings.

    DT Arik Armstead: Released, cap casualty, now with the Jaguars.

    EDGE Chase Young: Left in free agency, now with the Saints.

    LB Fred Warner: Ankle injury, season over.

    LB Dre Greenlaw: Left in free agency, now with the Broncos.

    CB Charvarius Ward: Left in free agency, now with the Colts.

    S Ji’Ayir Brown: Still on team, no longer has a full-time starting role.

    S Tashaun Gipson: Left in free free agency, played for the Jaguars, came back to the 49ers, not presently on a roster.

    CB Ambry Thomas: Released, bounced around a bit, now on the Eagles’ practice squad.

    CB Deommodore Lenoir: Oh hey, still a 49ers starter!

    Last week: 5

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    6) Eagles (4-2): As you all saw, the Eagles got wrecked by a bad team in front of a national audience on Thursday night, and have been getting crushed for it since, both locally and nationally. And deservedly so!

    However, Sunday’s slate of game really couldn’t have gone much better for the Eagles, with the Cowboys losing to the Panthers, the Commanders losing at home to the Bears, and the Lions losing to the Chiefs.

    The Eagles look like crap, but the silver lining is that there isn’t a team in the NFC — or the entire NFL, really — that looks like some kind of juggernaut.

    Of course, they can’t really hang their hat on anything other than, “Well everyone else is bad too.”

    Last week: 2

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    5) Seahawks (4-2): Speaking of no teams looking like a juggernaut, you know who’s ranked first in DVOA after Week 6? The Seahawks! Lol. DVOA rankings (via @hawkblogger):

    • Overall: 1st 
    • Offense: 4th
    • Defense: 4th
    • Special Teams: 2nd
    • Passing Offense: 1st
    • Rushing Offense: 21st
    • Passing Defense: 9th
    • Rushing Defense: 2nd

    Last week: 7

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    4) Rams (4-2): Byron Young had a couple sacks against the Ravens on Sunday. He now has 7.5 on the season, only behind the Broncos’ Nik Bonitto (8). Jared Verse seems to get more attention than Young, but in my opinion Young is better.

    Also, the Rams may have found their version of Zack Baun (afterthought free agent signing who turns out to be a beast) in LB Nate Landman. He’s been awesome for them this season.

    Last week: 6

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    3) Packers (3-1-1): The Packers have a weird habit of having a lockdown defense in the first quarter, but giving up a buttload of points in the fourth quarter.

    • First quarter points allowed: 0

    • Fourth quarter points allowed: 60

    They made me sweat out my survivor pick over the weekend.

    Last week: 4

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    2) Lions (4-2): The corniest player in the NFL (JuJu Smith-Schuster) was talking shit to one of the biggest hot heads in the NFL (Brian Branch), and Branch popped him, before throwing him to the ground.

    Also, the biggest sore loser in the NFL (Trent Williams) attacked a far smaller player, as he often does, this time Philly’s Tykee Smith, and Smith got the best of him.

    The fines this week should be interesting. Branch could get suspended.

    Last week: 1

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    1) Buccaneers (5-1): Against the 49ers, Baker Mayfield was without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin; and Emeka Egbuka left the game with a hamstring injury, and did not return.Meh, no worries. Mayfield simply completed 17 of 23 passes for 256 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, and scrambled for a ridiculous first down on 3rd and 14.

    He’s the league MVP through Week 6.Last week: 3

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  • A Blown Chance To Get Back In The Saddle. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    You’d think the Eagles would’ve taken things personally after coming up short to the Denver Broncos at home. Losing 21-17 in Week 5. A short week that would see their second NFC East match of the season, against a 1-4 Giants squad that just struggled to keep a close game against the New Orleans Saints. The opportunity to go 5-1 was right in front of them.

    And then disaster struck. 

    Injuries On Injuries On Injuries 

    Jalen Carter was held out of Thursdays game as a precaution. An unfortunate pre-game loss but it shouldn’t have been as detrimental to the team as it was. Hopefully the Week 7 injury report comes with good news for his availability against Minnesota. 

    Add on top of that a Quinyon Mitchell hamstring injury held him out for the remainder of the game (we’re still waiting on an update for Week 7). 

    With Landon Dickerson finally being given much needed time off to recover from a plethora of injuries. The Eagles aren’t looking as healthy as they did for last seasons run.

    Another Week Of Sloppy Offense

    The Eagles can’t seem to pick which quarter they struggle the most in. From 3 points in the 2nd half of week 1. 7 points in the first half against the Rams, and only 7 points in the 2nd half against the Buccaneers and Broncos. The Eagles were shutout against the Giants and were picked off the first time in the 4th quarter of Week 6.

    If the Eagles plan on winning more games, they’ll need to get the offense in a more consistent rhythm that is able to score more than 17 points against some of the best (and worst) defenses. 

    A Weekend Of Successful Hate Watches.

    While the Eagles dropped an important division game against a bottom feeder Giants team. That didn’t stop more teams in the NFC from also having very unfortunate ends to their Week 6 matches.

    • The Cowboys fell to 2-3-1 as Rico Dowdle stacked up 239 total yards against his former team. 
    • The 49ers(4-2)lost their 2nd game to the Buccaneers(5-1), but both teams racked up more injuries, including Fred Warner & Emeka Egbuka. 
    • The unstoppable Lions were held to only 17 points to a Chiefs team that started the year 0-2. 
    • The Bears struggled to take down the Commanders, but a late 4th Quarter fumble gave the Bears the opportunity to come out on top. 

    After a very long week being disappointed in an Eagles loss. They still finish Week 6 atop the NFC East with a 1 game lead on the Commanders. 

    Perhaps things aren’t that bad after all?

    The post A Blown Chance To Get Back In The Saddle. appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.

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    Tyler L’Heureux

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  • The Eagles have gone from bullies to bullied in the trenches

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    During the offseason, we cut up all of the Eagles offensive linemen’s pancakes throughout the team’s Super Bowl-winning 2024-2025 season. If you’d like to reminisce, you can watch Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, and Lane Johnson pushing people around here. Or, if you’d prefer, here’s a quick video of my personal 10 favorites from the season:

    As you’re well aware, Saquon Barkley broke the all-time record for the most rushing yards (regular season plus playoffs) in a single season last year, but he had a lot of help. The Eagles were bullies upfront, and they owned the trenches, always on offense, and often on defense as well. This year? Not so much.

    You can point the blame at any number of things that are wrong with the Eagles and the way they have played through the first six weeks of the season, and they’re all right, but the biggest differentiator from what we’ve come accustomed to with this team and what they have become is that they are getting their asses kicked in the trenches. 

    As my friend Tommy pointed out, heading into Sunday, the Eagles ranked 26th both in rushing offense and rushing defense. They have been outgained on the ground in each of the last four games, and by a wide margin:

    Week  Eagles  Opponent  Rushing differential 
    3 (vs. Rams)  86  160  -74 
    4 (at Bucs)  88  104  -16 
    5 (vs. Broncos)  45  130  -85 
    6 (at Giants)  73  172  -99 
    TOTAL  292  566  -292 

    The Eagles have already been outgained on the ground in more games in 2025 than they were during the entire 2024 season. In 2024 they got outgained Week 1 against the Packers, by the Ravens in Week 13 (and only because Lamar Jackson had a bunch of rushing yards on scrambles in garbage time), and in the meaningless Week 18 game against the Giants.

    The 2024 Eagles had a rushing yardage differential (playoffs included) of +1729 (!), or a differential of +82.3 yards per game. This year? -234, or -39.0 per game, fifth-worst in the NFL. Here’s the company they are keeping in rushing yardage differential:

    Rank  Team  Rush yard differential  Record 
    28  Eagles  -234  4-2 
    29  Bears  -249  2-2 
    30  Titans  -311  1-5 
    31  Dolphins  -463  1-5 
    32  Bengals  -474  2-4 

    A bad rushing yardage differential typically correlates to a bad record, usually because teams that are behind in games abandon the run and teams that are ahead in games pound the run. 

    What is alarming about the Eagles’ bad run game on both sides of the ball is that they have had their share of leads throughout the first six weeks of the season. In past years, if you got behind the Eagles in games, they choked you out with long, soul-crushing drives that ended games. This year, they’re far more likely to go three-and-out and give the opponent continuous chances to steal the game, much like the Buccaneers almost did in Week 4 and the Broncos eventually did in Week 5.

    The offense

    So, why are the Eagles not running the ball well? The easy scapegoat is new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and certainly he has done a poor job of disguising run vs. pass based on pre-snap formation. The Eagles have been a predictable offense this season. But, the bigger reason is probably more that the long 2024 season, during which the Eagles played 21 games, has taken a toll on the offensive line.

    • Jordan Mailata was banged up throughout training camp.

    • Landon Dickerson battled an assortment of injuries to begin the season, before an ankle injury eventually caused him to miss more substantial time. He has not looked at all like the same bully he was in 2024:

    Brett Toth has had to fill in, and, well, Toth is not Landon Dickerson.

    • Cam Jurgens played through a painful back injury throughout the playoffs, and was walking like Frankenstein after the Eagles’ NFC Championship Game win over the Commanders:

    He had a procedure to relieve nerve pain in February, and is still not yet fully healthy.

    • Mekhi Becton left in free agency, and while Tyler Steen has proven so far to be a legitimate NFL starter, his strength is in pass protection. He is not the run-blocking mammoth that Becton was.

    • Lane Johnson has had to come out of two games with injuries.

    And then, of course, there’s Barkley. Including the playoffs, Barkley got an astronomical 482 touches in 2024. That was the third-highest number of touches in a single season since 2000. There have been 17 players who have had 430 or more touches in a single season during that span. Here are those players, with their yards per carry during their heavy workload season, and their yards per carry in their follow-up seasons:

    Year   Player – Touches YPC  YPC – next season 
    2014  DeMarco Murray – 497  4.7  3.6 📉
    2000  Eddie George – 488  3.7  3.0 📉
    2006  Larry Johnson – 475  4.3   3.5  📉
    2000  Edgerrin James – 474  4.4  4.4 (same) 
    2003  Ahman Green – 461  5.3  4.5 📉
    2012  Arian Foster – 460  4.1  4.5 📈
    2004  Curtis Martin – 457  4.6  3.3 📉
    2002  LaDainian Tomlinson – 451  4.5  5.3 📈
    2005  Shaun Alexander – 448  5.1  3.6 📉
    2000  Jamal Lewis – 444  4.4  DNP (knee) 
    2003  Ricky Williams – 443  3.5  DNP (retired) 
    2006  Steven Jackson – 436 4.4  4.2 📉
    2004  Corey Dillon – 434  4.7  3.5 📉
    2018  Ezekiel Elliott – 433  4.7  4.5 📉
    2017  Le’Veon Bell – 431  4.0  DNP (contract dispute) 
    2003  Edgerrin James – 431  4.1  4.6 📈
    2002  Ricky Williams – 430  4.8  3.5 📉

    Of those 17 players:

    • Three had an increase in yards per carry. One remained the same.

    • 10 had a decrease in yards per carry. 5 decreased by at least a full yard per carry. Three more decreased by at least a half yard per carry.

    • Three guys didn’t even play the next season.

    Barkley had one of the best running back seasons in NFL history in 2024. Even without the extreme workload, it was always going to be nearly impossible to match what he did. But also, the heavy workload was likely to factor into his production in 2025, and so far he is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Though it hasn’t been obvious, it’s fair to wonder if he doesn’t have the same explosiveness that he did a year ago. He has never had a yards per carry average over a full season this low, even when he was playing behind a terrible Giants line.

    The defense

    On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles have not looked like the bad asses they were a season ago. They got whipped up from by the Giants of all teams in front of a national audience on Thursday night. Rookie RB Cam Skattebo rushed 19 times for 98 yards and 3 TDs, while Jaxson Dart slithered out of the grasp of pass rushers and made off-schedule plays for nice gains all night.

    On one play, Andrew Mukuba got shoved five yards down the field, and Zack Baun got run over by Skattebo.

    Jalen Carter has missed two games, one for spitting on Dak Prescott, and one because of a heel injury. He has also been hampered by a shoulder injury, and Vic Fangio has acknowledged that he isn’t in the same physical shape as he was in 2024. 

    Carter was a terror last season. For example, the following is a cutup of his game against the Ravens offensive line, who he threw around like rag dolls.

    Though he is still very clearly the Eagles’ best defensive lineman, Carter has not been that player so far this season.

    Meanwhile, Nolan Smith has missed three games. The Eagles miss his toughness, effort, and dirty work. 

    And while we’re at it, it’s probably worth noting that Nakobe Dean was a great run defender last season; and although he may have been a nuisance in the locker room, C.J. Gardner-Johnson brought toughness, swagger, and some pop to the Eagles’ run defense that they seem to miss.

    Is it fixable?

    The easy fix is to be less predictable on offense. That would help, but it will only go so far. 

    Ideally, the above noted players will get healthy again, but that may not be realistic, given that many of their ailments date back to the long 2024 season. Maybe they’ll feel better as the season progresses, maybe not 🤷‍♂️. I’m not a doctor, but my guess is that the continued wear and tear of this season is only going to compound their pain.

    Maybe there’s a mindset issue at play here as well, especially on defense? As in, it’s a very young group of players, many of whom had a lot of success in college and already so far in the pros, and they’re learning that the NFL will beat you up if you don’t maintain your edge? That one is more of a theory, I guess. 

    The bright side is that their trench play can’t get much worse, given their talent on both sides of the ball. Right? 😬

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  • Week 6 non-Eagles rooting guide

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    One of the best NFL viewing experiences is when your favorite team has already won their game that week, and you get to watch a full slate on Sunday games, stress-free. Eagles fans will not get to enjoy that experience this weekend after watching the Birds get stomped by a bad Giants team that was missing their best player on offense. Instead, the Week 6 slate of Sunday games will be more of a “misery loves company” situation. 

    Here we’ll lay out a rooting guide for non-Eagles games on the NFL schedule for those of you on the fence while watching the other action around the league. And yes, I’m aware that most of the below is obvious. Ideal winners bolded.

    NFC East

    First, the NFC East standings:

    NFC East  Record  Division  GB 
    Eagles  4-2  1-1  – 
    Commanders  3-2  1-0  0.5 
    Cowboys  2-2-1  1-1  1.5 
    Giants  2-4  1-2  2 

    Inpredictable.com has the Eagles as 56 percent likely to win the division. 

    • Cowboys at Panthers: While not legitimate contenders, the Cowboys have been better this season than I expected, and they’re a bigger threat to the Eagles at the moment given the Eagles’ struggles. It’s best if they drop a few games.

    • Bears at Commanders: The Commanders got a game closer to the Eagles in the standings Week 5 with their win over the Chargers and the Eagles’ loss to the Broncos. They can take the divisional lead with a win over the Bears, on the strength of a better divisional record.

    The biggest threats in the NFC

    • Rams at Ravens: The Rams are the biggest threat in the NFC West. It’s better for the Eagles if any other team wins that division.

    • Bengals at Packers: While the Packers are a more ideal NFC North winner than the Lions, they are also a threat for playoff seeding, so a loss here is ideal.

    • Lions at Chiefs: The Lions look like the best team in the NFL right now. As noted in my Week 6 picks, I’m unsure why they’re underdogs to this Chiefs team that is not as good as we’ve become accustomed to seeing.

    • 49ers at Buccaneers: The Eagles got to face the Bucs when the Bucs were very banged up, and they kind of just survived in their win. I still believe that they are a team the Eagles do not want to have to face in the playoffs.

    Other NFC playoff contenders

    • Seahawks at Jaguars: The Seahawks are a more ideal NFC West winner than the Rams or 49ers.

    • Cardinals at Colts: The Cardinals are the most ideal NFC West winner, but they’re looking like deep longshots at the moment.

    • Bills at Falcons: It’s more ideal if the Falcons win the NFC South instead of the Buccaneers.

    Draft considerations

    • Broncos at Jets: The Eagles own the Jets’ third-round pick. If the season ended today, that would be the 65th overall pick, since the Jets are the NFL’s only winless team. The more games they lose, the better, but it’s already almost certain to be a high pick in the third round.

    Also, the more games the NFL’s bottom dwellers lose, the more likely it is that they will finish higher in the draft order than the Giants. It’s best if teams like the Saints and Browns lose a lot of games.

    1. Patri*ts at Saints
    2. Browns at Steelers

    • Bryce Huff sacks.

    For future reference

    The following bolded teams play the Eagles this season, so they’re just worth keeping an eye on:

    1. Chargers at Dolphins
    2. Titans at Raiders

    The Eagles won’t face the Chargers and Raiders until December.

    BYE: Vikings, Texans

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  • Diagnosing the Eagles’ issues after a two-game losing streak

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    What’s wrong with the Philadelphia Eagles? The alarm has sounded after Thursday night’s collapse against the Giants in an eye-opening 34-17 loss that marked the second defeat in a four-day span for the defending Super Bowl champions, who had won 20 of their past 21 games prior to last Sunday’s loss to the Broncos.

    Surely, the lopsided defeat to a one-win Giants team was a wake-up call for a team that had skated by over the first four weeks and had covered up some glaring deficiencies.

    The Eagles’ problem isn’t talent. They have plenty of blue-chippers and nobody would argue their roster is worse – 17 points worse, especially – than a Giants team that didn’t even have its best offensive playmaker. 

    But the Birds are in a rut. They’re going through some unexpected issues and having problems finding the right answers for those questions. Many of their offensive issues – blocking, passing, coaching – are all intertwined as we’ll point out below in our diagnosis of what’s wrong with the Eagles, who suddenly don’t look like the best team in the NFC:

    The offensive line isn’t the same

    Chief among all Eagles problems is the offensive line. The entire design and structure of the offense is predicated on the line being dominant. It’s been far from that. Cam Jurgens post-back surgery isn’t the athletic, fluid mover the way Cam Jurgens pre-back surgery was. Landon Dickerson, who’s had two knee surgeries since the Super Bowl, has looked like a shell of himself. His replacement, Brett Toth, is nowhere near the level of past Eagles interior line backups. Left tackle Jordan Mailata has missed some blocks at key moments that aren’t necessarily rare but stand out more when things aren’t going well, and right tackle Lane Johnson has dealt with a neck injury. Tyler Steen is fine, but he’s not the same people-mover at right gaurd that Mekhi Becton was last year. Steen doesn’t naturally create wide-open run lanes the way Becton did by just being more massive.

    Despite this, pass protection has actually been pretty good. Jalen Hurts has had time to throw. What has held the offense back is the overall inability of this group to reset the line of scrimmage in the run game against teams that, on early downs especially, are getting downhill quickly. The Eagles have to hope that Jurgens eventually gets back to his 2024 form as the distance grows from his offseason surgery and that Dickerson can get right.

    Saquon Barkley hasn’t been a game changer

    Because the o-line hasn’t been as dominant, Barkley hasn’t had as many opportunities to break long runs. People might forget, but the biggest difference between the 2023 and 2024 offenses wasn’t anything in the pass game, it was the changeover from a good running back like D’Andre Swift to a transformational one like Barkley. The Eagles can’t be the same offense if they’re not running the ball effectively, and getting the home runs from Barkley that boosted them so many times last season. Even in the pass game, outside of his wheel route touchdown against the Broncos, Barkley has mainly just caught a bunch of short dump-offs that leave with him little space to maneuver.

    Even in his Giants days, Barkley was always known for his unusual running style that would net him several runs of 3-to-5 yards and then a few of 20-plus and 40-plus that would change a game’s momentum and inflate his total yards and average yards per carry. But those haven’t happened yet. You can blame the play caller, quarterback, and anyone else you want for the offense’s shortcomings, but until the Eagles start running the ball with explosion, they can’t get back to being an elite team.

    The pass game has little rhythm  

    The modest run game has forced Jalen Hurts and the pass offense into less advantageous down-and-distance scenarios. Effective offensive concepts for the Eagles, like RPOs and play action, aren’t as easily executable on second-and-medium or second-and-long, and third downs over the past few weeks have been disastrous as teams are mixing up man and zone coverage – and changing the picture presnap to post snap – to switch up what Hurts is seeing. Even when the Eagles do appear to move the ball well – Dallas Goedert has been an effective weapon over the middle – they haven’t been able to sustain those drives and marry the short pass game with the deep strike. Right now, the Eagles are a shot-play offense, and even some of Hurts’ signature deep balls haven’t been connected. They’ve got to stay ahead the of the sticks, which goes back to the run game, but Hurts has also been a staple of the run game and lately hasn’t been able find enough lanes to keep defenses honest. The result is a lack of sequencing in play calling, where one play can set up another, and then set up the next. 

    Kevin Patullo is learning on the fly

    People already want Nick Sirianni to fire first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, which is ridiculous. The Eagles are 4-2, not reverse, and we’re six weeks into his first season as the play caller. The idea that Sirianni must always hire an experienced play caller is a fun, low-hanging fruit argument but not grounded in reality. Head coaches are at the mercy of who’s available. Sirianni was fortunate last offseason that a proven play in Kellen Moore became available because the Chargers had cleaned house. Who else should Sirianni have pursued – Chip Kelly? Doug Pederson? Press Taylor? Remember this: the Eagles offense conceptually is the same as it’s been for the past few years. Nobody was singing Moore’s praises last year after six weeks, when the Eagles scored 21 points Week 2 against the Falcons, 15 in Week 3 vs. the Saints, 16 in Week 4 against the Bucs, and 20 in Week 5 against the Browns. Folks, the Eagles have scored more points this year through six weeks than they did last season.

    People tend to remember what they saw last, and the Super Bowl and NFC Championship might cloud the fact that the Eagles ranked 29th in pass offense last year and that many of the offensive concepts Moore had leaned on in his previous stops as an OC  – heavy motion, going under center, passing early – were scrapped early as the Eagles’ offense went back to being conceptually what it had been during the Hurts/Sirianni era. Nobody is totally absolving Patullo of the early failures of the Eagles’ offense, and it’s fair to suggest Moore was better at dialing up the right plays at the right time from the same menu Patullo is using now, but Patullo is also working through some issues Moore didn’t have to deal with – a less-dominant offensive line and a run game that hasn’t produced enough backbreakers.

    Growing pains have taken a toll on the defense

    For the most part, the Eagles’ defense has been fine. There’s no excuse for their lethargic effort against the Giants, even without Jalen Carter and Quinyon Mitchell, but overall, the defense isn’t problematic. One glaring absence in the two-game losing streak is the lack of a takeaway. The Eagles had at least one takeaway in each of their first four games, and those meant the difference in one-score victories. But it’s fair to note that the losses of Milton Williams and Josh Sweat have taken some sting away from the defensive front.

    Carter is dealing with a shoulder – and now a heel – that has made him a tick less imposing on a snap-to-snap basis, and the overall edge group of Jalyx Hunt, Za’Darius Smith, Josh Uche and more recently Azeez Ojulari have flashed at times but have lacked the same production and dominance of last year’s group. Moro Ojomo had a great training camp but likewise has flashed more than put together a string of dominant snaps. This has forced Vic Fangio to increase his blitz rate, which has left 1-on-1s against Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson, neither of which is playing at the level Darius Slay played at last season.

    If you absolutely need to finger-point, you can quibble with some of Howie Roseman’s offseason free-agent additions. The Eagles aren’t as deep up front and in the secondary as last year. But this isn’t a bad defense and it’s got plenty of talent even if it doesn’t finish No. 1.

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  • Five college prospects who could interest the Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft

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    During the college football season each year, as long as you’re watching the games, we point out five players each week to keep an eye on who make logical sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the following year’s NFL Draft.

    Carnell Tate (17), WR, Ohio State (6’3, 195): Ohio State at Illinois, 12:00 p.m.

    An Ohio State receiver has been selected in the first round in each of the last four NFL drafts:

    Year  Player  Team  Pick 
    2022  Garrett Wilson  Jets  10 
    2022  Chris Olave  Saints  11 
    2023  Jaxon Smith-Njigba  Seahawks  20 
    2024  Marvin Harrison Jr.  Cardinals  4 
    2025  Emeka Egbuka  Buccaneers  19 

    There’s a decent chance that Tate will keep that streak alive in 2026. He is a smooth route runner with good hands and a wide catch radius. His play style reminds me a little of DeVonta Smith. Highlights:

    Tate’s production in 2025 is right there with teammate Jeremiah Smith, who some believe is the best player in college football.

    OSU WR  Rec  Yards  YPC  TD 
    Jeremiah Smith  35  463  13.2  6 
    Carnell Tate  24  435  18.1  4 

    The Eagles are going to have to start thinking about drafting a wide receiver with a high pick, regardless of how A.J. Brown’s relationship with Jalen Hurts develops. Tate feels like a late first-rounder to me.

    Cayden Green (70), OT/OG, Missouri (6’5, 324): (8) Alabama at (14) Missouri, 12:00 p.m.

    Green played LG in 2023 with Oklahoma and in 2024 with Missouri. He moved to LT just before the start of the 2025 season. So, you know, he has guard-tackle versatility. He’ll probably be a guard in the NFL. He is a mauler (video via @NoFlagsFilm):

    The Eagles need short-term depth at guard, and a possibly a starter long-term with Tyler Steen only under contract through 2026.

    Mikail Kamara (6), EDGE, Indiana (6’1, 262): (7) Indiana at (3) Oregon, 3:30 p.m.

    Kamara spent his first two collegiate seasons at James Madison before transferring to Indiana for the 2024 season. He had 10 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 recoveries last season. In 2025, Kamara set a goal of 20 sacks for the 2025 season. He has one so far. Only 19 to go!

    Kamara doesn’t have great length at 6’1, but he has some speed to get around the edge, and possesses impressively quick inside counters for a 265-pound edge who is built like a fire hydrant. He also finishes when he gets to the quarterback. A quick highlight reel (via @NoFlagsFilm):

    There should be some concerns about Kamara’s ability to hold up against the run at his size, much like there was with Bryce Huff, but he could be an effective pass rusher out of the box, which is more important. The Eagles have shown that they’re fine with players with his body type, given their acquisition of Huff in free agency and their selection of Antwuan Powell-Ryland in the draft.

    Oscar Delp (4), TE, Georgia (6’5, 245)

    Delp has some speed and run-after-catch ability, and he has the versatility to line up all over the formation. His highlight reel shows some pretty obvious athleticism:

    On the downside, Delp hasn’t been super productive so far in 2025, with just 4 catches for 87 yards. 

    The Eagles will need tight ends next offseason, as they have none under contract in 2026.

    Nyck Harbor (8), WR, South Carolina (6’5, 235): South Carolina at (11) LSU, 7:30 p.m.

    Harbor was the No. 1 player on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list in 2023 and 2024. This year he was third. 

    Harbor was the first back-to-back No. 1 player I’ve ever had in 20-plus years of the Freaks List. The junior evolved into more of a weapon in the offense in 2024, catching 26 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He has a rare combination of size and sprinter speed. Harbor is bigger than many college defensive ends but is faster than almost every receiver in college football. He topped out at 23.6 mph on the GPS.

    In 2024, the 6-5, 245-pound Harbor ran a 10.11 100-meter and 20.20 in the 200-meter for the track team, earning second-team All-America honors going up against guys half a foot shorter and 60-70 pounds lighter. This offseason, Harbor’s body fat measured 5 percent.

    In three games Harbor has 11 catches for 220 yards (20.0 yards per catch), and a TD. And, yeah, he’s fast: 

    In an offense in which targets are always going to be dominated by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith for as long as they’re here, a low-volume speed guy who can make big plays down the field is always going to make sense for this Eagles roster.

    Also, they love athletic freaks like this guy. 

    Previously profiled players

    • August 23

    1. Dylan Edwards, RB/SWR/KR/PR, Kansas State
    2. Daniel Hishaw, RB, Kansas
    3. Dontay Corleone, iDL, Cincinnati
    4. D.J. McKinney, CB, Colorado
    5. Keldric Faulk, DL, Auburn

    • August 30

    1. Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
    2. Ethan Onianwa, OT, Ohio State
    3. Darrell Jackson, DT, Florida State
    4. Nic Anderson, WR, LSU
    5. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

    • September 6

    1. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
    2. Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
    3. Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
    4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
    5. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

    • September 13

    1. Anto Saka, EDGE, Northwestern
    2. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
    3. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
    4. Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
    5. Caleb Banks, iDL, Florida

    • September 20

    1. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
    2. Lee Hunter, iDL, Texas Tech
    3. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
    4. Rueben Bain, DL, Miami
    5. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana

    • September 27

    1. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
    2. Harold Perkins, EDGE/LB, LSU
    3. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
    4. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
    5. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

    • October 4

    1. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
    2. Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
    3. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
    4. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
    5. Hezekiah Masses, CB, California

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  • Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Giants game

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    The Philadelphia Eagles lost to one of the worst franchises in the NFL on Thursday night, and they looked awful in all three phases in the process. As always, win, lose, or tie, we hand out 10 awards.

    1) The ‘Bully’ Award 🐂: The Giants

    The Eagles got their asses kicked at the line of scrimmage in this game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Rookie RB Cam Skattebo rushed 19 times for 98 yards and 3 TDs, while Jaxson Dart slithered out of the grasp of pass rushers and made off-schedule plays for nice gains all night.

    On one play, Andrew Mukuba got shoved five yards down the field, and Zack Baun got run over by Skattebo.

    This is what the Eagles did to teams all last year. And now they’re having it done to them by… the Giants? Oof.

    The Eagles were without Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, arguably their two most hard-nosed players on defense, and it showed.

    2) The ‘Missed Connection’ Award 😖: Jalen Hurts, to DeVonta Smith

    On the first drive of the second half, on a 3rd and 6 down by 3 points, Hurts had DeVonta Smith WIDE OPEN deep down the field… and he missed him.

    That should have been a touchdown. Instead, the Eagles punted, and the Giants scored on the ensuing possession to go up 10.

    In Week 5 against the Broncos, Hurts had a wide open A.J. Brown, but Brown stopped running on his route, and the ball fell harmlessly to the turf.

    For whatever reason, Hurts has simply not been able to connect with his elite wide receiver duo this season.

    3) The ‘Bad Ball’ Award 👎: Jalen Hurts

    In the fourth quarter, the Eagles were driving and were still in the game. And then Hurts threw his first INT of the season: 

    “Bad ball,” Hurts said of the play. 

    And yep, it was certainly a bad ball, but it was also a crappy rounded-off route by a receiver who likely did not think the ball was coming his way, because, well, it never comes his way.

    Also, I don’t know what the progression is on the play above, but A.J. Brown is wide open for an easy TD throw from the right slot.

    4) The ‘Unclutch’ Award 😰: The Eagles, on third down

    The Giants were 11 for 16 (0.688) on third down.

    The Eagles were 1 for 9 (0.100) on third down.

    The Giants made plays in key moments; the Eagles did not. You’re not going to win games when that happens.

    5) The ‘Invisible’ Award 🫥: The Eagles’ second half offense

    The Eagles scored zero points in the second half, and they only scored seven points in each of their two prior games against the Buccaneers and Broncos. 

    Whether it’s opposing defenses adjusting to what the Eagles are doing offensively, or the Eagles’ offense failing to adjust to opposing defenses, it’s a trend that looks really bad for the coaching staff.

    6) The ‘Outgained’ Award ⚖️: The Eagles, in every game this season

    The Eagles have been outgained in every game so far this season: 

     Opponent Eagles yards  Opponent yards 
    Cowboys  307  302 
    Chiefs  294  216 
    Rams  356  288 
    Buccaneers  376  200 
    Broncos  358  302 
    Giants  366  339 
    TOTAL  2057  1647 

    The Eagles have a yardage differential of -407 this season. In 2024, they were +1510 in the regular season and +115 in the playoffs.

    7) The ‘Benched’ Award 🪑: Kelee Ringo

    Ringo started again at CB2, and yes, he played poorly in coverage, but he also had a play in which Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson caught pass and went to the ground; and Ringo didn’t touch him down. Robinson got up and gained another 7 or so yards.

    Ringo was benched for Adoree’ Jackson, and only entered the game again after Quinyon Mitchell got hurt.

    8) The ‘WTF Was That Trade?’ Award 😵: Tank Bigsby

    When the Eagles traded a couple of 2026 draft picks (in the fifth and sixth rounds), the team’s messaging was that Bigsby was acquired to return kicks.

    I ignored that messaging, because why would a team trade two draft picks for a kick returner? My assumption was that Bigsby would have some kind of role on offense.

    But, nope. It appears that the Eagles did indeed trade two picks for a guy whose only role is as a kick returner, and he’s not even good in that role. 

    At the end of the first half, Bigsby muffed an easily fieldable ball at the 3 yard line. The ball trickled into the end zone, where Bigsby retrieved it, before returning it back to the 7 yard line, where he was gang tackled. That was not how Nick Sirianni wanted to start an end of half drive:

    And sure enough, that drive stalled short of field position, and the Eagles squandered an opportunity to steal some points before halftime.

    After his muff, Bigsby was replaced by A.J. Dillon, who also muffed a kickoff that went out of bounds at the Eagles’ 5 yard line, lol.

    The Eagles didn’t just suck on offense and defense in this game. They also sucked on special teams.

    9) The “Found Their Guy?’ Award 👀: Jaxson Dart

    Dart was impressive in this game. He wasn’t perfect as a passer, but he seems ultra competitive, and he has some pretty obvious mobility. If the Giants have found a long-term answer in Dart at quarterback, the Giants won’t be the pushover the Eagles have been used to for the last 15 years.

    10) The ‘Rescue Me?’ Award ⛑️: The Eagles’ mini-bye

    Last year, the Eagles’ season could be broken up into three parts:

    1. Pre-BYE: They were kind of a mess, looking downright bad in three of their four games before their bye.
    2. Post-BYE: The figured out their identity, and began to play a lot better.
    3. Playoffs: They just destroyed.

    After getting stomped by the Giants, the Eagles will now have a mini-bye before their next game against the Minnesota Vikings Week 7.

    Maybe they will figure some things out… or maybe they have way bigger problems this year than they did this time last year.

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    Jimmy Kempski

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  • Eagles-Giants Week 6 inactives, with analysis

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    The Philadelphia Eagles will be without star defensive lineman Jalen Carter and starting LG Landon Dickerson against the New York Giants on Thursday night. The Giants will be without their top two receivers in Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton.

    Here are the Eagles’ and Giants’ inactives, with analysis.

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    Nakobe Dean is back on the 53-man roster, and will make his 2025 debut in this game.

    Sam Howell will be the emergency quarterback.

    The Eagles elevated iDL Gabe Hall from the practice squad for this game.

    • iDL Jalen Carter: Carter unexpectedly popped up on the injury report on Wednesday with a heel injury. This is a big loss for the Eagles, obviously, but his absence comes against a non-potent offense.

    • LG Landon Dickerson: Dickerson injured his ankle against the Broncos and did not return. Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dickerson is expected to miss a game or two. Brett Toth filled in for Dickerson in the loss to the Broncos.

    • TE Grant Calcaterra: Calcaterra injured his oblique muscle against the Broncos and did not return. Kylen Granson filled in as the TE2 after Calcaterra left the game. 

    • CB Mac McWilliams: McWilliams has been active for some game days this season, but he hasn’t had a role in the regular defense or on special teams yet.

    • WR Xavier Gipson: The Eagles claimed Gipson off waivers a couple of weeks ago.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • EDGE Nolan Smith (IR, triceps): In 2024, Smith got out to a slow start, but the light seemed to come on for him after the Week 5 bye. In the 15 games he played from October on, Smith had 10.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and he did a lot of the dirty work in the defense like taking on pulling guards and burying them. He also led the NFL with four postseason sacks. He tore his triceps in the Super Bowl.

    Smith entered the 2025 as the team’s top edge defender. Through three games, he has 10 tackles and 0 sacks. He “tweaked” his triceps injury, and will miss at least four weeks on IR.

    • CB Jakorian Bennett (IR, pectoral): The Eagles traded for Bennett in early August at a time when existing corners Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo were struggling during training camp.

    • WR Johnny Wilson (IR, knee, ankle): Wilson is a massive receiver at 6’6, 228 who carved out a dirty work role as a physical blocker his rookie season in 2024, though sometimes he was a little too aggressive, as he committed four penalties (3 holding, 1 OPI). He wasn’t much of a threat as a receiver, catching only 5 passes for 38 yards and a TD. He played a little over 400 snaps, and actually started four games.

    • WR Darius Cooper (IR, shoulder): Cooper is an undrafted rookie free agent who was able to crack the 53-man roster after an impressive training camp and preseason. He had begun carving out a role as the “dirty work” receiver after Johnny Wilson was lost for the season.

    • FB Ben VanSumeren (IR, knee): VanSumeren was poised to take on a bigger role in the Eagles’ offense in 2025 as a full-time fullback, but he tore his patellar tendon on the opening kickoff of the season. His season is over.

    • LS Charley Hughlett (IR): Hughlett throws the ball through his legs. The Eagles signed Cal Adomitis to throw the ball through his legs in place of Hughlett.

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    The Giants will be without their top two receivers in Malik Nabers (IR, ACL tear) and Darius Slayton (ruled out, hamstring).

    Inactives: 

    1. WR Darius Slayton
    2. ILB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
    3. ILB Swayze Bozeman
    4. T James Hudson III
    5. OL Evan Neal
    6. DL Elijah Garcia
    7. QB Jameis Winston (3rd QB)

    No surprises.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • WR Malik Nabers: Nabers is the Giants’ best offensive player. As a rookie in an awful offense in 2024, Nabers had 109 catches for 1204 yards and 7 TDs. He tore his ACL Week 4 against the Chargers. His season is over.

    • LB Micah McFadden: McFadden was a starting linebacker. He had 107 tackles and 3 sacks last season. He is expected to miss a big chunk of the season with a foot injury. Second-year player Darius Muasau has filled in at linebacker in McFadden’s absence.

    • K Graham Gano: Gano seems to get hurt every year. The Giants have Younghoe Koo and Jude McAtamney on their practice squad.

    • OL Joshua Ezeudu: Ezeudu has filled in at various position for the Giants, and it has usually gone badly. He’s on IR with an undisclosed injury suffered during training camp.

    Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice

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  • Week 6 NFL straight up, against the spread, and survivor pool picks

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    For the gambling degenerates, here are my Week 6 NFL picks. The team logos indicate who I think will win the game, not cover the spread. At the end of the picks, I’ll note a few teams that I like based on the spread.

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    Eagles (-7) at Giants: Of the players available to play in this matchup, there is one player on the Giants’ starting offense who is better than the player at the corresponding spot on the Eagles’ offense:

     Position Eagles  Giants  Advantage 
    QB  Jalen Hurts  Jaxson Dart  Eagles 
    RB  Saquon Barkley  Tyrone Tracy  Eagles 
    WR1  A.J. Brown  Wan’Dale Robinbson  Eagles 
    WR2  DeVonta Smith  Jalin Hyatt  Eagles 
    WR3  Jahan Dotson  Beaux Collins?  Eagles 
    TE  Dallas Goedert  Theo Johnson  Eagles 
    LT  Jordan Mailata  Andrew Thomas  Eagles 
    LG  Brett Toth  Jon Runyan  Giants 
    C  Cam Jurgens  John Michael Schmitz  Eagles 
    RG  Tyler Steen  Greg Van Roten  Eagles 
    RT  Lane Johnson  Jermaine Eluemunor  Eagles 

    Obviously, the offenses don’t face each other, but it underscores the point that the Giants have very little to work with on offense.

    Defensively, while the Giants have a bunch of talented pass rushers, their defense gives up a lot of points and yards: 

    Giants D  Stat  Rank 
    Points per game allowed  25.4  22 
    Yards allowed per game  377.2  26 
    Rush yards allowed per game  140.0  26 
    Passing yards per game  237.2  24 

     
    I believe the Eagles can get their run game going against this team, which will in turn open up the rest of the offense.

    On the intangible front, as we reported earlier in the week, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Saquon Barkley had an hours-long conversation about the offense on Monday. On the one hand, it’s probably not great that such a meeting was necessary. On the other hand, it does feel like an acknowledgement from the team’s star players that they need to put aside whatever is going between them personally and work toward the common goal. I think they smoke this “get right” Giants team.

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    Broncos (-7.5) at Jets: This matchup is in London. The Broncos played their game in Philly, and then went directly to England thereafter. They could be a little travel weary, but the Jets have proven to be little more than a speed bump for their opponents this season.

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    Cowboys (-3) at Panthers: The Cowboys aren’t bad! At a minimum, they can score. I mean, they’re not really good either, but being “not bad” is good enough against this improving but still bad Panthers team.

    A site that I love for making picks is Inpredictable, because it ranks teams based on betting market information. If I see a team that I think is rated too low, then I also think that they are being undervalued by Vegas. Conversely, if I see a team that is being rated too high, then they are being overvalued. The Cowboys are traditionally overrated by Vegas, but I think that has actually swung hard in the opposite direction this year, given their extremely visible trade of Micah Parsons and the general lack of confidence of them as a winning franchise.

    But they’re ranked 22 at Inpredictable! That is WAY too low. They’re behind teams like the Cardinals, for example. They are a bargain bet right now. 

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    Browns at Steelers (-6.5): I like that the Browns just went ahead and traded Joe Flacco, their safety net quarterback, and are going to roll with their rookies the rest of the way. I also like their defense, and they have begun to find a run game with Quinshon Judkins. 

    The Steelers just don’t have much offensively. Sandy Hook conspiracist Aaron Rodgers doesn’t throw the ball more than 10 yards down the field anymore, and the Steelers can’t run it. I don’t like their chances of beating many teams by two scores. By that logic, I love getting 6.5 points with the Browns, though I’ll take the Steelers to win.

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    Cardinals at Colts (-7): The Cardinals are through the super easy part of their schedule, and it’s only going to get harder from here on out.

    100925CardinalsSchedule100925CardinalsSchedule

    I don’t think Jonathan Gannon is going to make it through the season.

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    Rams (-7.5) at Ravens: The Ravens’ inactives last week:

    They also put DT Nnamdi Madubuike on IR. Teams that play the Ravens while they’re going through their injury issues have a major advantage over the teams that have to face them later in the season.

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    Seahawks at Jaguars (-1.5): The Jaguars have pulled out some wild games this season and are a fun story at 4-1. But overall, Sam Darnold is playing really well, and the up until last week Seattle’s defense was balling. I like the Seahawks to win outright as road dogs.

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    Chargers (-4) at Dolphins: Every freaking year I put some trust this stupid Chargers team, and every year they burn me. A (-4) spread against a horrid Dolphins team looks so tempting, but I’m done being fooled by these losers.

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    Patri*ts (-3.5) at Saints: The Patri*ts are an up and coming team, with Drake Maye playing well and Mike Vrabel “uglying up” games and leveling the playing field against more talented opponents. In this case, they’re the better team. 

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    Titans at Raiders (-4.5): The NFL’s INT leaders through five games:

    1. Geno Smith, Raiders: 9
    2. Jake Browning, Bengals: 8
    3. Joe Flacco, Browns/Bengals: 6
    4. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: 5

    The “Geno Smith is a god” wannabe quarterback gurus are awfully quiet. And you know what? What the hell, give me the Titans with no conviction whatsoever.

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    49ers at Buccaneers (-2.5): A 2.5-point spread indicates that these two teams are similarly matched. They are not. The Buccaneers are a much better football team than the 49ers, in my opinion, with a better quarterback, a better offensive line, and healthier skill position players (even though they themselves are missing a bunch of guys). I’ve been awful against the spread this season, but the one thing so far that I have identified correctly is that the sportsbooks are wildly underrating this Bucs team. I’ll gladly lay 2.5 points.

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    Bengals at Packers (-14): The Bengals traded for Joe Flacco on Wednesday, and he is expected to start in Green Bay on Sunday against the Packers, a team he already beat earlier this year when he played for the Browns. I actually think Flacco improves the Bengals’ chances of winning this game substantially, which is more of an indictment of how badly Jake Browning played in relief of Joe Burrow.

    Still, the Packers are the very obvious survivor pool pick this week, if you haven’t used them yet. Unfortunately, it’ll probably be everyone else’s pick, too, so if they win there’s unlikely to be many survivor participants dropping out.

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    Lions at Chiefs (-2.5): Am I missing something? Again, a 2.5-point spread indicates that these two teams are similarly matched. They are not. The Lions are clearly the better team, and it’s not as if playing at Arrowhead is some hopeless endeavor, seeing as the Chiefs already have two losses there this season. The Lions do have some important players on their injury report, and the Chiefs are getting healthier, but the Lions have four emphatic wins in a row, and and they have more than enough firepower to compensate for a handful of banged-up players. They’re the best team in the league right now, and if you’re going to give me the best team in the league, plus points, I’ll bite.

    090920BillsLogo2020090920BillsLogo2020

    Bills (-4) at Falcons: The Bills are coming off a bad, three turnover home loss to the Patri*ts. I haven’t lost faith that more often than not the Bills are going to put 30+ on the scoreboard, and I don’t think the Falcons can match them. For a team with the firepower to win a lot of games by multiple scores, only laying 4 feels like a decent bargain.

    031222CommandersLogo2022031222CommandersLogo2022

    Bears at Commanders (-4.5): This was the matchup in 2024 that ended with Tyrique Stevenson taunting Commanders fans while the Commanders were running a Hail Mary, and the guy Stevenson was supposed to be covering caught the game-winning TD. 

    This is also a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.

    I do have serious concerns with the Commanders’ secondary, and the Bears have receivers to take advantage, but it just feels like the Bears are behind the Commanders in their development as hopeful contender. Interesting matchup, though!

    BYE: Vikings, Texans

    Survivor pick ☠️

    As noted above, the Packers are the easy chalk pick, but it’s likely that like 90 percent or more of the folks in your survivor pool will also take them this week. If you’re feeling frisky and want to take another team — and hope the vast majority get wiped out with a Packers loss — I don’t hate that strategy. I’m gonna lay up this week, though.

    1. Week 1: Eagles
    2. Week 2: Ravens
    3. Week 3: Bills
    4. Week 4: Broncos
    5. Week 5: Lions
    6. Week 6: Packers

    • Picks against the spread: Eagles (-7), Cowboys (-3), Browns (+6.5), Seahawks (+1.5), Buccaneers (-2.5), Lions (+2.5), Bills (-4).

    • Eagles picks: 4-1

    • 2025 season, straight up: 46-31-1 (0.596)
    • 2025 season, ATS: 11-19 (0.367) 🤢🤮
    • 2024 season, straight up: 205-80 (0.719)
    • 2024 season, ATS: 62-44-3 (0.583)
    • 2023 season, straight up: 178-109 (0.620)

    • 2023 season, ATS: 50-48-6 (0.510) 
    • 2022 season, straight up: 176-107-2 (0.621)
    • 2022 season, ATS: 50-50 (0.500) 
    • 2021 season, straight up: 179-105-1 (0.630)
    • 2021 season, ATS: 46-40-1 (0.534)
    • 2020 season, straight up: 169-81-1 (0.675)

    • 2020 season, ATS: 45-37-3 (0.547)

    • 2019 season, straight up: 160-107-1 (0.601)

    • 2019 season, ATS: 42-35-3 (0.544)

    • 2018 season, straight up: 173-94-2 (0.647)

    • 2018 season, ATS: 41-36-2 (0.532)

    • 2017 season, straight up: 181-86 (0.678)

    • 2017 season, ATS: 36-32-2 (0.529)

    • 2016 season, straight up: 171-94-2 (0.644)

    • 2016 season, ATS:  41-34 (0.547)

    • 2015 season, straight up: 163-93 (0.637)

    • 2015 season, ATS: 46-30-2 (0.605)

    • Last 11 seasons, ATS: 463-399-22 (0.536)

    MORE: Five things to watch in Eagles-Giants

    Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice

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  • Bird Gang Spirits Unveils Local Artist Bottle Series Celebrating Philadelphia Community and Eagles Pride – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: Bird Gang Spirits

    Bird Gang Spirits, in partnership with the Philadelphia Eagles, is deepening its hometown roots with the launch of limited-edition “Artist Series” bottles – a toast to Philly’s vibrant spirit and the passionate community that bleeds green, one of the most dedicated fanbases in the world.

    Credit: Bird Gang Spirits

    This tribute brings together three renowned Philadelphia-based artists – Heavyslime (@heavyslime), Jordan Spector (@spector_art), and Paul Carpenter (@paulcarpenterart) – who have crafted exclusive label designs inspired by the grit, energy, and pride of Philadelphia.

    “To kick off this series, we teamed up with three talented Philly artists beloved by our die-hard Eagles fan base,” said Erich Weiss, Creative Director of BOTLD and Partner at WeHolden.

    “As the series grows, we’ll continue collaborating with more incredible talent from this creative, passionate city we’re proud to call home.”

    Commemorating the Eagles’ 1965 World Championship, the first collection in the series features all four Bird Gang spirits with new label artwork that pays homage to the 60th anniversary of the historic franchise win.

    The spirits lineup includes: Silver Tequila and Habanero Tequila designed by Heavyslime, Straight Bourbon Whiskey designed by Jordan Spector, and Vodka designed by Paul Carpenter.

    “Being part of the Bird Gang Spirits Artist Series is special to me because it’s more than just artwork, it’s about representing Philly, our culture, and our love for the Eagles,” said Spector.

    “As a lifelong fan and artist from this city, I take pride in creating pieces that embody the same passion and energy that define Philadelphia. As someone who also has a deep love for bourbon and a good Old Fashioned, this collaboration felt like the perfect blend of everything I’m passionate about.”

    “As a diehard Eagles fan and Philly artist, having the opportunity to collaborate with Bird Gang Spirits on their new Artist Series is an absolute dream,” said Paul Carpenter.

    “My work celebrates the cultural fabric and richness of our city through the detailed layering of Philadelphia’s most celebrated iconography and truly is Philly art for Philly people, and I feel grateful to be able to produce meaningful artwork for our city, our team, and our passionate fan base alongside Bird Gang Spirits.”

    Celebrate Philly pride and Eagles spirit with artists Jordan Spector and Paul Carpenter directly at two special in-store appearances at BOTLD Rittenhouse (119 S 18th St), complete with signed commemorative posters:

    • Saturday, November 29, 12–1:30 PM
    • Saturday, December 6, 12–1:30 PM
    Credit: Bird Gang Spirits

    The Bird Gang Spirits Artist Series is available now in-store at all BOTLD locations (Rittenhouse, Midtown Village, and King of Prussia), as well as local spirits stores throughout New Jersey and Delaware. Bird Gang Spirits is also available for shipping to PA residents online at botld.com.

    Launched in 2023, Bird Gang Spirits is a collaboration between BOTLD – Pennsylvania’s source for unique spirits – and The Philadelphia Eagles. Bird Gang stands as a tribute to the relentless spirit of its hometown team — honoring a championship tradition that runs deep in the city.

    For more information, go to BOTLD.com. Follow Bird Gang Spirits on Instagram and Facebook.

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  • What the Eagles’ Latest Win Reveals About the Weeks Ahead – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: Casey Murphy-Unsplash

    The Philadelphia Eagles’ 31–25 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasn’t perfect, but it was telling.

    It revealed flashes of dominance, moments of struggle, and an evolving performance by a team learning how to win tough games on the road.

    This was more than another mark in the win column. It was a midseason mirror; one that reflected both the strengths fueling their undefeated start and the growing pains they face to stay atop the NFC. 

    For fans, this game wasn’t just a sigh of relief; it was a glimpse into what lies ahead for a team that refuses to settle for “good enough.”

    Offensive Momentum and Missed Opportunities

    The Eagles’ offense opened hot, stumbled late, and left plenty of room for reflection. It’s a tale of two halves that could define their offensive evolution in the coming weeks.

    Hot Start, Cold Finish

    Jalen Hurts looked sharp in the first half, directing an offense that moved with rhythm and confidence. Every throw seemed deliberate, and the early touchdown set an aggressive tone.

    Then the momentum shifted. The passing game stalled, drives broke down, and what once looked like a comfortable lead became a tight finish. The slowdown wasn’t about talent; it was about adjustments, as Tampa Bay’s coverage changes disrupted the Eagles’ timing and flow.

    The A.J. Brown Factor

    Perhaps the most surprising stat line of the night belonged to A.J. Brown: two catches, seven yards, and nine targets. Those numbers don’t tell the story of an elite receiver; they tell the story of misfires and missed timing.

    Still, Brown’s limited role wasn’t for lack of effort. Hurts looked his way repeatedly, but protection issues and tighter coverage limited production. What’s encouraging is the team’s quick response. In Week 5, Brown became a focal point again, showing this coaching staff’s willingness to adapt, communicate, and keep their stars engaged.

    Finding Balance in the Run Game

    Saquon Barkley’s stat line, 19 carries, 43 yards, and a touchdown, won’t make headlines. Yet, his fake “tush push” score was a spark that reminded everyone how creative Nick Sirianni’s offense can be when it leans on misdirection and confidence.

    Still, the run game felt uneven. The Eagles will need more from their ground attack to control tempo and close games. As the team prepares for upcoming matchups, fans and analysts alike are keeping a close eye on how these offensive adjustments evolve across the league. 

    Platforms like FanDuel Sportsbook offer real-time insights and game data that help followers understand how team rhythm and strategy play out from week to week, especially when a contender like Philadelphia fine-tunes its approach.

    Defensive Resilience and Late-Game Lessons

    Credit: Casey Murphy-Unsplash

    If the offense flickered, the defense carried the flame. Philadelphia’s defense reminded fans why it remains one of the NFC’s most disciplined units, even when momentum starts to shift.

    Early Dominance Suffocates the Opposition

    In the first half, the Eagles were suffocating. They held Tampa Bay to just three points, forced third-and-long situations, and allowed only 3-of-13 conversions all night. The defensive front looked like a wall of green steel.

    Then came the second half. The Buccaneers adjusted, scoring 19 points, though only three came in the final quarter. It wasn’t a collapse; it was fatigue, lack of focus, and the nature of football. The lesson hopefully learned was that championship defenses aren’t just built on dominance; they’re built on finishing.

    The Game-Changing Play

    Rookie Jihaad Campbell’s end-zone interception sealed the win and perhaps saved it. It was a timely reminder that playmaking, not perfection, wins games. The Eagles’ ability to generate turnovers when the game tightens may prove to be one of their greatest strengths in the weeks ahead.

    Pressure That Defines Identity

    Linebacker Zack Baun’s breakout performance, eight tackles and a sack, showcased the creative blitzing schemes that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio brought to town. 

    Fangio’s adaptable approach is tailor-made for the modern NFL: confuse quarterbacks, disguise pressure, and force mistakes. The results are showing, and the confidence is growing.

    Trends and Adjustments Defining the Eagles’ Identity

    The Eagles’ future success will hinge on their ability to evolve.

    These key themes are already shaping the next phase of their season:

    • Commitment to the Run: The fake “tush push” was flashy, but sustained ground production will keep defenses honest and drives alive.
    • Turnover Focus: Jihaad Campbell’s interception showed a growing emphasis on creating takeaways, not waiting for mistakes.
    • Playoff Mentality: Each close win reinforces Philadelphia’s ability to grind out results like a true contender, 
    • Offensive Balance: Syncing Jalen Hurts’ precision passing with Barkley’s power runs will be key to maintaining rhythm all game long.

    Together, these adjustments reflect a team evolving in real time,  one learning that consistency, not perfection, is what builds champions. The Eagles aren’t just winning games; they’re sharpening their formula for something bigger.

    Health, Depth, and the Road Ahead

    Injuries and endurance could shape the Eagles’ path just as much as talent. The coming schedule includes the Giants, Packers, Lions, and Cowboys. That lineup will test every unit on the roster.

    Here’s what to keep an eye on:

    • Injury Watch: Saquon Barkley’s knee and Jermaine Eluemunor’s hamstring have drawn attention. Keeping those players healthy will be crucial to sustaining momentum.
    • Next-Man-Up Depth: Fangio’s longer practices are designed to prepare backups for real snaps, a necessary move as the season grinds on.
    • Tough Road Tests: Trips to Lambeau Field and AT&T Stadium loom large. Both will measure Philadelphia’s maturity as a road-tested contender.
    • Divisional Dominance: Double meetings with the Giants give the Eagles a chance to reinforce their control over the NFC East.

    The next few weeks promise defining matchups that will reveal how well this team can handle the weight of expectation. Fans following upcoming NFL games and props can dive into matchup previews and performance trends that highlight where Philadelphia stands against its toughest rivals.

    Staying Hungry

    Five games in, the Eagles look like a team that knows how to win, but more importantly, one that knows it can get better. The Week 4 victory wasn’t a masterpiece; it was a message.

    It told us that Philadelphia can start fast, stumble, and still find a way. It told us that leadership and belief can patch over mid-game cracks. Finally, it emphatically informed us that this team, for all its talent, still sees the climb ahead as unfinished business.

    The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint.

    For the Eagles, greatness isn’t about coasting on early wins; it’s about building on every drive, every mistake, every lesson. 

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  • Game ball, three stars, and snap count analysis: Week 5, Eagles vs. Broncos

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    In their Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Philadelphia Eagles played 61 snaps on offense and 74 snaps on defense. Let’s just get right to the snap counts, some notes, and some special recognition.

    Quarterback

    • 61 snaps: Jalen Hurts

    Notes: Hurts’ passing numbers look decent enough on paper. He finished 23 of 38 for 290 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. He only ran twice, for 3 yards. Whether you think Hurts played well or not should not be the takeaway from this game. His leadership is what matters more right now. 

    I’ll always remember this game for the missed connection between Hurts and Brown deep down the field that should have put a dagger in the Broncos. The ball came out a little later than Brown was expecting, so he stopped momentarily on his route, and the ball sailed over his head as a result. Fine. It happens. But Hurts and Brown did not talk after the play, nor do they talk on the sidelines at all, really. They used to, but not now.

    Personally, I’m typically not much interested in the “who’s getting along with whom” drama that sometimes accompanies this team, but if Hurts and Brown can’t communicate in game, that is going to affect their play on the field. I don’t know what their relationship is, but it’s not the same as it was when they celebrated their “bestie” status. That’s clear, right? And really, they don’t have to like each other, but they do have to figure out how to put whatever differences they have aside for other 51 players on the roster… and, you know, the city.

    Running back

    • 44 snaps: Saquon Barkley

    • 9 snaps: A.J. Dillon

    • 8 snaps: Will Shipley

    Notes: Running back rushing numbers: 

    Eagles RBs  Rush  Yards  YPC  TD 
    Saquon Barkley  6  30  5.0  0 
    A.J. Dillon  2  12  6.0  0 
    Will Shipley  1  0  0.0  0 
    TOTAL  9  42  4.7  0 

    The Eagles led in this game for almost two full quarters, from when Dallas Goedert caught a TD pass with 7:20 left in the second quarter, to when the Broncos went ahead in the fourth quarter with 7:36 left in regulation. They led by 14 for almost a full quarter, from when Barkley caught a TD pass with 13:23 left in the third quarter, to when the Broncos scored their first touchdown with 13:11 left in the fourth quarter.

    To have leads for stretches that long and for Barkley to have only had 6 carries in this game is pretty wild. In fact, during the two-quarter stretch that the Eagles had the lead, Barkley only had one carry count in the box score. (He had another that was called back on a Brett Toth penalty.) During that stretch the Eagles punted five times.

    In past seasons, the Eagles have gotten leads and choked out their opponents with the run game. That has kind of been their identity when they’ve been at their best. 

    Asked if he believes he can still rely on the run game to close out games, Nick Sirianni said, “I still believe so much in the guys we have up front, and who we have in the backfield.”

    It didn’t appear that way on Sunday.

    The Eagles are currently 25th in the NFL with just 99.8 rushing yards per game.

    Wide receiver

    • 60 snaps: DeVonta Smith

    • 57 snaps: A.J. Brown

    • 44 snaps: Jahan Dotson

    • 4 snaps: John Metchie

    Notes: Smith caught 8 passes for 114 yards. He also made what could have been one of the plays of the day when he made a leaping contested catch for a 30-yard gain on 4th and 4. Except… it was called back on a procedure penalty. He also nearly came down with the final Hail Mary of the game, and it was actually Brown who broke it up while trying to make a play on the ball himself. This could have been a signature DeVonta game, but it wasn’t to be.

    We covered Brown in the quarterback section above.

    Tight end

    • 48 snaps: Dallas Goedert

    • 22 snaps: Kylen Granson

    • 7 snaps: Grant Calcaterra

    • 2 snaps: Cameron Latu

    Notes: Goedert had his fourth TD catch of the season. He’s actually only one TD reception away from his career high. He was also interfered with twice on the Eagles’ final drive, though only one of them was called.

    Calcaterra was involved in the offense early, as he had 2 catches for 18 yards before leaving with an oblique injury. He did not return.

    Offensive line

    • 61 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson

    • 49 snaps: Brett Toth

    • 12 snaps: Landon Dickerson

    Notes: Dickerson hasn’t looked healthy all season. On Sunday he left with an ankle injury and did not return. The internet docs are saying it’s likely a high ankle sprain.

    If so, the Eagles should seriously consider shutting him down for a bit to allow his whole body to heal before putting him back out there for the second half of the season.

    The Dickerson injury aside, there were a lot of plays in which Hurts had all day to throw. I thought their pass protection was mostly pretty good against a very good Broncos pass rush, even if the stat sheet says that Hurts took 6 sacks.

    It’s hard to judge their play in the run game, because we didn’t see it.

    Edge defenders

    • 43 snaps: Jalyx Hunt

    • 34 snaps each: Za’Darius Smith, Azeez Ojulari

    • 29 snaps: Josh Uche 

    • 8 snaps: Patrick Johnson

    Notes: This was the first game this season that Ojulari wasn’t a healthy scratch. He contributed, with his best play being a QB hit on a good pass rush that beat Broncos LT Garett Bolles.

    Smith had a sack, and Hunt had Bo Nix wrapped up for what should have been either an “in the grasp” sack or an intentional grounding penalty.

    I thought this group showed some life after a few quiet games.

    Interior defensive line

    • 67 snaps: Jalen Carter

    • 41 snaps: Jordan Davis

    • 38 snaps: Moro Ojomo

    • 15 snaps: Byron Young

    • 1 snap: Ty Robinson

    Notes: Carter seemed to have a lot of wins on his reps, as usual, but not a lot to show for it on the stat sheet. He also got held all day, on one occasion that was plain for all to see by RT Mike McGlinchey. I do think he is playing well, and is primed for a breakout game.

    Linebacker

    • 74 snaps: Zack Baun

    • 71 snaps: Jihaad Campbell

    Notes: Baun and Campbell combined for 23 tackles and a sack. Baun was flagged for unnecessary roughness penalty on a key 3rd down play late in the game. 

    Man, what a weak call in such a big spot. The ball carrier was still trying to reach for a first down, and here’s no way Baun can know for sure if his knees are down. He’s just finishing the play.

    Cornerback and safety

    • 74 snaps each: Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Andrew Mukuba, Reed Blankenship

    • 62 snaps: Kelee Ringo

    • 1 snap: Adoree’ Jackson

    Notes: After a competent performance Week 4 in Tampa, Ringo got the start in place of a healthy Jackson. He gave up a handful of completions, particularly in the second half, but he also had good coverage on a number of reps. That’s probably about what we can expect from him, for now. The Eagles’ hope is that he’ll continue to improve with more playing time, but it’s reasonable for there to be bumps along the way.

    Courtland Sutton had a good day against Mitchell:

    DeJean nearly caused Nix fumble on a blitz, but Nix’s arm had juuuust started moving forward. 

    That’s close, but I thought that was a rare high-leverage call that the officials got right.

    Three stars 🤩

    ⭐⭐⭐: WR DeVonta Smith: It feels like DeVonta is often the only guy who shows up in some of the Eagles’ worst games.

    🌟🌟: Cooper DeJean: He makes open-field tackles with ease, and nearly had a monster play on a blitz.

    ✨: Za’Darius Smith: Smith had a sack that pushed the Broncos out of field goal range and saved some points. He also had a couple of QB hits.

    Game ball 🏈

    1. Week 1, vs. Cowboys: Jalen Hurts
    2. Week 2, at Chiefs: Andrew Mukuba
    3. Week 3, vs. Rams: Jordan Davis
    4. Week 4, at Buccaneers: Quinyon Mitchell
    5. Week 5, vs. Broncos: DeVonta Smith

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  • Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Broncos game

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    The Philadelphia Eagles lost. That’s not something they’re used to doing of late, and frankly their loss was a little overdue. The Denver Broncos were the team that was finally able to take advantage of the Birds’ mistakes.

    As always, win, lose, or tie, we hand out 10 awards.

    1) The ‘Different Books’ Award 📗📘: Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown

    Late in the third quarter still holding onto a 14-point lead, the Eagles called a shot play — a “dagger,” as Jalen Hurts called it during his postgame press conference — and it was wide open.

    Brown looked up for the ball but when he didn’t see it initially, he stopped running on the play for a moment, before realizing that Hurts had indeed let it rip. The ball sailed harmlessly over Brown’s head for an incompletion on what should have been a game-sealing touchdown.

    Execution mistakes happen, but what was more alarming was Brown’s and Hurts’ commentary about the play after the game.

    Asked if he talked to Hurts after the play, Brown said, “No.”

    Hurts was asked during his press conference what corrections or adjustments he’ll make with a receiver on the sideline after that type of play, and he more or less didn’t answer the question.

    “In that situation, that play was a shot,” Hurts said. “So, you either hit it or you don’t and we didn’t hot that one. So, we’ll watch the tape when we get the opportunity to and learn from it. But in that moment in the game it’s about finding a way to put the dagger in them, and that could have been the dagger.”

    It is clear that Hurts and Brown do not have the same personal relationship they once did, but if they can’t discuss what is happening on the field in-game — and for the record,  we can see from the press box that they are not communicating on the sideline — that’s a big problem.

    It’s not that Hurts and Brown are not on the same page. They’re not in the same book right now.

    2) The ‘Nah’ Award 🙅: The Eagles’ rushing attack

    Hurts attempted 38 passes in this game, and Saquon Barkley only had 6 carries. He did run through a big hole for a gain of 17 on one run, but otherwise carried 5 times for 13 yards. 

    That’s perhaps normal in a game that the Eagles are losing, but they led almost the entire game.

    I remember a time when the Eagles got a big lead, and the entire stadium knew they were running it but were able to run it anyway. That has not been their reality this season. They can’t run it, and now they won’t run it.

    3) The ‘Out of Gas’ Award ⛽: The Eagles’ defense

    For most of the day, the Eagles’ defense was excellent. The Broncos’ first eight drives of the game went like so:

    1. Punt
    2. 55-yard field goal
    3. Punt
    4. Punt
    5. Punt
    6. Punt
    7. Punt
    8. Punt

    Against the Buccaneers Week 4, the offense kept putting the defense in bad situations with quick three-and-outs, but the defense repeatedly bailed them out.

    That same trend continued against the Broncos, and the defensive dam finally broke. The Broncos’ last three possessions:

    1. 10 plays, 64 yards, TD
    2. 6 plays, 72 yards, TD + 2-point conversion
    3. 11 plays, 50 yards, FG

    The Eagles’ defense was fresh out of bailouts.

    4) The ‘Didn’t Help’ Award 🦓: The Officials

    During the Broncos’ final drive, Bo Nix was wrapped up by Jalyx Hunt, and he threw the ball away into the ground. The officials huddled up and decided that Nix should be flagged for an intentional grounding penalty. 

    The officials placed the ball at the spot of the foul at the Broncos’ 29yard line, where Denver would face a 3rd and 24. Then suddenly, the referee announced that Broncos TE Adam Trautman was in the area, and it was instead ruled an incomplete pass.

    They re-spotted the ball at the Broncos’ 47 for a 3rd and 6, which Denver then converted.

    Intentional grounding calls are reviewable in two ways:

    1. Was the quarterback in the pocket?
    2. Did the ball travel past the line of scrimmage?

    What is not reviewable is whether there was a receiver in the area of the pass.

    Pool reporter Zach Berman interviewed the officials after the game. Here was their explanation: 

    “So what happened there, we have an O2O – that’s our official-to-official communication system. My O2O was not working. Grounding is a teamwork foul. I had intentional grounding. The line judge had that there was a receiver in the area – 28 – but I didn’t hear the information over O2O so I threw the flag. The line judge came in and let me know that 28 indeed was in the area, and that’s why we picked up the flag.”

    That all sounds like bullshit to me, if I’m being honest. We’ll have much more on that soon.

    5) The ‘Chance To Win, Part I’ Award 🤞: The Eagles’ poor offensive operation

    Down 18-17, the Eagles had a chance to either score a TD (plus try for a two-point conversion) or kick a lead-changing field goal. They faced a 4th and 4 from their own 49 yard line and made a bold call to go for it.

    Hurts hit DeVonta Smith down the left sideline for a 30-yard gain down to the Denver 21. But… OH NO!… They were called for an illegal shift. A procedural penalty. OOF. 1st and 10 from the Broncos 21 became 4th and 9 from their own 44. They then punted instead.

    The Eagles have taken pride in their ability to limit those kinds of mistakes, and usually they’re very sound in that department. Not today.

    6) The Chance to Win, Part II Award 🤞🤞: The officials, again

    The Eagles got the ball with 1:06 left in the game at their own 26 yard line. They drove down to the Denver 29, when Hurts threw to Dallas Goedert. Denver S JL Skinner was pretty clearly guilty of pass interference on the play:

    No flag. Egregious no-call. The Eagles should have had the ball inside the 5 yard line with one chance to win the game. Instead, they had to settle for an ill-fated Hail Mary attempt.

    7) The ‘Baby Steps’ Award 👶: The passing game

    The end result aside, the passing game did seem to make some strides. Smith had 8 catches for 114 yards, the offensive line often gave Hurts all day to throw, and there were some big plays open down the field, some of which they hit, some of which they squandered. But it did seem like a step in the right direction in some ways.

    8) The ‘Rest Up’ Award: Landon Dickerson

    Dickerson injured his ankle in the first half, and was ruled out for the rest of the game early in the second half. It feels like he could miss some time. And really, he hasn’t seemed healthy all year so far. Injuries are never good (#analysis), but in this case, perhaps the rest of Dickerson’s ailments can heal while he is out with his injured ankle.

    In other words, given the circumstances, if Dickerson were to return… ohhhh, saaayyyy, after the bye, maybe that’s not the worst thing, especially with the easiest part of the Eagles’ schedule upcoming.

    We’ll find out soon enough the severity of his injury.

    9) The ‘Bad Weekend’ Award 😖: Philly fans

    The Phillies blew a 3-0 lead to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS and the Eagles blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead for their first loss of the season. Tough two-day stretch!

    10) The ‘Get Right’ Award 🆘: The Eagles, maybe, over the next month

    Big picture, the Eagles are through their hardest stretch of the season and they’re 4-1. If you’re an Eagles fan and you were asked if you’d sign up for that before the season began, you’d probably say yes, right?

    Well, now they have the easiest stretch of their schedule ahead:

    • Week 6: At Giants
    • Week 7: At Vikings
    • Week 8: Giants
    • Week 9: BYE

    To be determined if they can put aside personal feelings and start playing like a team again.

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    Jimmy Kempski

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  • Week 5 stock watch: Pass game is back, doesn’t matter as Eagles lose to Broncos

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    The Eagles played a perfect football game back on Feb. 9th. It happened to also be Super Bowl LIX. 

    Since then, fans have expected perfect football and even though they were undefeated going into Sunday and the NFC betting favorites to get back to Super Bowl LX, they have been about as far from perfect as a perfect team can be.

    For whatever reason, the 4-1 Eagles — after blowing a two score fourth quarter lead to the Broncos — just can’t seem to play 60 minutes of winning football.

    Last year it took about a month to find a groove, too. Perhaps they’ll get there, but a 21-17 loss at home Sunday was far from perfect and gave the Eagles their first blemish of the year.

    Here’s a look at an aspect of the Eagles that is finally seeing its stock price rise, and one that’s a little less exciting from Week 5’s devastating loss at The Linc:

    Stock up: The skill guys 📈

    There had been a lot of chatter, despite the Eagles being undefeated, about the superstar skill players basically not getting the ball at all to start the season.

    A.J. Brown, who averages 76.4 yards per game over his career, entered Week 5 at 37.8. DeVonta Smith was down to 39.5 from 64.2. over his career. And Saquon Barkley, who had the most rushing yards in the history of the NFL over the 2024 regular and postseasons, was averaging 3.1 yards per carry through four games.

    Jalen Hurts was not shy to throw the deep ball, uncorking several attempts down the field to both keep the defense honest and give the wideouts opportunities to make big plays.

    Brown trailed Smith by one target to lead the Eagles with eight, including a key third down conversion and — not in the stat sheet — drawing a pass interference call against Patrick Surtain II at the goal line leading to Dallas Goedert’s fourth receiving score of the year.

    That drive score was set up by an incredible DeVonta Smith monster 52-yard basket catch down the sideline on third and 16.

    Smith gained 114 yards on eight catches. 

    Barkley also looked more spry and added his longest run of the season, 17 yards, but his highlight play came on a wheel route deep ball that Barkley tracked down on a 47-yard touchdown catch.

    When’s the last time you can remember all of the Eagles’ key players being included in the offense?

    Stock down: “Why’s the run gone?” 📉

    Reigning rushing champion Barkley averaged six yards per carry over his first five carries in the first half Sunday afternoon. He didn’t get his sixth until the Eagles had blown a 14 point lead inside seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter. That’s quite a long time between hand-offs.

    For whatever reason, the Eagles decided to make themselves one-dimensional, as even Hurts decided not to spin his legs, running just two times for three yards. 

    With Landon Dickerson out and a clearly less than 100% Lane Johnson blocking up front, a downtick makes sense. And with a handful of penalties that put the Eagles in passing situations — like a first-down false start on a toss to Barkley that set the Birds back to a first-and-15 and three passes and out — it did make sense that the Eagles were more pass happy. 

    But the ground game issues are nothing new this season. Even when the line was healthy it couldn’t block well for Barkley.

    The Eagles entered play this week with the fourth-worst yards per rush in the NFL (3.1) and the 15th-most yards per game (113.5). The Broncos ran 29 times for 130 yards (4.5 ypc), riding their tandem of RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins to a near comeback effort in the fourth quarter. As a result, they won the time of possession battle  34:17. Philly ran just 11 times for 45 yards.

    It’s hard to feel good about the offense even after a banner day through the air. It seems like no matter what they do well, it comes with some other part of the team playing badly — as if it’s a zero-sum game.

    It’s a long season but the weaknesses are varied and changing every single week. Will a short week and trip up I-95 to face the lackluster Giants put them back on track? 

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  • Eagles-Broncos Week 5 inactives, with analysis

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    The Philadelphia Eagles’ injury list / injured reserve list is beginning to pile up, while the Denver Broncos are very healthy after the first four games of the season.

    Here are the Eagles’ and Broncos’ inactives, with analysis.

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    Sam Howell will be the emergency quarterback. Azeez Ojulari is active for the first time this season.

    The Eagles didn’t call anyone up from their practice squad for this matchup.

    • CB Mac McWilliams: McWilliams has been active for game days this season, but he hasn’t had a role in the regular defense or on special teams yet.

    • OL Drew Kendall: The Eagles apparently like Brett Toth more as the backup center/guard.

    • WR Xavier Gipson: The Eagles claimed Gipson off of waivers last week.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • EDGE Nolan Smith (IR, triceps): In 2024, Smith got out to a slow start, but the light seemed to come on for him after the Week 5 bye. In the 15 games he played from October on, Smith had 10.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and he did a lot of the dirty work in the defense like taking on pulling guards and burying them. He also led the NFL with four postseason sacks. He tore his triceps in the Super Bowl.

    Smith entered the 2025 as the team’s top edge defender. Through three games he has 10 tackles and 0 sacks. He “tweaked” his triceps injury, and will miss at least four weeks on IR.

    • LB Nakobe Dean (PUP, knee): Dean is technically still on PUP, despite the team activating his 21-day practice window.

    • CB Jakorian Bennett (IR, pectoral): The Eagles traded for Bennett in early August at a time when existing corners Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo were struggling during training camp.

    • WR Johnny Wilson (IR, knee, ankle): Wilson is a massive receiver at 6’6, 228 who carved out a dirty work role as a physical blocker his rookie season in 2024, though sometimes he was a little too aggressive, as he committed four penalties (3 holding, 1 OPI). He wasn’t much of a threat as a receiver, catching only 5 passes for 38 yards and a TD. He played a little over 400 snaps, and actually started four games.

    • WR Darius Cooper (IR, shoulder): Cooper is an undrafted rookie free agent who was able to crack the 53-man roster after an impressive training camp and preseason. He had begun carving out a role as the “dirty work” receiver after Johnny Wilson was lost for the season.

    • FB Ben VanSumeren (IR, knee): VanSumeren was poised to take on a bigger role in the Eagles’ offense in 2025 as a full-time fullback, but he tore his patellar tendon on the opening kickoff of the season. His season is over.

    • LS Charley Hughlett (IR): Hughlett throws the ball through his legs. The Eagles signed Cal Adomitis to throw the ball through his legs in place of Hughlett.

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    Broncos inactives

    If you bought tickets to watch Frank Crum play, you’re in for some disappointment.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • LB Dre Greenlaw: You all remember Greenlaw from his scuffle with Big Dom. Since tearing his Achilles while running onto the field during the 2023-2024 Super Bowl, Greenlaw has only appeared in two games. He is currently missing time with a quad injury.

    • LB Drew Sanders: Sanders was a Broncos third-round pick in 2023. He played in all 17 games as a rookie, starting four. He tore his Achilles in April of 2024 and missed the first 13 games of the season, but played in the final four. He injured his foot in 2025 training camp and began the season on IR.

    • iDL Malcolm Roach: Rotational interior D-lineman, played for Sean Payton both in New Orleans and Denver.

    Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice

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  • Broncos vs. Eagles: Live updates and highlights from the NFL Week 5 game

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    Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

    Live updates

    Pre-game updates

    Broncos inactives (9:32 a.m.):

    • QB Sam Ehlinger (emergency 3rd)
    • RB Jaleel McLaughlin
    • DL Sai’Vion Jones
    • OT Frank Crum
    • OLB Que Robinson

    — Gabriel

    Good morning (9:26 a.m.): It’s a beauty of a day here in Philadelphia where the Broncos will look to pull the upset on an Eagle team that’s won 20 of its past 21 games, including 18 straight that quarterback Jalen Hurts has started and finished.

    Not a big surprise at this point but Jaleel McLaughlin’s got tennis shoes on and is hanging out on the Broncos bench.

    Sean Payton says they consider the third RB spot each week, but doesn’t appear to be any change today.

    Looks like Broncos DL Jordan Jackson is going through early warmups and rookie Sai’Vion Jones is in tennis shoes over in the bench area.

    Jones got his first game action last week and Jackson was inactive. Might be going back to JJ against a run-heavy Eagles offense. — Gabriel

    Scouting report (9 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Eagles in Luca Evans’ scouting report.

    Game predictions

    Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Eagles 26, Broncos 23

    The Eagles haven’t really hit their stride yet this season and yet are 4-0. The Broncos haven’t really hit their stride yet — though perhaps Monday night was the start — and are 2-2, with a pair of brutal road losses. Those games matter Sunday in this context: Sean Payton’s team hasn’t learned to close away from home yet. Philly, on the other hand, has won 20 of the past 21 games it’s played over the past calendar year-plus. That and special teams could be the difference.

    Luca Evans, beat writer: Broncos 24, Eagles 21

    Let’s get a little crazy. Philadelphia has way overachieved its underlying offensive and defensive numbers this year, winning games with fantastic special-teams and red-zone play. The Broncos have one of the best red-zone defenses in the league, and their run game is rolling. Darren Rizzi’s special teams will face its test of the season, but if they play a clean game and don’t spring themselves off any linemen, the Broncos have a real shot here.

    Troy Renck, columnist: Eagles 24, Broncos 20

    This screams upset … if Denver were at home. The Eagles are vulnerable. Their wings are clipped in the passing game. They have an A.J. Brown problem. They had zero yards through the air in the second half last week. The Broncos could run the ball, take care of the ball, and shock the Eagles. But not in Philadelphia. The Eagles have won 11 straight home games, and haven’t lost there in 13 months. A special teams play will prove the difference.

    Sean Keeler, columnist: Eagles 24, Broncos 21

    With apologies to the great Reggie Jackson, Sean Payton is the new Mr. October. Since 2016, the Broncos head coach sports a 13-2 record, straight-up, in October road games. Like Tampa and the Meadowlands last year, nobody outside the Front Range gives the orange and blue much of a chance. Bo Nix and the Broncos found something on Monday night. Unfortunately, I think what they mostly found is that the Bengals stink.

    Broncos-Eagles NFL Week 5: Must-reads

    Renck: Eagles’ Tush Push is pain in the butt. Broncos don’t need it banned. They need it officiated better

    The Tush Push is a pain in the butt.

    This past spring, the NFL competition and health and safety committees wanted it gone. The NFL owners disagreed, defeating a ban by two votes. So when push came to shove, the play lived on. For now.

    As the Broncos face the Eagles on Sunday, a persuasive argument can be advanced for outlawing the play. The easiest is entertainment. The NFL thrives on attracting eyeballs to television sets. While jokes and conspiracy theories remain about how the league is scripted, no one wants to watch a play that is automatic.

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    Joe Nguyen, Luca Evans, Parker Gabriel, Troy Renck, Matt Schubert

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  • 2025-2026 NFL press box food spread ratings

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    Throughout the season, we’ll be posting press box food spread rankings for each of the Philadelphia Eagles’ road games. This is probably of no interest to you if you’re a sane human being, and, well, I don’t care. I’m doing this anyway. 

    If you’re fake-appalled by a sportswriter playfully complaining about free food, shut up, weenie. Please note that we’ll have the most recent press box reviews at the top.

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    Eagles at Buccaneers, Week 4

    For the third straight year, the Eagles played a hot-as-hell September game in Tampa. In past years, I’ve walked a mile or two to the stadium, which proved to be a big, sweaty mistake. This year, I finally wised up and got an Uber.

    Upon your arrival to the stadium, media are greeted to the following elevator.

    100425BucsElevator100425BucsElevator

    If I didn’t know that is an NFL team’s logo, I would never get in an elevator with that painted on the outside.

    Anyway, because the Eagles have had so many games in Tampa the last few years, I have come to know what to expect from the food spread, which is consistently very good. Upon my arrival bright and early (I arrived around 9:30 a.m.), they already have a bunch of food options available.

    Fresh salad and fixins:

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    That’s just all empty vitamins. Pass.

    They also had some breakfast options, like French toast, breakfast potatoes, bacon, and scrambled eggs.

    Multiple people complained that the scrambled eggs were runny. I didn’t have any. Brooks Kubena of The Athletic commented that the bacon was the best he’d ever had, aside from his grandmother’s.

    The Bucs also served pretzel bites bright and early. They had three varieties:

    1. Cinnamon sugar
    2. Garlic parmesan
    3. Salted

    Here’s one of each:

    100425BucsPretzels100425BucsPretzels

    The cinnamon and garlic pretzels weren’t very good. The salted ones were fine. I do appreciate the pretzel bite approach, so you can monitor your pretzel intake, as opposed to committing to a much bigger pretzel.

    But most importantly, the Bucs had ice cream available bright and early, and with a bunch of topping options, plus additional assorted candies.

    100425BucsIceCream100425BucsIceCream
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    Did I treat myself to some soft serve ice cream and candy at 10 a.m.? You bet your ass I did.

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    That’s my candy salad. Starburst, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and a Kit Kat on a bed of Skittles.

    Again, all of the above was served super early in the morning. And then sometime around noon, the Bucs brought a lot more food, this time lunch options.

    They had a beef carving station, with mac and cheese: 

    100425BucsBeef100425BucsBeef

    And they also had hot dogs, chips and Cuban sandwiches. The always astute Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer noted, “A lot of meat.”

    Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94.1 WIP has said in the past that the Cuban sandwiches are the best item in any press box, league-wide.

    100425BucsCuban100425BucsCuban

    The Cuban sandwiches are good, but that’s a terrible take. Kubena might have gone a little overboard on the bacon take, too, for that matter.

    And, always, the Bucs had Bananas Foster at halftime.

    100425BucsBananasFoster100425BucsBananasFoster

    Because the Eagles have played in Tampa every year so frequently in recent years, and because I had already had two cups of soft serve ice cream, I skipped the Bananas Foster. But there’s something to be said for having a weird-but-cool press box staple, so kudos to the Bucs for that.

    Grade: As we note each year when we review the Bucs’ spread, The Athletic blatantly ripped off my food spread review bit in 2020, and somehow ranked the Bucs’ spread the best in the NFL. It’s a good spread, with a lot of options, and the halftime Bananas Foster is a cool touch. But a bunch of their offerings are just OK, while a spread like Dallas’, for example, is high quality across the board.

    Still, I’m a sucker for soft serve ice cream, so anyone who serves it is going to grade out favorably. B+.

    090920ChiefsLogo2020090920ChiefsLogo2020

    Eagles at Chiefs, Week 2

    Arrowhead Stadium is right next to Kauffman Stadium, where the Kansas City Royals play, not unlike the Philadelphia sports complex. Like in Philly, there is a massive parking lot surrounding the two stadiums, and people are cooking food everywhere. The entire outside area smells like delicious burning animals. You enter the stadium hungry if you’re a media guy/gal, at least if you’re into cooked meat.

    The Chiefs’ spread:

    • Arugula Pear Salad: Spring mix, sliced pear, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, lemon vinaigrette.

    092525Arugula092525Arugula

    Personally, I’m a big arugula guy, (a) because it’s good, but more importantly (b) because I like to say, “Arugula… it’s a veg-eh-ta-bull,” like Steve Martin in My Blue Heaven.

    • Farro Salad: Dried cranberry, shaved fennel, orange zest, olive oil.

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    I’m unaware of any Steve Martin movies referencing farro. 

    • Slow roasted pork shoulder: I think they actually served pork bellies initially, not pork shoulder. The pork bellies (I think?):

    092525PorkBellies092525PorkBellies

    Some of those pieces were really fatty, but the ones that weren’t were pretty good. And oh hey, in a similar way that I like how Steve Martin says “arugula,” I like the way Dan Aykroyd says “Pork bellies… hmmmmm,” in Trading Places.

    The Chiefs later served pork shoulder:

    092525PorkShoulder092525PorkShoulder

    That was just OK. It certainly wasn’t what you’d hope for in a great BBQ town like Kansas City.

    • Baked ziti

    092525ziti092525ziti

    That cheese was kinda gross.

    • Garlic roasted fingerling potatoes

    092525Potatoes092525Potatoes

    They weren’t good.

    • Sauteed broccolini

    • Chicken tenders

    • “Build your own KC dogs” and “Build your own Philly dogs.”

    I’ve never heard of a “Philly dog.” But here’s what they came up with for each:

    1. KC dog: Burnt ends, KC BBQ sauce, crispy onions, dill pickle relish
    2. Philly dog: Cheese sauce, sauteed onions and peppers, cherry pepper relish

    So basically, the “Philly dog” had common toppings found on cheesesteaks. Again, never heard of that. Whatever, I didn’t touch either of them.

    • Tiramisu bread pudding: Espresso custard, mascarpone, brioche cubes, dark chocolate sauce.

    But the star of the Chiefs’ food spread was the candy selection they had in their vertical canisters. M&M’s, Skittles, Reese’s Pieces, Sour Patch Kids, and gummy bears.

    092525ChiefsCandy092525ChiefsCandy

    When you spun the wheel for the M&M’s, Skittles, and Reese’s Pieces, they flowed like a waterfall. When you spun the wheel for the gummy bears, they plopped out one at a time. So that was kinda fun too, in a weird way. It’s never a good sign when the best thing about a food spread is the candy. Unfortunately, the candy ran out quickly, and it wasn’t replaced. They lost points for that.

    Grade: This spread reminded me a little of the Titans’ spread years ago, in that the Titans and Chiefs both play in great BBQ towns, but the BBQ in the press box was disappointing. C.

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    Eagles at Jets, Preseason Week 3

    During the first quarter of the Eagles’ second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, I started to feel some stomach pains. I planned to tough it out, and hoped they would pass. Unfortunately, they got worse, and it became clear to me that I was going to vomit.

    In the interest of saving the two Eagles beats who sit to my left (Dave Zangaro) and right (Tim McManus) from being vomited upon — and, well, also because it was a preseason game — I just got the hell out of there. I raced home, thankfully in time to have a proper regurgitation session in the comfort of my own bathroom.

    I continued to feel awful the rest of that day and night, but kinda felt fine the next day. I have no idea if it was some sort of viral bug or something ate, but it was not fun, even if it was short-lived.

    Anyway, I only tell the above story because it was on my mind heading into the Eagles’ next preseason game, against the Jets. Would they serve something that would cause another knockout punch?

    I got in line, and… oh God…

    091425JetsFoodSpread091425JetsFoodSpread

    Come on.

    But you know what? I come to play, friends. I ate (some of) that terrible cheesesteak.

    091425JetsSpread091425JetsSpread

    Was my ingestion of the above cheesesteak heroic? Comparable to the Michael Jordan flu game, or Kirk Gibson’s Game 1 World Series home run when he could barely walk? That’s for the sports historians to decide. 🤷‍♂️

    My eating feats aside, a note to all other catering companies around the NFL — please, for the love of God, stop serving cheesesteaks because a Philly team is in town. Your likelihood of failure is like 99.5%. Just do whatever it is that you do. If we’re in Seattle, serve up some lattes. If we’re in New Orleans, let’s try some gumbo. If we’re in Kansas City, how about some burnt ends? Don’t give me some bobo cheesesteak that is certain to make me hate myself.

    The cheesesteak aside, the Jets served some burgers.

    091425JetsSpread2091425JetsSpread2

    Pass.

    They also had some chicken sandwiches, and other cold cuts.

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    Those were actually pretty good!

    At halftime, the Jets went right back to testing my intestinal fortitude with a trio of mini hot dogs, chicken fingers, and soft pretzels. (And again, like with the cheesesteaks above, stop with the soft pretzels.)

    091425JetsSpread6091425JetsSpread6

    All of that 👆 was as awful as it looks.

    The only saving grace of the Jets’ spread  — well, aside from the chicken sandwiches above — was that they had a small freezer with assorted ice cream bars.

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    Every press box should have an ice cream option, and a freezer with some Choco Tacos is as easy as it gets. Plug it in, and fill it up.

    Grade: I’ll be extra generous because it was only a preseason game. C-.

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  • Five college prospects who could interest the Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft

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    During the college football season each year, as long as you’re watching the games, we point out five players each week to keep an eye on who make logical sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the following year’s NFL Draft.

    Gabe Jacas (17), EDGE, Illinois (6’3, 270): (22) Illinois at Purdue, 12:00 p.m.

    Jacas has been an increasingly productive edge defender for Illinois, with 4 sacks each of his freshman and sophomore years, 8 as a junior, and 4 so far in 5 games as a senior. He has speed, power, instincts, and versatility, all of which he showed off in a monster game against Michigan last season, when he had 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble:

    Instant draft crush for me.

    Joe Royer (11), TE, Cincinnati (6’5, 255): (14) Iowa State at Cincinnati, 12:00 p.m.

    After transferring from Ohio State to Cincinnati in 2024, Royer had 50 receptions for 521 yards and 3 TDs. In 4 games so far in 2025, he has 10 receptions for 162 yards and 2 TDs.

    He has great hands and is a smooth athlete who can get vertical down the seam and gobble up yards after the catch. A 2024 highlight reel:

    On the downside, he needs work as a blocker, which will turn off some Eagles fans who have tired of watching Grant Calcaterra get blown up. Still, the Eagles have an obvious need at tight end, and being able to make plays in the passing game is the more important trait.

    Kadyn Proctor (74), OT, Alabama (6’7, 366): (16) Vanderbilt at (10) Alabama, 3:30 p.m.

    Proctor is a mammoth offensive tackle, but he is also a pretty ridiculous athlete for a man his size. He came in at No. 2 on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list this summer.

    The 6-7, 366-pound Proctor’s body has 274 pounds of lean muscle mass with 26 percent body fat. His strength numbers are awesome. This summer, he squatted 815 pounds, benched 535 and power cleaned 405.

    Honestly, I was even more blown away when I found out he vertical jumped 32 inches and broad jumped 9-3. He’s 366 pounds! That 32-inch vertical is as much or more than five of the wideouts who were at this year’s combine. It’s the same as Colorado’s LaJohntay Wester, and he weighed 203 pounds less.

    In his first season at Alabama, Proctor started at left tackle and was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team by the conference coaches. He had his highest-graded performance of the season against Georgia and its top-ranked defense. Last year against Georgia, Proctor earned a 90 percent grade with five knockdown blocks as the Tide didn’t allow a sack all night, per Pro Football Focus. Against South Carolina’s ferocious D-line, Proctor did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit in 63 snaps and posted five knockdowns.

    Proctor has started at LT since 2023. He would be a great candidate to be an eventual Lane Johnson replacement at RT, assuming he could flip to that side of the line. His size and athleticism traits remind me a bit of Mekhi Becton coming out of college. Becton’s career at OT likely would have been more fruitful if he had gotten to work with Jeff Stoutland from Day 1. But what Becton’s career arc shows is that if all does not go well at tackle, guys with his size and ability can move inside and have something of a floor as a guard.

    Cut-up of some blocks here:

    Also, Alabama threw a bubble screen to him last Saturday:

    He actually looked pretty good as a ball carrier!

    Jeff Stoutland has said numerous times over the years that he likes offensive linemen who have some kind of “wow” trait, and certainly Proctor does.

    Makai Lemon, WR, USC (5’11, 195): (20) Michigan at USC, 7:30 p.m.

    Through USC’s first five games, Lemon has 35 catches for 589 yards (16.8 YPC) and 5 TDs. His 589 receiving yards lead the nation.

    He has inside-outside versatility, though he’s deadlier from the slot, in my opinion. He’s a good route runner, has good hands, and he’s a menace with the ball in his hands after the catch. Lemon has drawn some comparisons to USC alum Amon-Ra St. Brown, and you can see why below (via @BIG10SC):

    The Eagles’ receiver situation is interesting at the moment, with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith likely frustrated with their usage in the current offense. So we’ll see how that plays out. But even if the Eagles get their passing game fixed; and both Brown and Smith have good seasons, I wouldn’t rule out the Eagles using a first-round pick on a receiver.

    Hezekiah Masses (5), CB, California (6’1, 185): Duke at California, 10:30 p.m.

    Masses transferred from FIU this year, and he is having an incredible start to his senior season at Cal, as he is leading the nation with 4 INTs and 7 pass breakups in 5 games. 

    He also had a 100-yard pick-six called back on a penalty.

    Masses has good size and he get his hands on a lot of footballs. That’s a good start.

    Also, it’s funny to me that Cal is in the ACC.

    MORE: Week 5 non-Eagles rooting guide

    Previously profiled players

    • August 23

    1. Dylan Edwards, RB/SWR/KR/PR, Kansas State
    2. Daniel Hishaw, RB, Kansas
    3. Dontay Corleone, iDL, Cincinnati
    4. D.J. McKinney, CB, Colorado
    5. Keldric Faulk, DL, Auburn

    • August 30

    1. Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
    2. Ethan Onianwa, OT, Ohio State
    3. Darrell Jackson, DT, Florida State
    4. Nic Anderson, WR, LSU
    5. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

    • September 6

    1. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
    2. Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
    3. Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
    4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
    5. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

    • September 13

    1. Anto Saka, EDGE, Northwestern
    2. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
    3. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
    4. Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
    5. Caleb Banks, iDL, Florida

    • September 20

    1. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
    2. Lee Hunter, iDL, Texas Tech
    3. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
    4. Rueben Bain, DL, Miami
    5. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana

    • September 27

    1. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
    2. Harold Perkins, EDGE/LB, LSU
    3. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
    4. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
    5. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

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  • Eagles-Broncos Week 5 injury report, with analysis

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    The Philadelphia Eagles’ injury list / injured reserve list is beginning to pile up, while the Denver Broncos are very healthy after the first four games of the season.

    Here’s the Eagles-Broncos injury report, with analysis.

    051020EaglesLogo2020
    Player  Injury  Wed  Thurs Fri  Status 
    TE Dallas Goedert Knee DNP Limited Full  – 
    RT Lane Johnson  Shoulder  Limited  Full  Full  – 
    iDL Jalen Carter  Shoulder  Limited  Full  Full  – 
    LB Nakobe Dean  Knee  Limited  Limited  Full  Out 
    CB Adoree’ Jackson  Groin  Limited  Full  Full  – 
    TE Grant Calcaterra  Illness  –  DNP  Full  – 

    Wednesday notes:

    • Goedert took a hard hit on Sunday in Tampa against the Bucs, came out of the game for a bit, but then returned. Goedert’s absence hurts both the passing game and run game.

    • Lane Johnson participating at all is a positive after he injured his shoulder against the Bucs and did not return.

    • Nakobe Dean had his 21-day practice window opened in advance of his eventual return from the PUP list.

    • Adoree’ Jackson practiced, but Vic Fangio noted that Kelee Ringo has a chance of starting going forward.

    • Jalen Carter may be dealing with his shoulder injury for a while, but he’ll very likely play.

    Thursday notes: 

    • Johnson and Carter were both full participants. They should be good to go.

    • Jackson should be good to go as well, but did he already lose his starting job?

    • Goedert practiced, a good sign for his availability on Sunday.

    Friday notes:

    • Dean being out isn’t a surprise, as he has to work his way back into “football shape.”

    • Jihaad Campbell missed practice because of a personal matter.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • EDGE Nolan Smith (IR, triceps): In 2024, Smith got out to a slow start, but the light seemed to come on for him after the Week 5 bye. In the 15 games he played from October on, Smith had 10.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and he did a lot of the dirty work in the defense like taking on pulling guards and burying them. He also led the NFL with four postseason sacks. He tore his triceps in the Super Bowl.

    Smith entered the 2025 as the team’s top edge defender. Through three games he has 10 tackles and 0 sacks. He “tweaked” his triceps injury, and will miss at least four weeks on IR.

    • LB Nakobe Dean (PUP, knee): Dean is technically still on PUP, despite the team activating his 21-day practice window. 

    • CB Jakorian Bennett (IR, pectoral): The Eagles traded for Bennett in early August at a time when existing corners Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo were struggling during training camp.

    • WR Johnny Wilson (IR, knee, ankle): Wilson is a massive receiver at 6’6, 228 who carved out a dirty work role as a physical blocker his rookie season in 2024, though sometimes he was a little too aggressive, as he committed four penalties (3 holding, 1 OPI). He wasn’t much of a threat as a receiver, catching only 5 passes for 38 yards and a TD. He played a little over 400 snaps, and actually started four games.

    • WR Darius Cooper (IR, shoulder): Cooper is an undrafted rookie free agent who was able to crack the 53-man roster after an impressive training camp and preseason. He had begun carving out a role as the “dirty work” receiver after Johnny Wilson was lost for the season.

    • FB Ben VanSumeren (IR, knee): VanSumeren was poised to take on a bigger role in the Eagles’ offense in 2025 as a full-time fullback, but he tore his patellar tendon on the opening kickoff of the season. His season is over.

    • LS Charley Hughlett (IR): Hughlett throws the ball through his legs. The Eagles signed Cal Adomitis to throw the ball through his legs in place of Hughlett.

    010321BroncosLogo2020010321BroncosLogo2020

    Player  Injury  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Status 
    TE Nate Adkins Concussion DNP Limited Full  – 
    WR Marvin Mims  Hip/ankle  Limited  Limited  Full  – 
    OLB Jonah Elliss  Ribs  Limited  Limited  Full  – 
    OLB Nik Bonitto  Wrist  Full  Full  Full  – 
    ILB Alex Singleton  Thumb  Full  Full  Full  – 
    G Quinn Meinerz  Illness  –  DNP  Full  – 
    TE Lucas Krull  Foot  –  –  DNP  Out 

    Wednesday notes:

    • As noted above, the Broncos have had great injury luck so far. They are virtually devoid of concerning injuries to important players.

    Thursday notes:

    • Again, not much to say here. Meinerz didn’t practice with an illness, but that’s probably not going to affect his status for Sunday.

    Friday notes: 

    • Lucas Krull was added to the injury report on Friday. He won’t play. I’ll be honest — I’ve never heard of Lucas Krull.

    Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

    • LB Dre Greenlaw: You all remember Greenlaw from his scuffle with Big Dom. Since tearing his Achilles while running onto the field during the 2023-2024 Super Bowl, Greenlaw has only appeared in two games. He is currently missing time with a quad injury.

    • LB Drew Sanders: Sanders was a Broncos third-round pick in 2023. He played in all 17 games as a rookie, starting four. He tore his Achilles in April of 2024 and missed the first 13 games of the season, but played in the final four. He injured his foot in 2025 training camp and began the season on IR.

    • iDL Malcolm Roach: Rotational interior D-lineman, played for Sean Payton both in New Orleans and Denver.

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    Jimmy Kempski

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  • Eagles 2025 Quarter Season Check In  – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    With the TNF game over between the NFC West powerhouses of the LA Rams and SF 49ers. It’s time to check in on the Eagles. Now that we’re entering Week 5, with 25% of the season over with and how the team is shaping up before we get to the Week 9 Trade Deadline.

    So Far So Flawless

    The Eagles are one of two teams entering Week 5 undefeated. Will the week end with the Bills and Eagles at 5-0? One step closer to securing their divisions as quickly as possible?

    Starting 4-0 marks the 3rd time in 5 years that the Sirianni/Hurts era Eagles have come out of the gate strong. But will they sustain this quality of inconsistent play through 13 more games? They’ve started slow before with a 2-2 start that resulted in an 12-1 end to the season. Now that they’re through the “gauntlet” of this year, maybe the team will start to figure things out for 4 full quarters.

    Injuries Piling Up

    After the Rams game, the Eagles placed three players on injured reserve. Including Nolan Smith and Jakorian Bennett. And with Ogbo Okoronkwo expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn triceps during the Buccaneers game, the Eagles defense is slowly getting depleted. Add on that Dallas Goedert continues to intermittently miss practice and the Offensive Line starts to get banged up. It might be a long year ahead. 

    Approaching The Deadline

    With the trade deadline set for November 4th. The Eagles have one month to make any serious additions to the roster before it’s too late. 

    And with 10 picks coming up in the 2026 draft (7 in the first 4 rounds) the Eagles will have plenty of capital to make their final rounds of roster moves if they wish to remain a contender through 2025.

    We’ll see what the Eagles bring to a dip in their strength of schedule. With their next 4 opponents having a combined record of 6-10 (DEN, MIN, NYGx2) when we get to the mid season checkpoint. 

    Go Birds. 

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    Tyler L’Heureux

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