Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have accomplished some truly incredible feats on the gridiron. They are two of the best defensive backs in the NFL and the first two starting rookie defensive backs ever on a team that won the Super Bowl. Now they are both All-Pro.
When it comes to the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl — Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Cam Jurgens, Zach Baun, and Jalen Carter are representing the Eagles. For DeJean and Mitchell — two of the finest cornerbacks in the NFL — it’s tacid approval of a an incredible start to two young careers.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
For the Eagles — last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and a Super Bowl appearance. Last season was also is also the first time in the over ninety-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.
This season — Mukuba — who was the last rookie to sign a four-year contract worth $7,160,538, including $4,196,063 guaranteed money. The prospect of starting Mukuba is that his combination with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell would make the Eagles’ defensive backfield one of the youngest starting in the NFL. He joins the Eagles secondary that was the only team in NFL history to start two rookie defensive backs in the Conference Championship Game and subsequently — the Super Bowl.
The Eagles aren’t disillusioned with the possibility of some growing pains in the defensive backfield. Last season , Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean were the perfect complement to Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson.
This year — they are the best DB combination in the NFL. Perfectly complimenting each other.
The Buffalo Bills may have had a fierce defense during their years of being at the top of the AFC when the Eagles visited them for that thrilling shootout in December of 1990 — but on Sunday night it was the Eagles who brought the suffocating defense against those Buffalo Bills — while at the same time holding one of the best running backs in the league to just seventy-four yards in James Cook III.
For the Bills — the rain and sleet was the least of their worries. Buffalo was the latest NFL offense to be totally stymied by the Eagles yards-denying defense. In the first quarter — Bills quarterback Josh Allen fumbled while attempting to avoid a hit by Jaelen Phillips. Jihaad Campbell recovered at mid-field for the Eagles. Philadelphia then scored on a one-yard pass play on a Hurts to Goedert connection after a couple of pass connections between Jalen and AJ Brown.
The Eagles pulled out to a 13–0 lead at halftime. In the second half though — fortunes would change as Philadelphia was held to just sixteen yards of total offense.
In the third quarter — Buffalo began to mount a furious comeback. After Josh Allen was stopped on 4th and Goal from the three-yard line — he then ran for a score from the 2-yard line with just over five minutes left in the game but the extra point blocked by Jalen Carter. With eight seconds left— Allen pushed in again from the the one — and then missed on a connection with Khalil Shakir for the two-point conversion.
A fight broke out after Eagles Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter poked Spencer Brown in the eye — leading to a scuffle between the teams that continued into the tunnel after the game.
Nick Sirianni also let his emotions be known — all caught on video.
Selection for the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl are in — and the Eagles have five invitations. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Cam Jurgens, Zach Baun, and Jalen Carter are representing the defending World Champions (sorry, Jordan Mailata — I know that you don’t like the title.) For DeJean and Mitchell — two of the finest cornerbacks in the NFL — it’s tacid approval of a an incredible start to two young careers.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
Last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history — that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and, then — a Super Bowl appearance. This year is also the first time in the thirty-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.
In the final edition of the Carson Wentz transaction last year, after already having drafted rookie-of-the-year finalist Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, the Eagles would trade two 2024 second-round picks and a fifth-round pick. They would use one of the three picks that they got back from the Washington Commanders, including the 40th pick overall, to draft — you guessed it — Cooper DeJean.
The Pro Bowl selections come on the heels of an Eagles game in Washington that took an unfortunate turn in the 4th quarter. After the two-point play was successful and Barkley was slammed to the ground — Darius Cooper and Commanders Defensive Back Will Harris got into a shoving match which then escalated. Washington had two players ejected (Javon Kinlaw and Quan Martin) as well as Steen in the 29–18 Eagles win.
After the game was over — the Eagles were accused of utilizing the two-point conversion attempt to run up the score at Washington.
But hey — for an Eagles offense that has struggled over several games this season — do I object to an additional two-point play? Not one bit.
The Philadelphia Eagles should have some reinforcements on the way, as star RT Lane Johnson and iDL Jalen Carter are poised to return from their injuries Week 17 against the Bills, according to a report from ESPN.
Lane Johnson
In the Eagles’ Week 11 win over the Lions, Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc (foot) injury, and missed the next five games, a span during which the team went 2-3. Fred Johnson filled in and played reasonably well in his absence.
After the injury, the Eagles opted not to place Johnson on injured reserve, which would have required him to sit out at least four games. The Eagles left open the possibility that he could return to the field sooner, but he did not.
Johnson didn’t practice at all in advance of the Eagles’ Saturday win over the Commanders, and he was ruled out on Thursday. He did warm up with the team prior to kickoff on Saturday evening.
Jalen Carter
Carter underwent a procedure on both of his shoulders following the Eagles’ loss to the Bears Week 13. He did not play well in that game, and his shoulders were cited as a reason why. He missed three games, against the Chargers, Raiders, and Commanders.
Carter had a breakout season in 2024, despite facing constant double teams. He made his first Pro Bowl and earned his first All-Pro nod after his regular season performance, and made arguably the two biggest plays of the season in the Divisional Round against the Rams, when he sacked Matthew Stafford on a late third down and forced a quick, off-target throw on fourth down, saving the Eagles’ season.
There were concerns about Carter’s conditioning heading into the 2024 season, but he put those to bed. However, the newer concern heading into 2025 was that overuse could compromise his effectiveness, especially after missing most of training camp with a shoulder injury.
Carter has not had a good 2025 season, at least relative to expectations. He was ejected from the Eagles’ Week 1 game against Dallas before ever playing a snap because he spit on Dak Prescott. His production has also taken a hit, as he has 20 tackles, 2 sacks, and no forced fumbles through the Eagles’ first 15 games of the season.
Moro Ojomo, Jordan Davis, Byron Young, and Brandon Graham have picked up the slack, and then some. Those four guys have combined for 39 tackles, 8 sacks, 9 TFLs, and 10 QB hits during Carter’s three-game absence.
If Carter is now healthy, he will have an opportunity to join a defensive front that is already playing very well without him. And if he can play anywhere near the level that he did in 2024, the Eagles’ defense could be downright scary heading into the playoffs.
Should Johnson and Carter even play in these final two regular season games?
The Eagles will very likely be the 3 seed heading into the playoffs. They do still have a reasonable chance at jumping to the 2 seed, and there are highly unlikely scenarios in which they can rise to the 1 seed or fall to the 4 seed. Deniz Selman has you covered on those scenarios here:
Inpredictable has the Eagles’ chances at getting the 2 seed at 18 percent.
The 2 seed is valuable. It would guarantee that the Eagles would play home games in the playoffs until at least the NFC Championship Game. The 3 seed would only guarantee one home game in the Wild Card Round. The 2 seed is worth chasing.
But also, the Eagles can see how Week 17 plays out, and if they’re locked into the 3 seed at that time, they can rest starters ahead of the playoffs. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to allow Johnson and Carter to get their sea legs back Week 17 in Buffalo, assuming they are not at risk of tweaking their respective injuries.
The 37-year-old Graham collected two sacks against the Raiders playing inside the defensive line. He’s shaken off the retirement rust, but the position switch has also forced him to play faster.
If the Philadelphia Eagles are going to return to the Super Bowl this year and create yet another chapter in the quest for an Eagles dynasty — it’s going to start in the trenches. The Eagles aren’t just built for Tush Pushes — they are built to compete in the trenches each game — which means that they are positioned to win each game.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
When the 6–3 Detroit Lions take the field at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night — DJ. Reader and Aiden Hutchinson and Detroit’s Defensive Line will not be the only focus on the line. One offense, the Eagles are once again making a late-season push by opening up more and more holes against opposing defenses who are trying to key on Saquon Barkley. On defensive, they have now assembled a unit that will be utilizing an old playbook.
It’s only been nine months since the Eagles Defensive Line dominated Super Bowl LIX — pressuring quarterback Patrick Mahomes for six sacks and completely owning the Chiefs Offensive Line. It wasn’t just a performance of NFL lore — it was an audition for players like Josh Sweat and Milton Williams to sign large contracts elsewhere.
Nine months later — in the same week that former Eagles All-Pro Defensive Tackle Clyde Simmons was inducted in the 2025 Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame — the 6–2 Philadelphia Eagles began the second act of the 2025–2026 NFL Season by starting four former 1st Round Selections against the Green Bay Packers. Not even a short retirement could take away Brandon Graham’s place as the longest-tenured Eagle after having been selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. No matter what happens this season — his legacy of excellence over fifteen years — helping the Eagles to three Super Bowl appearances and winning two will always make him one of the best that this city has ever seen.
University of Georgia’s Nolan Smith returned from IR for his first game against the Packers. Smith was drafted Number 30 overall in 2023. In that same Draft — the Eagles acquired Jalen Carter with the overall 9th overall selection.
Perhaps the biggest splash before the deadline was the addition of former Miami Dolphins Edge Rusher Jaelan Phillips. In Phillips — the Eagles also get another former first-round pick from the Miami Dolphins paired along with recently un-retired Brandon Graham in exchange for a 2026 third-round Draft Pick.
And the Eagle who recovered the Josh Jacobs fumble with 1:26 remaining in the game? That was Jaelan Phillips.
It’s only been nine months since the Eagles Defensive Line dominated Super Bowl LIX — pressuring quarterback Patrick Mahomes for six sacks and completely owning the Chiefs Offensive Line. It wasn’t just a performance of NFL lore — it was an audition for players like Josh Sweat and Milton Williams to sign large contracts elsewhere.
Nine months later — in the same week that former Eagles All-Pro Defensive Tackle Clyde Simmons was inducted in the 2025 Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame — the 6–2 Philadelphia Eagles began the second act of the 2025–2026 NFL Season by starting four former 1st Round Selections against the Green Bay Packers. Not even a short retirement could take away Brandon Graham’s place as the longest-tenured Eagle after having been selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. No matter what happens this season — his legacy of excellence over fifteen years —helping the Eagles to three Super Bowl appearances and winning two will always make him one of the best that this city has ever seen.
University of Georgia’s Nolan Smith returned from IR for his first game against the Packers. Smith was drafted Number 30 overall in 2023. In that same Draft — the Eagles acquired Jalen Carter with the overall 9th overall selection.
Perhaps the biggest splash before the deadline was the addition of former Miami Dolphins Edge Rusher Jaelan Phillips. In Phillips — the Eagles also get another former first-round pick from the Miami Dolphins paired along with recently un-retired Brandon Graham in exchange for a 2026 third-round Draft Pick.
And the Eagle who recovered the Josh Jacobs fumble with 1:26 remaining in the game? That was Jaelan Phillips.
The Minnesota Vikings under coach Kevin O’Connell have focused — and prided themselves — on situational success from third downs to special teams to the red zone.
That winning in the margins, as they’ve labeled their philosophy, is occurring far too infrequently this season. They scored only one touchdown in six trips inside the 20-yard during Sunday’s 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“We understand what’s going on. We have the players out there who can make the plays and do what we need to do to go down and score,” wide receiver Justin Jefferson said. “We just need to finish those drives, especially in games like this.”
For the third straight game, the Vikings had two giveaways without a takeaway. They won one of those games, in London on Oct. 5 with a late comeback to beat the Cleveland Browns.
“I told our team that is rare and not a formula to win games consistently,” O’Connell said Sunday, reflecting on his postgame speech in London. “That showed up again today and was very unfortunate.”
In a transitional season at quarterback, with J.J. McCarthy’s takeover soon to resume after his latest setback, the situational mastery was already going to be critical.
Throw in some bad luck on the injury front, and these struggles have been too much to overcome. The Vikings (3-3) will try to fix these issues quickly with a Thursday night road game looming against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“We put ourselves in some of the situations of the football game that, although they competed, we’ve got to clean up,” O’Connell said.
What’s working
After giving up far too much on the ground in four of their first five games, the Vikings defense held reigning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award winner Saquon Barkley to 44 yards on 18 rushes.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores seized on the return of linebacker Blake Cashman and frequently put safety Josh Metellus and linebacker Eric Wilson next to him in the box, effectively benching Ivan Pace Jr.
While the focus on stopping the run might well have created vulnerabilities to the deep passes that crippled them against the Eagles, progress was vital with three of the next four opponents ranking in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing.
What needs help
The offense’s struggle inside the 20-yard line was the most concerning of the situational categories, regressing toward a three-year trend. The Vikings ranked 28th in the NFL (47%) in 2023 and 19th (58%) in 2024 in red-zone touchdown rate. They’re 22nd now (52%) after going 10 for 15 over the first five games to rank tied for eighth entering Week 7.
Wentz and center Blake Brandel were the two most obvious players who got in the way on Sunday, but Jefferson blamed himself for a drop in the end zone that Cooper DeJean knocked out. Plain old bad luck factored in, too, with the disputed overturn of T.J. Hockenson’s diving touchdown catch by the replay officials and a hard-to-figure holding call on Brandel that erased a touchdown pass to Jalen Nailor.
Stock up
Jordan Addison had a career-best nine catches for 128 yards on 12 targets, matching his career high. Addison, who served a three-game suspension from the NFL to start the season and a disciplinary first-quarter benching by the team in London in Week 5, passed 2,000 yards receiving in his 35th career game to tie for the fifth-fastest player in Vikings history to do so.
Brandel drew rave reviews after his first career start at center on Oct. 5 against a stout Browns defensive line, but his struggles against the Eagles were pronounced, in and out of the red zone.
Stock down
Brandel, the third option at the critical position after Ryan Kelly was sidelined by a concussion and Michael Jurgens struggled and then missed a game with a hamstring injury, was beaten badly with a swim move by Jalen Carter to allow the pressure that preceded the pick six thrown by Wentz in the second quarter.
Injury update
The health forecast looks a lot brighter than it did a few weeks ago, after three starters returned on Sunday: Cashman, left guard Donovan Jackson and right tackle Brian O’Neill. McCarthy is close, though in a truncated week without a full practice his status remains uncertain. O’Connell said after the game no decision had been made. Running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) is eligible to return this week from his four-game absence.
Three role players have minor injuries that could affect their availability in a short week: fullback C.J. Ham (hand), running back Zavier Scott (wrist) and defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (hip). Ham and Scott were hurt during the game.
Key number
387 — The Vikings posted their season high in total yards on offense against the Eagles. They topped that six times last year.
Up next
While the short-week trip to the West Coast is always a tough draw, the Chargers have lost three of their last four games. The Vikings will then have the benefit of a mini-bye before playing at the Detroit Lions on Nov. 2.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was a top‑10 pick (2023, No. 9 overall) out of Georgia and entered the NFL projected as a disruptive interior defensive tackle with rare athleticism for his size (6-foot-3, 314 pounds).
After 33 combined tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his rookie year, Carter elevated his play last season, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All‑Pro recognition after posting 42 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 12 tackles for loss across 16 games, anchoring a dominant Eagles front that won the Super Bowl.
However, up to this point in the 2025 NFL season, Carter’s play has been fragmented by injury and availability issues. He began the year dealing with a lingering shoulder problem and resurfaced on the Week 6 injury report with a heel issue that kept him out of the 32-17 loss to the New York Giants.
While many Eagles fans were hoping to get him back for Week 7, Philadelphia announced that Carter was downgraded to a limited participant in Thursday’s practice due to the heel injury, leaving his availability for Sunday in doubt.
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Philadelphia enters Week 7 at 4-2 after a recent two‑game slide, prompting increased attention on roster health and midseason adjustments.
The Eagles’ defensive front remains their identity, but missed snaps from Carter and other key defenders (notably Nolan Smith Jr.) have blunted consistency in recent weeks.
With Carter potentially set to miss a second straight game, the Eagles’ depth will be tested as they travel to U.S. Bank Stadium to play the Minnesota Vikings, who are 3-2 after a 21-17 Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Minnesota arrives with an offense that can put up points, having scored 21 or more in three of five contests this year, led by star wide receiver Justin Jefferson (449 receiving yards on 29 receptions through five games).
As the centerpiece in Philly’s defensive front, Carter’s presence matters for several reasons. If limited or inactive, the Eagles will likely rotate Jordan Davis and other interior defenders for more snaps and emphasize edge pressure to compensate.
The Eagles currently sit as a narrow 1.5-point favorite, but the availability of foundational defenders like Carter will be a major variable in both in‑game matchups and pregame planning.
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.
I know what you are thinking. Two consecutive listless second halves of football — one both coming up short to NFL teams starting young NFL quarterbacks — may have you re-evaluating your expectations in 2025–2026. And who could blame you — considering the history that is following these Eagles?
Twenty years ago last month — the Philadelphia Eagles opened the 2005 NFL season with great expectations. Much like this current group of Eagles — Philadelphia had played in the Super Bowl the year before — then narrowly losing to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
After four seasons of being on top of the NFC and playing in consecutive previous NFC Championship Games — the Eagles and Andy finally broke through the year before — going 13–3 and winning the conference. Now — they would open the season against the opponent that they had even defeated in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field a year earlier in order to advance to the big game — the Atlanta Falcons.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
But it was the altercation some 30-minutes prior to the opening kickoff of the season that set the stage for what was to come. It seems strange to say that Jeremiah Trotter’s father (Trotter the Younger is now a linebacker for the Eagles) who was then a member of the Super Bowl Team in February 2005 — got into a fight with Falcons cornerback Kevin Mathis. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was even on the field and talked with the officials. Before kickoff — Trotter and Mathis were ejected before the season even began.
On opening day this season — amid all of the showmanship of a the start of another potentially championship season for yet another Philadelphia franchise that just ten months earlier was representing the NFC in the Super Bowl — Eagles Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. In fact — Carter was subsequently ejected from the game before one snap elapsed in the 2025 season and in September was fined some $57,000.00 by the National Football League.
Drew Hallowell, Getty Images
The Eagles would lose the season opener to the Falcons 14–10 in 2005. Trotter’s timely exit was not only the quickest ejection of any player in the NFL until 2005 — it also marked the beginning of a tough season to the Eagles. Contract issues with Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens — the latter of the two who ended up in a drive-way sit-up media frenzy that would conclude with him no longer being part of the team. The season was marked by devastating injuries including to Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Hank Fraley, Tra Thomas, Jerome McDougle, Todd Pinkston, Lito Sheppard, and Correll Buckhalter were all lost due to injuries and the team went 6–10.
The opening game of 2005 was significant for another reason. The NFL would change it the rules of the game as pre-game workouts would need to be with the teams completely separated in a 10-yard neutral zone for warmups before the game.
But before we write off the 2025–2026 Eagles season to only a possible rule change — consider this. The 2024 Eagles limped into a week five bye last season at 2–2. They would finish the rest of the regular season 12–1 and win the Super Bowl. The 2008 Eagles started the season at 5–5–1 before finishing the year 9–6–1 and went all of the way to the 2009 NFC Championship Game. For these Eagles — it’s not how you start — but rather how you finish.
Every NFL Game Has Two Halves — The Team that Wins the Second Half Wins the Game.
Admittedly — an ugly 3–0 is much, much better than a beautiful 0–3. For the Eagles — whose Sunday opening half performance saw only 33 yards of total offense and no receptions for star receiver A.J. Brown — things were not looking good at halftime. They looked even bleaker when Rams Running Back Kyren Williams took a ten-yard pass from Matthew Stafford into the end zone to bring the score to 26–7.
Then the real game started. The result would be the eighth greatest comeback in Eagles franchise history — the largest ever at the Linc — outscoring Los Angeles 26–0.
In the third quarter — Dallas Goedert grabbed a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts after a 79-yard drive. Then the Eagles scored again on a nine-yard connection from Hurts to A.J. Brown.
After both teams traded possessions including a couple of fourth down attempts that were not converted and a Jalen Carter blocked field goal and subsequent taunting penalty — the Eagles drove 91 yards on 17 plays when Jalen Hurts connected with Devonta Smith on 4th and Goal to put the Eagles up 27–26 with 1:48 left in the game.
The Rams then drove down the field — setting up a 44-yard field goal attempt by Los Angeles kicker Joshua Karty. Once again the Eagles got a great push up the middle and Jordan Davis blocked the attempt and returned it for a touchdown as time expired.
The irony is that the Eagles defense was successful in holding the Rams to four field goals in the first half instead of touchdowns. The most important of those two attempts for the Rams— were both blocked by the Eagles.
Kansas City, MO. — Just hours before the Eagles and Chiefs kicked off at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium — the NFL handed out decisions on other players involved in altercations at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia last week for the season opener.
Last week — Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter —sent a flying saliva deposit that landed on Dak Prescott causing an ejection that cost him $57,222. That scenario played itself out without one offensive snap elapsing in the 2025 NFL Season as his teammate Brian VanSumeren writhed in pain on the Lincoln Financial Field turf.
Also in the first quarter last week — Cooper DeJean was flagged for unnecessary roughness while locked in a tussle with Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau. The result was a fine of $11,593.00. Liufau lost a helmet — DeJean lost cash. Newly acquired cornerback Jakorian Bennett was fined $23,186 by the NFL for a drop-tackle. And Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith is also now $11,593 lighter after flexing over Dallas Cowboys running back Miles Sanders.
And of course — you must be wondering. To date — Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott has not been financially penalized for his participation in the “great salivathon.”
When the Eagles and Chiefs meet Sunday in Kansas City, they won’t be the exact same squads that met in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans about seven months earlier, a memorable night for the Eagles as they pounded the two-time reigning champions by a 40-22 score that wasn’t even that close.
The Eagles are trying to rebuild a top-ranked defense that lost about half its starters in the offseason to free agency or trades. The Chiefs are trying to repair the left side of an offensive line so decimated by injuries come playoffs that coach Andy Reid had moved his All Pro left guard to left tackle and filled the left guard spot with a third-stringer.
Amazingly, the Chiefs still made it to the Super Bowl despite their offensive line issues, but the short-armed Joe Thuney was no match for the length of Eagles EDGEs Josh Sweat, Jalyx Hunt and the team’s other pass rushers who teed off on Patrick Mahomes.
Pressures like this were common throughout the game:
And like this..
The Chiefs remade their o-line this offseason, trading Thuney to the Bears and moving 2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia to guard after the former BYU lineman struggled as a rookie and couldn’t get on the field past Week 1. They also used a first-round pick on Ohio State OT Josh Simmons, who was a big-time recruit out of California and one of the most athletic linemen in his class. Simmons suffered a knee injury in October and missed the rest of the season, including Ohio State’s run to a national title.
Simmons won the starting LT job and lined up alongside Suamataia last Friday when the Chiefs opened their season in Sao Paolo against the Chargers, a game they’d lose 27-21.
How improved are the Chiefs on the left side compared to February? It’s a complicated answer. At very least, they have a left tackle who’s actually a left tackle. At left guard, though, Suamataia is nowhere near Thuney’s level.
The film from Week 1 showed that both young linemen have some progress to make, and the Eagles are probably happy they get to face them earlier in the season.
The Chiefs showed some communication breakdowns – especially against some stunts and line games, which the Eagles do occasionally – and some technique breakdowns for both linemen.
Pressure on Mahomes came early for the Chargers – like the first third-down sceanario, a 3rd-and-6 that saw Simmons driven back into the pocket, forcing Mahomes to throw off his back foot with a lot of traffic in his face.
Both Simmons and Suamataia were driven back to collapse the pocket, making Mahomes release quickly and off the mark at the first-down marker.
Here’s a schemed pressure with the Chargers overloaded on the left side of the line.
The Chargers executed a T/E stunt and delayed LB blitz but the real pressure simply came from the DT getting inside Suamataia and then riding him back into Mahomes, who was hit while he threw incomplete.
Side note: This is also the play where Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy and TE Travis Kelce collided on a mesh concept leading to Worthy’s exit from the game with a dislocated shoulder. He’s listed as doubtful to play Sunday.
Here’s a pressure from just a three-man rush – a three-man rush!
Simmons gets beat badly off the snap by the edge rusher, forcing Mahomes to step up and then scramble to his left. Naturally, the LB who looked like a blitzer but was actually a dropper and spy saw Mahomes the whole way and was able to outflank Mahomes to make the QB stop dead in his tracks and try to reverse course before getting sacked.
Every so often, the Chiefs like to go under center and run play-action bootlegs, getting Mahomes out of the pocket, where he’s a sensei with his ability to hurt defenses with a pass or run. There were two instances where the under-center play action did nothing to help Mahomes avoid pressure from the left side.
Here’s one:
Simmons badly missed his punch on the EDGE defender, who beat him with a hand swipe and then went into QB pursuit mode. Sure, Mahomes picked up the first down, but he took a major knock at the end of the run.
The Eagles don’t have Sweat anymore but Jalyx Hunt and Josh Uche took turns last week lining up over Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton while Jordan Davis lined up over LG Tyler Smith and had one of the best games of his career, although his best rushes came against Cowboys C Cooper Beebe.
Andy Reid is notorious for not helping out his offensive tackles so he can make the most of his five outlets on every pass play. We’ll see if he makes any adjustments Sunday afternoon or if the Eagles once again dominate the left side of KC’s offensive line.
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Thursday Night’s Eagles Home Opener Had A Little Something for Everyone.
No, no. Former Eagles running backs Ricky (Watters) and Charlie (Garner) aren’t making a comeback. The Eagles opening contest on the quest for NFL historical greatness began in bizarre fashion. But at least — this game had something for everyone and we found out a little more about these 2025 Eagles. We also found out that aerial assaults of human sputum prior to one offensive play being run is counterproductive, Saquon Barkley may be a year older but is still virtually unstoppable, raising the championship banner never gets old, and extended lightening delays are great for re-filling your chili fries — even at midnight.
And of course — those Cowboys are still the Cowboys.
Did defensive tackle Jalen Carter — after a full game of being double-teamed and beaten about by the Cowboys offensive line finally succumbed to the emotion of a full game and sent a flying saliva deposit that landed on Dak Prescott causing an ejection that propelled his team to triumph? Nope — you aren’t living in a dreamland — that scenario played itself out without one offensive snap elapsing in the 2025 NFL Season as his teammate Brian VanSumeren writhed in pain on the Lincoln Financial Field turf. Hopefully — this season is not over for both.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
The Eagles opened the night on offense with a combination of the legs of Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and Will Shipley — the latter of whom is well on his way to becoming yet another reliable weapon in the Eagles arsenal. The game would end in much the same way relying on Hurts and Barkley to spearhead the Eagles offense. And Barkley — whether powering off left tackle or making incredible one-handed catches in the open field — is as good as ever.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
And as if another historic moment was needed — with 4:44 left in the third quarter — the first Eagles Game ever was suspended due to lightening. You read correctly — we’ve seen ice games, blinding blizzards, mud-filled Championship Games. We’ve seen games turn into a Bounty Bowl, our team combine during war-time with the Steelers. We’ve even seen snowballs assaulting Santa and Duracell battery packed ice balls attempt to adjust Jimmy Johnson’s hair against these very same Cowboys. But we’ve never seen a 65-minute intermission that ended a game after midnight. All of Philly was moving slowly on Friday morning.
And then there is backup Cowboys running back Miles Sanders — whose outrage at a lack of touches in Super Bowl LVII propelled him in part to separate from a franchise that is now the finest football organization is in the universe — his once prominent role now occupied by his Nittany Lion teammate Saquon Barkley. His third quarter fumble — scooped up by Quinyon Mitchell — brought back memories. The Eagles defense is still a force to be reckoned with — even without Jalen Carter.
But perhaps the Eagles pulling out the a close game to a division rival was the most lasting facet of Thursday night’s home opener. Miles Sanders and the Cowboys are 0–1 —the former once projected to be the franchise running back that Philadelphia could have drafted after not being in a positioned to select one Saquon Barkley.
Against a Dallas Cowboys offense that was buzzing early, the Philadelphia Eagles had no problem responding. Quarterback Jalen Hurts commanded an efficient attack, despite some speculating that his top receiver, A.J. Brown, was far from 100% health during the game.
For all intents and purposes, Hurts played a mistake-free game. Even with a combined 37 passes and rushes, he was efficient and kept the ball out of harm’s way—something you couldn’t say about the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, who had a great night.
If Hurts continues to play this mistake-free football with clutch plays sprinkled in, the Eagles could compete for the NFC’s top seed.
Eagles Had Struggles; Hurts Was Efficient
Hurts was as efficient as possible on opening night. He completed 19 of his 23 pass attempts (82.6%) for 152 yards, took one sack, and rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. With 0.25 expected points added per play (EPA/play) and a 58% success rate on his dropbacks, Hurts led a strong offensive attack.
PHOTO: —
Sure, his average depth of target (aDOT) was a low 4.4, but a high-end success rate and zero notable mistakes, other than that lone sack, make up for it. Hurts has certainly had more dynamic games in the past, but he took care of the football.
Even after the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons trade, they are still objectively a playoff contender in the NFC. With how good their offense is, getting about 10 wins is feasible. Philadelphia was far from perfect, having virtually zero impact from Brown and Jalen Carter, yet their win probability never dipped below 70% in the fourth quarter, per ESPN.
The Eagles are still ironing things out (they had, like, a million penalties), as are the Cowboys. But the victors’ performance against a still-formidable rival shows that if this is the version of Hurts we get full-season, the No. 1 seed is undoubtedly in play.
Of course, the importance of a bye week in the playoffs doesn’t need to be explained. It guarantees home-field advantage, an extra week of rest, and no “trap” matchups in the wildcard. Needing only one win to host the NFC Championship is a game-changer.
The Eagles weren’t at their best in Week 1, but Hurts was about as good as you could’ve hoped. If that’s the version we’re getting, it could be another fun season. Visiting the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, anything less could result in a 1–1 record.
Thursday night, before a long and stressful game that had a little bit of everything. The Eagles got to hang their second Super Bowl banner in front of fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
What ensued were questionable flags, a costly turnover, weather delays, an early ejection and even…spitting contests?
Chaos At Kickoff
The Eagles unveiled the banner, with a little help from recently retired Brandon Graham.
And just minutes later, on the opening kickoff return. Ben VanSumeren’s season might’ve came to an abrupt end. We’ll wait for an official announcement on the severity of the injury, but the Eagles FullBack idea might be over.
To makes matters worse, VanSumeren wouldn’t be the only player to miss the rest of tonight’s game. With a self inflicted wound, Jalen Carter was ejected while trainers dealt with the injured player. It doesn’t matter if Han or Dak shot first. But Carter’s presence was missed for 4 Quarters as the Cowboys totalled 119 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.
While the Eagles pass rush struggled to get home, they managed 2TFLs late in the game. Almost like they were missing one of their best defensive players?
Next Man Up
With Carter ejected it was time for another Georgia Bulldog to take his place.
Shoutout Jordan Davis
– 6 tackles – 2 pressures – 1 batted pass – 1 TFL
Davis played the 2nd most snaps on the D-line tonight. He stepped up after the Carter ejection. pic.twitter.com/hHTkd9yEJl
While some of his pressures should have turned into sacks tonight. Jordan Davis played a huge role along with Moro Ojomo who both played 89% of the Eagles defensive snaps.
Among others who made plays Thursday night include Jahan Dotson, Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell. Who forced a fumble on Miles Sanders on the Eagles 10 yard line, might have been the game deciding turnover.
And Then There Was A Weather Delay. Again.
As if a 45 minute delay for the first Super Bowl banner wasn’t enough… It happened again
With 4:45 remaining in the third quarter of a 24-20 game. Lightning in the surrounding area led to over an hour long delay in the game. Not returning until 11:30 local time, there was still almost 20 minutes of clock left to play.
The delay killed momentum for both teams, as the game saw 5 straight punts before the end of the 4th, after 8 straight scoring possessions opened the season.
The Eagles played sloppy throughout the game. As a team should look missing key pieces, already beginning to deal with injuries (Landon Dickerson & A.J. Brown), with new players in the defense like Campbell, Mukuba & Jackson. With yet another new offensive system now under Kevin Patullo.
With a week 1 divisional victory under their belts, do the Eagles look like they’re ready to run it back for Super Bowl 60?
Literally 6 seconds into the first game of the NFL season, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected from the game. The Eagles were taking on the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field.
Just after kickoff Carter approached Dak Prescott. It’s unclear what was said between the two rivals, but Carter spat on the quarterback and was immediately ejected. All of this before the first offensive snap of the game.
This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: Casey Murphy/Unsplash
After a strong season last year, the Philadelphia Eagles remain among the top contenders in 2025.
As the new season is before us, sportsbooks are already showing the first odds that would let fans place their bets.
While you’re analyzing and placing bets, fans can also have more fun playing casino games with a sports theme. You can even find NFL-themed games among the best-paying pokies that are available at https://onlinepokiesmates.com/best-paying-pokies/, which are a popular way of spinning the reels if you’re a football fan.
Some of these games feature the Super Bowl theme because it’s the biggest sports event in the US.
If you’re considering betting on the Philadelphia Eagles, here are the odds that are currently available.
Keep in mind that the odds are subject to change, the same way past Super Bowl point spreads changed over time, especially when the competition progresses and teams’ performances become obvious.
First Games in September
PHOTO: Casey Murphy/Unsplash
The first week of the league is placing the Eagles as favorites in both of their matches. The first one is against the Dallas Cowboys, and the second one is against the Kansas City Chiefs. The spread odds are -120 and -122, respectively. For the moneyline, the Eagles are stronger favorites with odds being -310 and -110 for the first and the second game.
Overs and unders are a bit different. The odds against the Dallas Cowboys for under 46.5 are -115, whereas the game with the Kansas City Chiefs offers -105 for over 46.5.
This is the first sign that the whole team is still perceived as being strong and ready to go far in the competition. This is somewhat normal due to the success of the team last time.
Super Bowl Odds
This year, the Eagles are considered the favorites. Here’s how the odds compare to the past Super Bowl scores and spreads.
Eagles currently share +750 odds to win the Super Bowl, placing them among the top 4 contenders alongside the Chiefs and 49ers. There are a couple of other teams with the same odds, but the majority of the others have lower odds of winning.
Playoffs Odds
When it comes to the playoffs, the odds are again saying that the Philadelphia Eagles will reach them. Odds of them making it to the playoffs are -350. On the contrary, the odds of them not reaching the playoffs are +265. That’s not so surprising, given how well the team played last season.
Win Totals Odds
Win Toals is the type of bet that you place on how many games the team will win over the regular season. Players can bet on to win 6, 8, or 10. If you want to bet on six, that’s impossible because there are no odds for this number of games. However, to win 8, the odds are -800, and to win 10, the odds are -250.
These odds imply that the team will most likely achieve more than 10 wins in the regular season.
Futures Specials
In the futures section, there’s just one unique bet that includes the Eagles, but it’s not exclusive to them. The bet means that the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs need to make it to the playoffs.
Eagles, Chiefs, and Ravens each have a chance to make it to the playoffs. As these teams are likely to achieve that, the odds are -110.
Division Winners
Placing a bet on the NFC East Winners and the NFC Championship winner this early relies on a lot of luck. Still, that is reflected in somewhat appealing odds. The Eagles are considered favorites to win the NFC East with odds of -130. They are also the favorites to win the NFC Championship, with the odds being +370.
PHOTO: Caleb Woods/Unsplash
Awards
These are not the best for the whole team, but for the individuals on the team. The highlights include Saquon Barkley, who you can bet on as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year with the odds of +600. He is the favorite with these odds that place him at the top.
Lane Johnson is considered among the best protectors in the league, which is reflected in the odds of +650, which are putting him as a favorite NFL protector of the year 2025/2026.
Even though not a favorite, Vic Fangio is the fourth candidate to be the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, with the odds of +1000. So, plenty of nominations from the Eagles team.
Team Specials
This is where things get fun, as there are team specials odds that also show the strength of the Philadelphia Eagles. Here’s a list featuring the top specials:
Eagles to score at least one touchdown in every regular season game, with the odds of -160.
Eagles to beat the Dallas Cowboys at home and away in the regular season, with the odds of -125.
Eagles to beat the Washington Commanders at home and away in the regular season, with the odds of +110.
Saquon Barkley is expected to get 500+ regular-season receiving yards, with the odds of +160.
Saquon Barkley & Jalen Hurts to combine 2500+ rushing yards in the regular season, with the odds of +250.
Jalen Carter is expected to achieve 10+ sacks in the regular season, with the odds of +300.
First Odds Are Promising
According to the first and betting lines that have appeared, the Philadelphia Eagles are still considered a team that could repeat the success they had last year.
While being different from the past Super Bowl spreads, they still show who is considered to be the favorite.
In their past three seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles have accumulated a 39–12 regular-season record and appeared in two Super Bowls. After narrowly falling by their hands in 2022, the Birds humiliated Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs en route to their second Lombardi Trophy win last winter.
These accomplishments alone have the Eagles on the brink of a dynasty—another title would surely put them there. Given the team’s assortment of game-breaking talent, they might be in luck.
Eagles’ Returning Game-Breakers
General manager Howie Roseman has done such an excellent job adding talent to the Eagles that it’s hard to put into words. He built what many called a “superteam” in 2022, but only improved the roster over the next couple of seasons.
But let’s stick with the players who oversaw both Super Bowls. Starting with Jalen Hurts, he’s one of the premier dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL—immense rushing upside and one of the most efficient passers in the sport. He’s not necessarily the most gifted, but he gets high-end results. When the Eagles have needed him to perform the most, that’s often when he has shone the brightest.
Then, you have the offensive line. Landon Dickerson deserves a shootout here, but tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are definitely in that “game-breaking” tier. Recognized as two of the best exterior linemen in the sport, they make the offense’s life easier by consistently and emphatically winning their assignments.
Next, wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have been one of the league’s top one-two punches for a few years now. Coming up clutch in late-down situations and with huge contested-catch upside, they’ve flipped games on their head. Both have fourth-down snags to their name in the NFC Championship, leading to a momentum-altering touchdown a short while later.
Eagles’ “New” Game-Breakers
Over the past couple of seasons, the Eagles have added three game-breaking talents: Saquon Barkley, Zack Baun, and Jalen Carter. Their two recently drafted cornerbacks may get there (if they haven’t arrived already), but those are the big three who the Birds would’ve had no chance in 2024 without.
PHOTO: Eagles Nation on X
Barkley’s impact is self-explanatory. Setting the NFL record for rushing yards in a single season (2,504), he rushed about 1,000 yards over what would have been considered a huge win for the Birds. Winning games early in the season virtually by himself, and taking long-distance runs to the house in the playoffs, the MVP love he got was deserved.
Baun was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate last season. He was the nucleus of that core, preventing big rushes and forcing turnovers at the most pivotal moments. For a team that often struggled in both of those areas before his arrival, he changed the game for the Birds.
Finally, we have Carter. Already one of the most feared defensive linemen in the league, the 24-year-old should have about a decade of game-breaking football. His most influential play came on a third-down sack of Matthew Stafford in the NFC Divisional Round in January. With the Los Angeles Rams on the verge of a last-second go-ahead touchdown, the youngster saved the day and the Eagles’ season.
The Eagles have something special here. With eight game-breaking talents on the roster (if not more), their excellence can be felt every week. It’s why Philadelphia’s hopes of yet another Super Bowl title are quite realistic.
