In Week 13, the Philadelphia Eagles finally did it.
Taking the field as underdogs for the first time since their Week 8 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Nick Sirianni's team lined up against the other best rushing team in the NFL, one boasting an elite passing game and an elite run defense to boot that could seriously impact the way Philadelphia wins games.
Would the Ravens front be able to stop Saquon Barkley one week after his masterful showing in Los Angeles against the Rams? Would the Eagles finally have to overcome a shootout, trusting a passing game without DeVonta Smith to throw the ball 30, maybe even 40 times? Sure, the Ravens' passing defense is among the worst units in the NFL, but Hurts hasn't thrown the ball 30 or more times since Week 4, and the Eagles actually lost that game 16-33 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And yet, in the end, it really didn't matter; the Eagles once again played their game, starting off slow before taking things over in the second half and ultimately leaving Baltimore with a very low-drama afternoon, with even a late fourth quarter touchdown by the Ravens made irrelevant due to the team's 12 point lead heading into the drive. Hurts had another efficient game, completing 11 of his 19 passing attempts for 118 yards and a touchdown, supplementing his production with nine runs for 29 yards. And on the ground? Well, Barkley once again looked like the best player on either team, picking up 107 yards on 23 attempts for his 11th rushing touchdown of the season.
Factor in a strong showing on defense, with Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Cooper DeJean all turning in big plays at key moments, and the Eagles genuinely looked in a league of their own against a team they very well could face in the Super Bowl if the stars so align.
Was this just one game? Sure, but do you know what? It was early Philly's best win of the season and genuinely proves they have to be considered the cream of the NFC's crop until proven otherwise.
3 reasons the Eagles are the team to beat in the NFC
1. Saquon Barkley is having the best season in Eagles history
When the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley to a big-money contract in free agency, there was genuine skepticism over whether or not the deal would work out. Sure, he was a top-5 pick, which never happens anymore for running backs, and he turned in some very good seasons for the Giants during his tenure, but he was old – at least for an NFL running back – and had pre-existing injury issues that limited more than a few seasons in the past.
Add in that the Eagles have had very good running games under Sirianni with everyone from Miles Sanders to De'Andre Swift as their lead back and securing the services of an elite running back may only help the team out so far, at least, that's what some thought at the time.
In hindsight, those doubters have been proven incredibly wrong.
Already in third place in Eagles history with 1,499 yards with five games left to play, Barkley is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record, which, even with 17 games now on the schedule, would be a feat worthy of legend. He's completely revolutionized the Eagles' offense in less than a season and will arguably go down as an all-time great, with his Hall of Fame chances rising as fast as the Giants' playoff chances have plummeted.
Could one injury ruin everything for the Eagles, forcing Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley to shoulder a burden they likely can't at this stage of the game? You bet, but when the narrative has shifted from ‘will Barkley work out in Philadelphia' to ‘should he be given fewer snaps down the stretch to keep him fresher for the playoffs,' it's safe to say his addition to the Eagles' roster has been nothing short of a revelation.
2. Jalen Hurts has corrected many of his early-season issues
Through the first four games of the 2024 NFL season, Jalen Hurts looked like a potential issue for the Eagles. He looked lost in the pocket, took too many sacks as a result, and wasn't exactly safe with the football, turning it over nine times, four interceptions plus five fumbles, on the way to a 2-2 season.
And yet, after taking a week to rest and relax away from the football field, Hurts returned to the NFL with a brand new mindset, forgoing the pursuit of individual passing stats in the pursuit of making the right read, feeding the rock to his running back, and ultimately avoiding turnovers that could throw Philadelphia's offense off track.
Over the Eagles' eight-game win streak, Hurts has only thrown the ball 172 times, completing 118 of them for 1,564 yards, ten touchdowns, and just one interception. Sure, he's still fumbled the ball, twice to be exact, but when you consider Hurts has touched the ball 428 times, 304 as a passer, 124 as a runner on the season, that's pretty impressive.
Will the day eventually come when Hurts has to throw the ball 40 times to win a game? Potentially so, as there is a world where some team slows down Barkley, however small. But when that day comes, hopefuly QB1 will stick to what he's learned and remain a super game manager who can impact the game with huge vertical throws and smart runs, as that's been Philadelphia's winning strategy in 2024.
3. Vic Fangio has been a revelation as the Eagles' defensive coordinator
There's no two ways about it: Vic Fangio has been a revelation for the Eagles. After successfully orchestrating his release from the Dolphins following an up-and-down year at Miami, some questioned how the old-school, hard-nosed coach would translate to the City of Brotherly Love, especially with one of the youngest defensive lineups in the NFL. Would players like Carter Davis Smith and Nakobe Dean buy into his style of coaching? And how good will a Fangio defense even look in 2024, what with about half the league using his principles in their own schemes?
Though it may be premature, it's safe to say Fangio has worked wonders in the City of Brotherly Love. Fans love his no-nonsense attitude; the players have bought into his systems, and Philadelphia is reaping the reward of it, currently boasting the 3rd best run defense and 7th best passing defense in the NFL. But really, the only area where Philly is lacking is in the turnover department, that's not really a stat teams can manufacture, and has more to do with the flow of the game and decisions made by opposing players.
Is Fangio the next Jim Johnson? Only time will tell, but if he can string this level of production together over multiple seasons, he might become just as popular in the City of Brotherly Love.
