Ralph Vacchiano
NFL reporter
The 2022 Philadelphia Eagles had been an NFC juggernaut. They had a prime 3 offense and protection. Their cross rush was historic. Jalen Hurts had the perfect season of his profession. And they fought their approach by way of the postseason earlier than coming so near defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
It could have been the perfect group the Eagles group had ever put collectively.
And this yr’s group may very well be even higher.
Maybe that is an unfair comparability to make proper now, contemplating these Eagles nonetheless have a protracted approach to go to succeed in Super Bowl LIX, and record-wise they don’t seem to be even the perfect group in their very own convention but. But issues are beginning to look that approach with 5 video games left within the common season. These Eagles have received eight straight video games, together with their spectacular 24-19 victory over the Balitmore Ravens on Sunday that improved their document to 10-2. They are once more ranked within the prime 5 on either side of the ball, however these 2024 Eagles are constructed in a different way than the 2022 group and are higher in key areas.
And these enhancements – as outlined beneath – will make them even tougher to beat after they start their postseason run.
1. They are an general higher defensive group, not as depending on the cross rush.
The 2022 group was a cross rush monster. They completed with 70 sacks within the common season, the third-best whole in NFL historical past. They added eight extra of their two NFC playoff video games. Their secondary was additionally sturdy, however their skill to run and trouble quarterbacks was why they’d the No. 1 passing protection within the NFL.
But when the cross rush wasn’t there, they struggled. That was clear within the Super Bowl after they could not get to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs quarterback accomplished 21 of his 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 44 of the Chiefs’ 158 dashing yards. This uncovered one other flaw: Those Eagles weren’t an amazing tackling group.
This yr, after a sluggish begin, the Eagles are doing all the pieces proper beneath new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Their cross rush is not overwhelming, however they’ve 36 sacks thus far, on tempo to complete with 51. They’re simply nearly as good in opposition to the cross as they had been in 2022, although, as a result of they sort out higher, particularly the linebackers in the course of the sector — they usually hardly ever get beat on massive performs.
And the numbers show it. In their present eight-game profitable streak they lead the NFL in giving up simply 13.4 factors and 241 yards per sport. Their 30 sacks and 15 pressured fumbles in that span are additionally tops.
2. They do not lean on quarterback Jalen Hurts a lot.
Hurts was a professional MVP contender in 2022 and more often than not when the Eagles received, it was due to him. It was he who discovered a approach to save the group from hassle. They’ve relied on his arm, main a top-10 passing assault, as a lot as they’ve relied on his legs as a key a part of the league’s finest dashing assault.
He’s clearly nonetheless a key cog within the Eagles machine, however he could now not be the primary cog. The Eagles shockingly rank twenty eighth within the NFL in passing yards and are lifeless final in makes an attempt. They broadcast solely 43.4% of their works (down from 51.6% in 2002).
“We’re going to do no matter it takes to win the soccer sport,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni stated. “The final month of the season was very distinctive. I’m undecided what number of occasions we surpassed it within the fourth quarter of November.”
His level is that they’ve leaned on their dashing assault when they should put performs away. But this one additionally options Hurts rather less than he did in 2002. He carried the ball on simply 28.1 % of his runs, a slight drop from 30.1 % two years in the past. He’s there after they want him, however they clearly do not want him on a regular basis.
3. The presence of Saquon Barkley.
This, after all, will be the largest distinction. The former Giants working again turned the Jalen Hurts play right into a professional 1-2. Hurts nonetheless instructions plenty of respect from opposing defenses, however Barkley is the person everyone seems to be primarily attempting to cease.
Not that they’ll. He’s a professional MVP risk, as a lot as Hurts was two years in the past. He leads the NFL in carries (246), yards (1,499) and yards per try (6.1). He additionally has 29 receptions for 267 yards and scored a complete of 13 touchdowns. Everyone assumed he would have a breakout yr in his first yr working behind a professional offensive line, however he exceeded these expectations.
In truth, he is on tempo for an NFL-record 2,123 yards. He lured defenses into stopping him and received Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to experience him so far as potential. And if he stays wholesome, he must be fairly far-off.
4. They are higher at stopping the run.
The numbers on this case are easy and clear. In 2022, the Eagles have given up 121.6 dashing yards per sport, good for sixteenth within the league. They gave up a minimum of 100 yards dashing 12 occasions. Then within the Super Bowl they gave up 158.
This yr’s group was a lot, a lot better regardless of what occurred Sunday, when the Ravens, the second-best dashing group within the NFL, totaled 166 yards on the bottom. Overall, these Eagles have the seventh-ranked dashing protection, giving up 104.75 yards per sport. And plenty of that is because of a very sluggish begin. Removing the primary two video games of the season the typical drops to the perfect 94.2 within the league.
They are enhancing play from their inside line, particularly Jordan Davis. And their linebackers – Zach Baun and Nakobe Dean – had been a lot better at stuffing the run than the 2022 unit. That will likely be big down the highway as groups lean on the run and tempo turns into an element. And it is also the important thing to their playoff success, particularly in the event that they find yourself dealing with the Lions.
5. They are higher at crushing their opponents’ will with their Saquon-enhanced terrain sport.
The largest downside with the Eagles on the finish of final season, after they had been slumping to a 1-6 end, was that they’d forgotten their id. Suddenly they turned pass-happy as a substitute of doing what they’ve at all times achieved finest: crushing groups with their highly effective offensive line and working skill.
This yr they’re doing it higher than ever. Consider that of Barkley’s 1,499 yards and 11 dashing touchdowns, 982 yards and eight touchdowns have come within the second half of video games. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry within the first half, however 7.6 yards per carry within the second half. Meanwhile, Hurts recorded 207 passes within the first half, however solely 128 within the second half.
Yes, a part of it’s as a result of they’re defending contacts. But they solely achieved three, possibly 4 resounding victories. It’s extra about figuring out what they do finest. With their line and with Barkley and Hurts, they’ll overcome drained, bodily defenses late in video games. They did that in 2022, though not as nicely with Miles Sanders as their major defender.
This group is content material to cross the ball on the finish of the sport and watch Barkley do what he does finest: run over groups and race in opposition to the clock. And groups with the flexibility to try this have an enormous benefit within the postseason.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the earlier six years masking the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New Yorkand earlier than that, 16 years masking the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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