NFL Analysis
10/28/24
6 min read
How Philadelphia Eagles Returned to Their Super Bowl Form
After so much talk about Nick Sirianni being on the hot seat earlier this season, the Philadelphia Eagles have suddenly gotten themselves right back into the NFC playoff race.
The Eagles won their third straight game on Sunday, taking down the Cincinnati Bengals in a dominant 37-17 victory. The offense amassed nearly 400 total yards while averaging 6.7 yards per play, while the defense came away with a pair of crucial takeaways to put the game out of reach.
At 5-2, the Eagles are suddenly right back in the race for the NFC East division title. The Washington Commanders continue to hold onto the lead at 6-2, but the two teams still have to play each other twice, which should have major ramifications on the division standings.
Regardless of the division, the Eagles now have an 85 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic's playoff prediction model. That doesn't happen without an impressive turnaround from both sides of the football.
A red-Hot Offense
There were questions about whether or not Jalen Hurts was the long-term answer at quarterback for the Eagles.
Those questions appear to have been answered in the last few weeks.
Hurts struggled without his top weapons, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, on the field before the bye week. However, with the two returning to the field, the Eagles seem to have spent the bye week focusing on quality over quantity in their passing game.
In their first four games, Hurts averaged 33 pass attempts per game, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions. Since the bye week, Hurts has seen his attempts plummet to 19.7 per game, but his efficiency has skyrocketed.
During the three-game win streak, Hurts has thrown four touchdowns while completing 71.2 percent of his passes with an impressive 10.4 yards per attempt for a 127.4 passer rating.
The obvious difference in Hurts' passing is his willingness to throw farther downfield with Brown and Smith back in the lineup. Per Pro Football Focus, Hurts has had an average depth of target of at least 9.4 yards in each of the last four games. He didn't have an aDOT higher than 8.8 in the first three, including aDOTs of 6.6 and 6.9 in Week 2 and Week 3.
This three-week stretch has turned Hurts back into one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football. He compares almost identically to Lamar Jackson in Week 6 through Week 8 in EPA per play and adjusted net yards per pass attempt.
For as well as Hurts is playing, none of this is possible without a massive upgrade in the backfield in Saquon Barkley. The former New York Giants star is second in the NFL with 766 rushing yards, averaging 5.9 yards per rush attempt. He's also second in the NFL with 348 yards generated on breakaway runs of 15 or more yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Eagles have the third-best rushing offense by DVOA, according to FTN Fantasy, thanks to the rushing efforts of Barkley and Hurts. The Eagles quarterback continues to find the end zone with another 255 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground this year, including five rushing touchdowns in the last two games.
Philadelphia's offensive line has played a big role in the offense's success on the ground, besides continuing to dominate in Tush Push situations. Per TruMedia, the Eagles are producing 1.93 rushing yards per attempt before contact, which is the fourth-best mark in the NFL.
All of this success running the ball has resulted in a positive feedback loop for the passing game. Hurts is having the best year of his career on play-action passes. He's posting a 124.5 passer rating on play-action passes, completing 72.7 percent of his passes for 413 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
Easily Hurts' best throw of Sunday, and perhaps the season came on a play-action shot to DeVonta Smith.
Great throw from Hurts, but an especially great job from DeVonta Smith on the big TD
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 28, 2024
Watch DeVonta *initiate contact* with S Jordan Battle (27) at the 12 yard line, already establishing positioning for the catch point in the end zone. Controls Battle the whole way.
Late hands! pic.twitter.com/cgtKYFLxex
The balanced offensive attack has turned the Eagles' season around, and a healthy unit that includes Hurts, Barkley, Brown, and Smith should scare the rest of the NFC.
An Improving Defense
The Eagles shot up five spots in the defensive DVOA rankings to 13th after allowing just 17 points to the Bengals on Sunday. After a slow start to the season, this unit is finally starting to find its identity.
Up front, the Eagles are finding their identity with some solid pass rushers and an overall dominant team against the run. Philadelphia ranked third in the league in Run Stop Win Rate (RSWR) heading into Week 8 and could move up further after holding the Bengals to just 58 rushing yards and 2.9 yards per carry.
Along with an established defensive line and EDGE group, the Eagles have found a pair of solid off-ball linebackers in Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean. Per PFF, the two have combined for 54 defensive stops this season, with Baun's 30 stops ranking tied for second in the league among qualified linebackers.
The two linebackers iced Sunday's game with a Baun forced fumble and a Dean recovery.
And to end the game, Zack Baun punches a ball out and Nakobe Dean recovers it.
— tom stakes (@tomstakes) October 28, 2024
Y’all wanted a blowout? Takeaways are key. The Eagles had 4 by my count: forced missed FG, 4th down stop, interception and fumble recovery. pic.twitter.com/bnInkIR24S
Jalen Carter continues to develop into an every-down player for the Eagles defense. He's also excelled as a pass rusher, with his 23 pressures ranking seventh among qualified defensive linemen in the NFL.
The secondary also features a pair of rookie defensive backs who are quickly finding their footing in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The two have been targeted a combined 48 times, allowing a 79.8 passer rating with zero touchdowns and seven pass breakups.
It was always going to take some time for two rookies to get acclimated to the NFL, but Mitchell and DeJean are playing at a high level. DeJean, in particular, is starting to ascend, being tasked with covering stars like Ja'Marr Chase and stepping up when offenses try to attack him.
Favorite play of the weekend... Cooper Dejean. Yea go follow around Ja'Marr Chase on 4th Down, thanks. No big deal.
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 28, 2024
Eagles struck gold with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper this Draft cycle - seriously. Gold. These dudes are special pic.twitter.com/JKOA4qVavH
The Eagles' defense is clicking at the right time, and with Hurts and Barkley leading the offense, Philadelphia might have enough talent on both sides of the ball to make another playoff run in 2024.
