Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) stands on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images There’s only one team on the Philadelphia Eagles’ level in the NFC East, and it sure as heck isn’t New York or Dallas.
Excitable first-year Commanders coach Dan Quinn is making a big deal out of Thursday’s game, saying, “Philadelphia and Washington battling for it? Hell yeah!”
And I was half-expecting to hear Nick Sirianni say something back.
To be sure, it’s been a wild few years for the Eagles under Nick Sirianni, from coming three points away from a Super Bowl victory over Kansas City to blowing a 10-1 start and falling flat on their faces last winter. Even early in their current winning streak, Eagles fans were unhappy with Sirianni, and the coach jawed back at a few of them after a narrow win over the Cleveland Browns.
So it’s almost reassuring to hear a level-headed Jalen Hurts speak on behalf of the team and say the Eagles are focused on nothing more than their preparation and execution.
“I’m not satisfied by any means. There’s nothing to be satisfied about in my eyes, because we’re still growing, we’re still a work in progress,” Hurts said. “There’s no moment we’re gonna ‘arrive’ this year. Some may think we have. Some may think we have it figured out, but we don’t. There’s so much more out there for us to accomplish.”
With all due respect to Hurts, the Eagles’ big “arrival” moment is right in front of them. If Philly beats the resurgent Washington Commanders on “Thursday Night Football”—and I believe it will—there’s no debating that the NFC East once again runs through the Linc.
You can express all the skepticism you want about this franchise after the Eagles lost six of their last seven games (regular season plus playoffs) last year to fail in spectacular fashion. None of the wins on their five-game streak came against playoff contenders. The only impressive showing was a 20-point win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals; stomping the Cowboys last Sunday in the miserable state they’re in doesn’t prove much.
But this team isn’t the 2023 team. One thing flying under the radar about these Eagles is their defense. They haven’t allowed more than 280 yards in a game since before their bye week. They rank seventh in defensive DVOA and tied for fifth in scoring defense. It’s as if Nakobe Dean and all those Georgia Bulldogs stars they’ve drafted know how to make big plays.
Pair that with a new star running back who’s doing death-defying stunts and a quarterback who’s running more to keep passing lanes open, and what isn’t there to like?
Hurts didn’t have his cleanest game against Dallas, but his one interception and one lost fumble were his first turnovers since September, and I can live with occasional mistakes if it means the offense is playing with some verve and not with fear. Look at the sharp difference in his metrics before and after the bye week.
Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is the hot new thing who just moved in next door, and some fanalysts want to say he’s already better than Hurts.
I think Daniels is incredible, but it’s funny to me that the Eagles’ strength of schedule matters to critics but the Commanders’ strength of schedule doesn’t. Washington has played just three teams currently above .500, going 1-2 against stiffer competition. Are we positive Daniels is going to set off more fireworks against Vic Fangio’s defense?
Both these teams, in their own ways, are better than last year. But one has been here before, and the other is merely a nice story. My prediction is simple: Fly, Eagles, Fly.