Are power rankings completely dumb and meaningless? Yes. Yes, they are. However, personally speaking, whenever I see them, I click. And now that I've sucked you in with promises of many power rankings, you'll read it and like it.
Here's where people around the country have the Eagles ranked after Week 9 of the regular season. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too.
NFL.com: 5th
Despite spending last week on the bye, the Eagles clearly remained active on the phones, landing Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins on Monday to help beef up the pass rush. Phillips played one year with Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in Miami, logging 6.5 sacks in eight games before getting hurt. If Phillips can match that production down the stretch, the Eagles will be thrilled. They also traded for CBs Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander, once again looking hell-bent on positioning themselves to win another Super Bowl. Whether that happens is anyone's guess in this wide-open season, and the A.J. Brown drama/tension/whatever still merits monitoring, but Philly looks to be in better shape coming out of the week off.
#JimmySays: I'll set the Jaelan Phillips sack total over-under (playoffs included) at 4.5.
ESPN: 2nd
Most important game remaining: Week 10 at the Packers
There's an argument to be made for each of their upcoming three games: at the Packers, home against the Lions then at the Cowboys, who represent the Eagles' biggest (and maybe only) threat in the NFC East. But the Eagles' plans go well beyond a divisional crown. They are involved in a tight race for the NFC's No. 1 seed and can gain the upper hand against one of their top competitors at Lambeau Field. Philadelphia should get a boost from new defensive acquisitions Jaelan Phillips, Jaire Alexander and Michael Carter II as well as the potential return of edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. (triceps). A win over Green Bay could help propel Philly through a challenging closing stretch, as the Eagles have the sixth-most difficult remaining schedule, per ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI).
#JimmySays: I'd probably go with the Lions. In my opinion, they're a bigger threat than the Packers.
Certainly, the Packers can win on Monday night, and actually they're 3-point favorites, somehow. But for me, the Lions represent a little of the "unknown," in that we've seen the Eagles beat the Bucs, Rams, Packers, etc., but we haven't seen them beat the Lions since the Lions have become a top NFC team.
USA Today: 4th
They've seemingly been awfully productive despite not playing in a week − GM/EVP Howie Roseman adding OLB Jaelan Phillips and CBs Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander rather than kicking back during Philly's bye.
#JimmySays: Well, that, but also, the Commanders, Cowboys, Lions, and Packers all lost while the Eagles were resting up. It was a pretty great bye week for the Birds.
Yahoo: 1st
The Eagles haven’t played their best game every week, but we know their best is really good. And presumably that will happen more often as the season goes on. This is still a championship-level roster, during this season in which it’s hard to trust any team.
#JimmySays: This feels like an "Eagles by default" No. 1 ranking, which is kind of where I landed in the NFC Hierarchy. Teams like the Rams, Seahawks, Packers, and Lions have dogfights ahead just to win their divisions, while the Eagles — and to a slightly lesser degree, the Bucs — are going to cruise within their own divisions.
The Athletic: 1st
Midseason grade: A-
It hasn’t always looked pretty, and drama continues to swirl, but it’s hard to be too nitpicky about a 6-2 start after winning the Super Bowl. Oh, and they loaded up before the trade deadline, acquiring Jets cornerback Michael Carter and Dolphins pass rusher Jaelan Phillips. Ho-hum, just another stacked roster in Philly.
#JimmySays: The Eagles are at a place where if they have a hole or two on their roster, it feels like that spot is going to be the end of the world. That spot right now remains CB2. But when you compare the Eagles with every other team in the league, it's pretty easy to identify a bigger hole on every roster than what the Eagles have at CB2.
So, yes, I kind of agree with the "stacked roster" framing, and I think we've become a little spoiled by how good the team's personnel has been in recent years.
CBS: 6th
They come off their bye with a big game next Monday against the Packers. Making the move to get edge rusher Jaelen Phillips was a smart one.
#JimmySays: CBS with the 🔥 analysis, as always. Also, Jaelan (not Jaelen) is a tricky name to spell correctly.
Also also, they have the Patri*ts ahead of the Eagles here. The Patri*ts are a nice story this season. Nobody actually thinks they're a better football team than the Eagles, right?
Average power ranking of the six media outlets above
- Week 1: 1.0
- Week 2: 1.2 📉
- Week 3: 1.7 📉
- Week 4: 1.2 📈
- Week 5: 1.2 😐
- Week 6: 2.7 📉
- Week 7: 7.5 📉
- Week 8: 6.2 📈
- Week 9: 5.7 📈
- Week 10: 3.2 📈
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