January 06, 2023
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 have the Birds ranked after Week 18. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too. To note, a few of the media outlets that we normally aggregate here did not publish power rankings this week, presumably because Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during the Bills-Benglas game on Monday Night Football.
The Eagles missed another chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC, doomed by a slow start and a late Gardner Minshew pick-six in a 20-10 loss to the Saints. Philadelphia's offense was nearly invisible in the first half, managing just 61 total yards and failing to register a first down until 12 seconds remained in the second quarter. The attack perked up after halftime, but it's clear Philly lacks an explosive element without Jalen Hurts at the controls. On the plus side, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Hurts (shoulder) is expected to be back in the lineup for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Giants, who just locked up the No. 6 seed and could rest starters.
#JimmySays: Of those 61 first half yards, 25 came on a stat-padding screen to DeVonta Smith, after which Smith limped to the locker room.
Highest power ranking: 1
Lowest power ranking: 9
Regular season in five words or fewer: Record-breaking
This group has rewritten the franchise record books in many areas, including touchdowns (58) and sacks (67) in a season. DeVonta Smith is now tied for the most receptions (88) by a receiver in single-season franchise history, joining Irving Fryar in 1996, while A.J. Brown is just 8 yards shy of Mike Quick's single-season team record for receiving yards (1,409 in 1983). -- Tim McManus
#JimmySays: It's pretty crazy that the Eagles haven't had a receiver beat either Fryar's or Quick's marks of 88 receptions or 1409 yards in a single season. Those guys did that in a completely different era of football, when throwing for 4000 yards back then was like throwing for 5000 yards today.
Wide receivers have had at least 1409 receiving yards in a season 97 times throughout NFL history. Receivers have had 88 receptions in a season 271 times!
Losing on the road at Dallas without QB Jalen Hurts is one thing. Getting handled at home by an also-ran New Orleans squad, with No. 1 seed hanging in balance, is something else entirely. Philly is fortunate to face a Giants team in Week 18 that will likely be resting its starters.
#JimmySays: The Eagles were indeed awful on Sunday, and there aren't good excuses for the way the offense played. However, it should be noted that the Saints also played well. They did not look like your typical 6-9 team, and the return of Marcus Lattimore completely changed the way that they were able to defend.
There's no need to freak out. It shouldn't be a shock they're not the same team without Jalen Hurts. He was an MVP candidate for a reason. If the Eagles beat a Giants team with nothing to play for in Week 18, they're still the No. 1 seed and in great position to make a Super Bowl. If the Eagles lose Sunday? Yeah, then freak out. But not because they lost to the Saints with their backup quarterback in a game that might not even cost them the top seed in the NFC.
#JimmySays: If you think back to 2017, of the 12 teams that made the playoffs, the Eagles had some of the longest odds to win the Super Bowl because of how they looked in their last few games of the regular season after Carson Wentz got hurt. That team was stacked and figured things out after going through a lull. This one may very well do the same thing.
They are an ordinary team without Jalen Hurts. Now they might need to have to win this week against the Giants to win the division.
#JimmySays: I would say that for one game they looked ordinary without Hurts, Lane Johnson, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Josh Sweat, and Avonte Maddox. They dominated this season building up a 13-1 record, thus giving themselves ample room for error. They still probably have the best offensive line in the NFL, and probably also the best defensive line, not to mention their star receivers and cornerbacks. Oh, and reinforcements are on the way. This team isn't "ordinary" because they played like crap for one game. What a weird, reductive assessment.
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