December 30, 2025
Mark Konezny/Imagn Images
"Run-run on first and second down hasn't worked all day, but maybe it will on the next drive."
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 16 of the regular season. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too.
For the second time this season, the Eagles have won a game in which Jalen Hurts didn't complete a pass after halftime. If that's not a testament to Vic Fangio's defense, I am not sure what is. The group was lights out for the game's first 50-plus minutes in Buffalo, and even if there was some luck involved in their late defensive stand, with Josh Allen missing an open two-point opportunity, you can't say too much more about the way the Eagles played on that side of the ball. That's the best thing they have going for them heading into the playoffs. Performing like the offense did in the second half -- punting five straight times -- just isn't going to cut it, however. The Eagles should have been able to increase their two-score lead at some point after halftime, but Hurts and Co. are in a complete rut. We've seen a lot of that this season, and too much for me to suddenly boost Philly into the upper tier, but in the right matchup, the Eagles absolutely can be a problem for someone.
#JimmySays: Hurts could have made a play or two in the second half, and he didn't, so he's not completely absolved of blame here. But when the play calls are run-run into heavy boxes on first and second downs on four of the five second-half drives, I'd put more blame on the staff's garbage in-game strategy. And to me, that falls on Nick Sirianni more than anyone else.
In other words — and certainly I'm nitpicking here — I'd phrase it "Sirianni and Co." instead of "Hurts and Co."
What we learned this season: The Eagles have a Super Bowl-caliber defense, again.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been downright dominant since being hired by the Eagles in 2024. He orchestrated the No. 1 defense in football last season en route to Philadelphia's second Lombardi Trophy and will deserve much of the credit should it snag a third this season. The unit ranks third in points allowed (18.8 per game) and ninth against the pass (193.4 yards per game). The Eagles showed against the Bills that they're capable of quieting the best quarterbacks in the business.
#JimmySays: The following stat via Deniz Selman speaks to how bad the offense is at times, but also how good the defense is:
#Eagles went 3 & out five times on 5 of their 10 drives in Buffalo, including the last 4.
— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) December 29, 2025
They have gone 3 & out more than any other team this year (by a mile), and the 9th most out of 448 teams since 2012. pic.twitter.com/tYbuylnOpa
It's pretty remarkable that the defense ranks third in points per game allowed despite the offense putting them on the field so quickly/frequently.
Think QB Jalen Hurts needs the week off, too, given he hasn't cracked 200 passing yards in his past three outings? Eh, Philly won all of those games, and we know Hurts comes up big in big moments. But Week 18 won't be one of them, so good opportunity to rest Hurts and other key starters.
#JimmySays: The Eagles will indeed very likely rest their starters against the Commanders Week 18, as the rest is probably more important than the seeding. (Also, the Eagles' backups can probably beat the Commanders anyway, especially when the Commanders should be motivated to lose for draft positioning.)
In the second half at Buffalo, the Eagles did not complete a pass and had just 16 yards. Maybe Philly shouldn’t move down three spots after a win at Buffalo, but the problems with its offense aren’t going away. The Eagles might be getting worse. Their defense was fantastic, keeping Buffalo off the scoreboard for the Bills' first eight drives (not counting kneeldowns) but it’s hard to go on a playoff run when you can’t crack 20 yards of offense in a half of football.
#JimmySays: There's no way to sugarcoat it. Gaining 16 yards in a half of football is pathetic.
Head coach check-in: Somehow still on top
Philadelphia had 17 yards of offense in the second half Sunday and still won. It feels like something only Nick Sirianni could pull off. The Eagles’ sometimes embattled head coach has a .702 winning percentage in nearly five seasons at the helm, the highest in the league among active head coaches. He may have to retool his entire offensive staff in the offseason, but Sirianni probably will be coaching this team (and aggravating Eagles fans) for another decade.
#JimmySays: As noted above, the Eagles have as good a record as they do this season because of Vic Fangio, not Sirianni.
The defense is great. The offense isn't. Can they turn that offense around come playoff time?
#JimmySays: CBS fire #analysis meter: 8/10 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
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