September 23, 2025
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
On the one hand, it's hard to argue with the Eagles' success. On the other hand, open up the offense more, Nick.
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 before Week 4 of the regular season. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too.
Yes, I did consider making a change at the very top -- flip-flopping Philadelphia and Buffalo -- for the first time this season. And yes, I am aware other Power Rankings pulled that lever. But with the Bills needing to scrap their way to victory over winless Miami, and following the Eagles' rousing comeback against the Rams, I just couldn't do it. Hearing Jalen Hurts talk after the game to Pam Oliver convinced me to keep the order as is: "If that doesn't show you what type of team we are, I don't know what does," Hurts said. He also made an important point about the Eagles showing everyone who they were offensively in the second half. At halftime, they had 33 yards on 22 plays, the worst first half of offense in the Nick Sirianni era. Then, on the second snap of the second half, the Eagles fumbled it away inside their own 10-yard line. That's how you fall behind 26-7 at home. But for the final 29 game minutes, Philly outscored L.A. 26-nothing, clamping down on defense and special teams and ringing up three long TD drives in four tries. This team just knows how to win games, with a fourth-and-goal TD and a blocked kick at the buzzer epitomizing that clutch gene.
#JimmySays: I remember as a kid I never liked whatever the dynasty team of the time was, which in my teen years was the Michael Jordan Bulls. Whatever the circumstances were, I just kinda knew they were going to win, so I set those expectations and then I wouldn't be pissed off whenever they ultimately overcame whatever challenges any particular opponent was posing.
The Eagles are a long way from being considered a "dynasty," but in the "right here, right now" they do have a similar feel in that you just kinda know they're going to win.
Biggest issue on defense: Defensive rush success rate
The Eagles are last in the league with a 45.1% success rate against the run this season. They are yielding a first down or a touchdown on over 34% of the opponent's attempts, which also is a league low, and they are 25th in rushing yards allowed (133.3 per game). Philadelphia has a quality interior front led by defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. It also has two good linebackers in Zack Baun and rookie Jihaad Campbell, who is developing on the job. So this seems like a fixable problem for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
#JimmySays: For me, CB2 remains the biggest issue on defense, though certainly I agree that the Eagles' run defense has been uncharacteristically bad to start the season, especially against a trio of teams in the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Rams that are known more for their passing offense than their run games.
They're not blowing anyone's doors off. Not yet, anyway. But one surefire sign of a champion, one that's won 12 in a row at home and 19 of 20 overall going back to last season, is the ability to win in multiple ways − and Philly finally broke the seal on its passing game and leveraged timely special teams plays to overcome a 19-point deficit against a legit Rams squad Sunday. Also, doesn't hurt to have a 336-pound defensive lineman who can rev to nearly 20 mph. Next up? The Kryptonite Bucs, who have beaten Philly in six of their past seven meetings.
#JimmySays: It's not just that the Eagles have lost six of seven to the Bucs. It's also that they have played some miserable football against this team.
• They played their worst game of the season in 2024 in Tampa.
• They got blown out in the playoffs in Tampa in 2023.
• They were down 31-0 in the playoffs in Tampa in 2021 before they put some garbage time points on the board.
We'll have a lot more on that matchup as the week progresses, obviously.
Maybe the Eagles figured something out during their comeback, especially on offense after an absolutely miserable first half. Go figure: Getting A.J. Brown involved is smart. But just because they won, the horrendous first two-plus quarters shouldn’t be ignored. It wasn’t pretty on either side.
#JimmySays: Yeah, they opened up their offense, because they had to. It'd be interesting if they opened up their offense from the start, just to see if they would blow everyone out. As is, it's like they're driving a Lamborghini around residential neighborhoods at 25 MPH.
As 336-pound Jordan Davis rumbled his way into the end zone on the game’s final play and the Eagles sideline bounced with excitement, Jalen Hurts watched without reaction. If you didn’t know any better, you might’ve thought the Eagles just lost in painful fashion. But Hurts is now 17-0 in the last 17 games he started and finished. The guy just wins.
#JimmySays: Here's that video:
It's funny that Sirianni ran into him.
The way they came back against the Rams was a big-time victory that showed that they can throw it when they need to throw. That's telling going forward.
#JimmySays: CBS with the 🔥 analysis, as always.
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