October 24, 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 around the country have the Eagles ranked after Week 7. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too.
The Eagles were down both starting safeties and their slot corner, and they still held Miami to a season-low 244 yards and 10 offensive points. Tua Tagovailoa was under pressure all game, and even taking into account his ability to get the ball out quickly, it seemed to have a cumulative effect. This is where defensive coordinator Sean Desai might be able to separate himself from his predecessor. I loved how Desai would not let Miami off the hook, providing constant pressure. And while the offense might not quite be operating at that same level, the Jalen Hurts-A.J. Brown connection has arguably never been more potent. They've now combined for 701 yards receiving over Brown's past five games. The Eagles also won every big fourth down on Sunday. That's my kind of team. And now they're getting Kevin Byard? Watch out, folks.
#JimmySays: Spoiler: Every power ranking we rounded up here has the Chiefs No. 1, and the Eagles No. 2.
Young riser: DT Jalen Carter
Carter, 22, has made a strong case for Rookie Defensive Player of the Year to this point. He has generated 27 pressures to go with 3.5 sacks. His constant disruption up front has forced the opposition to give him extra attention. Carter has been double-teamed on 51.7% of his snaps and has the third-most pressures (8) when double-teamed, per NFL Next Gen stats. -- Tim McManus
#JimmySays: The current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds, via Covers.com:
Van Ness' appearance on this list caught my eye. He was a player I did not think the Eagles should draft. I was curious to see what he has done so far this year, and... 8 tackles, 1 sack. Huh? There aren't other rookies who have been more impactful than that?
One question: Should the Tush Push be outlawed?
The Eagles converted two fourth-and-1 plays on their decisive drive against Miami on Sunday night using their signature scrum play. There’s a growing sentiment that the NFL’s competition committee is going to ban the play in the offseason, but why? What is more of a football play than your big guys pushing their big guys back a yard, or two or three in the Eagles’ case? There should be a benefit to getting to third- and fourth-and-short plays. In case it’s not clear, our answer to this question is, “No!”
#JimmySays: Oh, the Brotherly Shove is likely getting eliminated this offseason, in my opinion. The Eagles are the only team that can execute it at a high level, and the 31 other teams would prefer to not have to prepare for it. They'll come up with some other nonsense reason to get rid of it (like it's "unsafe," for example), but convenience for most of the league will outweigh fairness. And to be clear, it'll be an outright disgrace when they eliminate it, but that's what's coming.
Look who's almost on top … yet still staring up at Kansas City. Going back to the 2022 season, Philadelphia is 41-for-44 (93.2%) when using the "Brotherly Shove" while needing 1 yard to convert a first down. "Every first down, it's first-and-9," HC Nick Sirianni said Sunday night after Philly went 4-for-4 on the "Tush Push" against Miami. Sidebar: If WR A.J. Brown can reach 125 receiving yards yet again in Week 8, against Washington's 29th-ranked defense, he'll set a league record by doing it in six consecutive outings.
#JimmySays: Brown had 9 catches for 175 yards and 2 TDs in the Eagles' Week 4 matchup against the Commanders, though he won't have the since-benched Emmanuel Forbes to pick on this time around.
I was curious what Terrell Owens' numbers looked like after his first seven games of the 2004 season.
• Terrell Owens after 7 games, 2004: 42-697-9
• A.J. Brown after 7 games, 2023: 52-809-3
What mind control does general manager Howie Roseman have over the rest of the NFL? The Titans traded safety Kevin Byard, a former first-team All-Pro, for safety Terrell Edmunds and a couple of late-round draft picks. Byard is just 30 and not done as an elite player. What a steal for the Eagles. Again.
#JimmySays: We'll see. We published a few "guys who make sense for the Eagles at the trade deadline" posts, and while I considered Byard, I didn't think the Titans would trade him, so he never made the cut.
This past offseason Tennessee converted $7 million of Byard's $11 million salary into a signing bonus, and spread that money over future years. By trading him, they'll have $8,828,556 on their books in dead money for Byard in 2023, and $13,359,000 in 2024. That they traded him for fifth- and sixth-round picks and a struggling safety in Edmunds kinda/sorta makes me go... 🤔.
Byard should be an upgrade over guys like Edmunds and Justin Evans, but he's probably not the bigtime player he once was.
The defense came up big against a good Miami offense Sunday night. That's a good sign going forward. Jalen Hurts still doesn't look all the way right, but he's close.
#JimmySays: CBS with the fire🔥analysis as always.
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