With the first month of the 2025 NFL season in the books, the Philadelphia Eagles have shocked the league with a 4-0 start!
Just kidding. Of course, they’re winning.
At this point, winning is all the Eagles know under Nick Sirianni. Including the playoffs, they’ve won their last 18 games when Jalen Hurts plays start to finish, and are 49-14 overall since 2022.
Still, despite their perfect record, the Birds have faced their fair share of struggles.
If the offseason wasn’t enough to convince fans, the first four games have made it clear: this is not the same team as last year. From roster turnover to a new offensive coordinator, the Eagles have undergone major changes since winning the Super Bowl in February. And it shows.
With the second quarter of the season beginning, it’s time to get real about the 2025 Eagles.
Trouble Brewing for Philadelphia’s Offense?
The story of September is clear: Philadelphia’s offense is concerning. And the longer the season goes, the louder those concerns get.
For a team known for explosive firepower during its Super Bowl run last season, this year’s offense has been basic, inefficient, inconsistent, and sometimes unwatchable. The only comparable stretch came during their collapse in December 2023.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has struggled in his first season replacing Kellen Moore. The passing game has been nearly nonexistent, and the tape shows it’s more than struggles from any one player. The concepts look barebones.
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A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have been limited to repetitive, predictable routes, making them easy to guard in zone coverage. As a result, defenses have loaded up against Saquon Barkley. It’s telling that Brown has only topped 27 receiving yards once through four games.
Following the Week 2 win in Tampa Bay, Brown posted a cryptic, now-deleted Bible verse that read, “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
The offensive line hasn’t been itself either. Landon Dickerson is battling through injuries, and while that explains his dip, the unit as a whole isn’t as deep or dominant as last year. Both run blocking and pass protection have regressed.
There’s simply too much talent being wasted in this scheme—and if it doesn’t change, it will cost them.
Areas for Offensive Optimism
It’s not all bad, though.
The Eagles rank eighth in third-down conversions (41.8%) and are 5-of-7 on fourth down.
Hurts has been clutch when it matters, whether scrambling for first downs or making key throws in late-game situations—especially in the comeback win over the Rams in Week 3.
Situationally, they’ve done just enough to win. But “good enough” isn’t the standard in Philly. If the playmakers remain underused, this offense will eventually cost them games.
Eagles’ Defense Holding Strong
Vic Fangio might just be the greatest thing to happen to Philadelphia since the Rocky movies.
Despite losing key players in the offseason, the defense has been the steadying force through four weeks. The numbers—16th in points allowed and 21st in yards allowed—don’t tell the whole story. The group has delivered in critical moments all season:
- In Week 1 against Dallas, it pitched a second-half shutout.
- In Week 2 at Kansas City, a red-zone interception flipped a potential loss into a 14-point swing.
- In Week 3, it fueled a 19-point comeback against the Rams with turnovers and relentless stops.
The tape matches the eye test: this defense makes plays when it matters most.
Zack Baun and the linebacker corps have been outstanding. Baun is proving that his leap from ordinary special teamer to first-team all-pro inside linebacker was not a fluke, while rookie Jihaad Campbell has filled in excellently for Nakobe Dean—so much so that he has a chance to take the job from Dean.
Quinyon Mitchell is well on his way to an all-pro season at the corner position. He has already faced some of the league’s best receivers, such as CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and rookie phenom Emeka Egbuka. Despite the tough competition, Mitchell has kept his assignments in check.
At safety, rookie Andrew Mukuba has filled C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s shoes better than expected, highlighted by his game-changing pick against the Chiefs.
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Nobody is Perfect
That said, the defense has a few flaws.
The outside cornerback spot opposite Mitchell is an issue—and probably the biggest hole on the roster. The Eagles signed Adoree’ Jackson in free agency, but he hasn’t been the answer so far. Jakorian Bennett and Kelee Ringo are alternative options that have seen playing time, but will need to elevate their games, or this will continue to be a problem.
The defensive line has also had its ups and downs. This was expected to a certain degree, since the unit suffered many losses in free agency. Production from the edge has been lacking, and Nolan Smith being on injured reserve doesn’t help. Za’Darius Smith signed with Philly after Week 1 and has made some solid contributions, but Fangio will need more.
The interior line has been outstanding despite the edge struggles. Jordan Davis is having a monster season in his contract year, and he seems to have finally taken his game to that next level that the Eagles have been hoping for since they drafted him 13th overall in 2022.
Jalen Carter has been the same beast that he’s always been, although some of his antics definitely caused the team issues. His Week 1 ejection for spitting on Dak Prescott and other unsportsmanlike conduct penalties are unacceptable, and even though he is a top defender in the NFL, he needs to clean those up so that he does not become more trouble than he’s worth.
Overall, there are no major concerns for the Eagles’ defense. This young unit will get better as the season progresses and will continue to be one of the best in the league.
The Big Picture
The Eagles aren’t perfect, but they’re one of two undefeated teams through four weeks.
They’ve started 4-0 despite a tough September slate. They beat the Cowboys (a division rival), the Chiefs (their Super Bowl foe), the Rams (their closest playoff challenger last year), and the Buccaneers (who had embarrassed them two straight seasons).
Even more impressive is the variety of how they’ve won: two back-and-forth battles, a 20-point comeback, and a blowout decided by halftime.
The Eagles always win games, no matter what it takes or what it looks like. It’s not always pretty, and they have some work to do if they want to repeat as Super Bowl champions. But under Sirianni and Hurts, winning has become Philadelphia’s identity.
The Eagles don’t aim to be “good enough.” The standard is excellence. For now, though, 4-0 speaks for itself.
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