It has been a whirlwind 24 months for the Philadelphia Eagles. Since February 2023, Philly has made it to and misplaced a Tremendous Bowl, gotten blown out within the playoffs final 12 months 32-9, after which ripped off 15 wins after beginning this season 2-2 to make it again to the Tremendous Bowl once more.
The adversity that the Eagles have needed to face has undoubtedly made the group higher, however Philadelphia’s entrance workplace has accomplished a masterful job of developing a profitable roster simply two years after a disappointing loss in Tremendous Bowl LVII. One might argue that the Eagles are a greater group prime to backside than the Chiefs.
Let’s analyze Philly’s place teams and provides every unit a grade from A to F.
Quarterback – C
With a 46-20 regular-season document and 5 playoff wins since coming into the NFL, Jalen Hurts has confirmed he can win in any respect ranges. Regardless of this truth, I’m not an individual who believes that wins are a quarterback stat. Wins are achieved by groups.
If we take a look at Hurts’ passing numbers and use that to judge his play slightly than simply wins, we see a quarterback that has been common to under common as of late.
With solely 168.3 passing yards per sport throughout the postseason, Hurts is averaging the second-fewest yards amongst all playoff quarterbacks. He’s additionally center of the pack when it comes to quarterback ranking (105.0, tied for sixth).
Hurts’ grade was saved by his working talents. He has the second-most speeding TDs within the playoffs (4) and he averages 40.7 floor yards per sport.
Operating Again – A
You probably have learn any of my Tremendous Bowl LIX analyses, then you already know that I believe Saquon Barkley is one of the best participant coming into this sport. He rushed for two,000 yards throughout the common season and adopted that up with 442 speeding yards within the playoffs (147.3 yards per sport). I count on Saquon to have a minimum of 100 speeding yards this Sunday.
Barkley’s backups have performed properly, too. Kenneth Gainwell is averaging nearly 4.6 yards per carry throughout the playoffs. In the meantime, Will Shipley broke off a 57-yard run within the NFC Championship Recreation.
Operating again is well one of many Eagles’ finest positions.
Extensive Receiver – C
I wish to see extra consistency from Philly’s extensive receiver room. After being held to 3 catches for twenty-four yards in his first two video games, A.J. Brown caught six passes for 96 yards and a landing within the NFC Championship. Concurrently, slot receiver Jahan Dotson has been held catchless since his 11-yard landing reception within the Wild Card Spherical.
DeVonta Smith has been a dependable goal, with 4 catches in every of Philly’s playoff video games. Sadly, he hasn’t surpassed the 55-yard mark this postseason.
It is a gifted extensive receiver corps, however solely three wideouts have truly caught a go for the Eagles throughout this playoff run. That lack of manufacturing implies that this place group is simply common.
Tight Finish – B
If it weren’t for Travis Kelce, NFL followers could be saying that Dallas Goedert has been one of the best tight finish within the postseason. Goedert leads all tight ends in receiving yards (188) whereas rating second in receptions (15). On prime of that, he has been efficient within the run sport as a blocker and a ball service (13 speeding yards on two carries). With a receiving landing within the first spherical of the playoffs, he’s already midway to his landing output for the common season.
The one purpose Philly’s tight ends don’t get an A is as a result of I don’t understand how a lot I can belief backup tight finish Grant Calcaterra, who solely has one reception within the playoffs. If one thing had been to occur to Dallas Goedert, Philly’s tight finish room could be screwed.
Offensive Line – A
The Eagles’ offensive line is the group’s finest unit. Three of the 5 starters had been named to the Professional Bowl, however that’s solely as a result of left deal with Jordan Mailata was snubbed by the voters. In actuality, the Eagles ought to have had 4 Professional Bowl offensive linemen this 12 months.
The offensive line helped Philly common 179.3 speeding yards per sport throughout the common season. That quantity has in some way improved to 227.7 yards throughout the postseason.
The squad has surrendered 11 sacks throughout the playoffs (tied for essentially the most within the league), however that’s partly attributable to Jalen Hurts injuring his knee within the Divisional Spherical in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. I doubt Philly’s sack complete could be that top if Hurts was utterly wholesome.
I’m very excited to see the Eagles’ offensive line match up with the Chiefs’ defensive entrance. That would be the battle that determines who wins Tremendous Bowl LIX.
Defensive Line – B
Most of Philly’s sacks within the playoffs have come from the linebacker place, however that hasn’t stopped the Eagles defensive linemen from wrecking video games.
Defensive deal with Jalen Carter is likely to be Philly’s finest defensive participant. He has two sacks and 20 quarterback pressures (essentially the most by any defensive deal with this postseason). He additionally leads all playoff DTs in quarterback hits and hurries, in line with Professional Soccer Focus.
Fellow defensive deal with Jordan Davis has been strong throughout the Eagles’ playoff run. The 6’6″, 336 lbs. lineman has a sack and 4 complete tackles in three video games.
Even third-stringer Moro Ojomo has recorded a sack and 5 complete tackles throughout this run.
With veteran defensive finish Brandon Graham on observe to play this Sunday, Philly’s line of defense appears to be like poised to have a giant sport.
Linebacker – A
I’ve talked about it earlier than, however Zack Baun has appeared like a Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidate throughout this playoff run. He has 26 complete tackles (second within the postseason), 17 solo tackles (tied for first), two passes defended, an interception, a compelled fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Baun has been everywhere in the discipline and is a large purpose why the Eagles have made it this far.
Oren Burks and Nolan Smith Jr. have additionally been lights out. The 2 have mixed for 36 complete tackles, 5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and three compelled fumbles. Even Jalyx Hunt has stepped his sport up since Nakobe Dean went down with an harm by recording 5 complete tackles within the NFC Championship Recreation.
We can also’t neglect Josh Sweat, who has 5 quarterback hurries within the postseason (sixth most amongst all linebackers).
Philly might need the deepest linebacker room within the NFL.
Cornerback – B
Darius Slay Jr., Cooper DeJean, and Quinyon Mitchell have created a no-fly zone for Philly on the defensive facet of the ball. Slay has 5 go deflections within the playoffs (tied for first) whereas Mitchell has deflected 4 passes (tied for third), and DeJean has three go deflections (tied for fifth). Furthermore, they’ve mixed for 3 interceptions.
The issue comes with truly stopping groups from passing the ball successfully. Philly is permitting the fifth-most passing yards (245.7 yards per sport) within the playoffs and the fourth-most receiving yards per sport (271.3).
The Eagles’ cornerback room is great (second-lowest completion proportion allowed within the playoffs), however they lose a letter grade as a result of offenses have been in a position to rack a number of yards by way of the air.
Security – B
C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship spherical out Philly’s secondary. Blankenship has been an unsung hero for the Eagles’ protection with 24 complete tackles (second on the group) and a compelled fumble. Extra importantly, he has solely allowed seven receptions within the playoffs, the third-fewest amongst all safeties.
After doing nothing within the Wild Card Spherical, C.J. Gardner-Johnson has amassed 11 complete tackles in his final two video games. He additionally has 5 stops, the second-most amongst all safeties within the postseason, in line with PFF.
Tristin McCollum and Syndey Brown have had an influence with three tackles apiece.
Equally to the cornerback room, Philly’s security room will get a B because of the protection’s passing yards downside.
