The Eagles are flying high to start the 2025 season, racing out to a 3-0 record.
Fans, sports media personalities, and radio hosts alike are already envisioning another Super Bowl parade in Philadelphia.
But despite the perfect start, is there any reason for concern?
I’d say that’s an astounding yes, and for a couple of key reasons. Now, before readers get angry, just hear me out.
2023 Vibes
I’ve been holding off on saying this, but after watching the Eagles pull out yet another tight win, a game they somehow, someway managed to escape, I think it’s finally a respectable time to put this out into the universe: Through three games, this season feels eerily similar to 2023.
After falling to the Chiefs in the 2022 Super Bowl, the Eagles looked like they were on a full-blown revenge tour fueled by the pain of coming up just short against Patrick Mahomes.
The vibes around Philadelphia were sky-high. You couldn’t say a bad word about the team without being labeled a hater.
They were grinding out close, gritty wins, the kind of games you want to see your team find a way to win.
Week after week, the mantra was the same: “A win is a win.”
Starting 10-1, with wins over the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Bills, it looked, at least to a blind eye, like the Eagles were all the way back.
But even during that stretch, I wasn’t convinced. Something about them didn’t feel legit.
Seven of those 10 wins were one-score games, with the ball often bouncing their way. In my opinion, they were scraping by more than dominating.
I took a lot of heat for that take at the time, but in the end, my analysis proved to be spot on.
The Eagles collapsed down the stretch, going 1-5 through December and January, losing their grip on the NFC East lead before getting embarrassed in the Wild Card Round by the Buccaneers, 32-9.
So far this season, you can say the same thing in every game: they’ve been scraping by, just like before.
Against the Cowboys, if Ceedee Lamb didn’t have a case of the drops, Dallas likely wins. If Travis Kelce had held onto the ball instead of bobbling it, leading to that crucial fourth-quarter interception, the Chiefs could have come out on top. And if the Rams had executed their field goal operation, the outcome would have swung their way.
Sure, you could point to similar “what-if” scenarios in almost every one-score game. But when it feels like the Eagles are winning more because their opponents are losing, rather than by truly outplaying them, it becomes a trend that Philadelphia fans should definitely be concerned about.
Offensive Worries
After 10 quarters of football, the Eagles’ offense still looks stale.
Even Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees said this week on First Take, “I respect Philly, they are winning games… but I can’t stand to watch that offense. It’s the most boring offense.”
There’s been a lack of creativity, your top-five receiver A.J. Brown isn’t getting the ball, Saquon Barkley has started the season slowly, and Jalen Hurts refuses to throw beyond five yards downfield.
It’s clear there are issues with Kevin Patullo’s playcalling. But something seemed to flip in the second half against the Rams.
In the first half, the Eagles managed just 7 points. Hurts completed 4 of 8 passes for 17 yards and was sacked twice, struggling to identify blitzes pre-snap, a recurring issue in his career. Saquon Barkley had 7 carries for only 13 yards, while A.J. Brown didn’t record a single catch.
Trailing 26-7 early in the third quarter, the Eagles’ offense finally started clicking, showing flashes of their potential.
Hurts loosened up, completing 17 of 24 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns, his first of the season.
Hurts seemed to force-feed Brown in the second half, which makes you wonder why he didn’t at least try to get him involved during the first two weeks.
It just adds to the point of why can’t that kind of offense can’t be sustained every single game.
Is it conservative play calling holding them back, or maybe a lack of trust and confidence in Jalen Hurts?
But hey, it’s only Week 4, maybe the offense just needs some time to grow and develop. For the time being, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Defensive Issues
The Eagles haven’t been able to pressure the quarterback like they have in previous years, recording just three sacks and a 3% sack rate, ranking 29th overall.
The lack of pass rush has put extra pressure on the secondary, which has struggled as a result. In Week 1, Puka Nacua caught 11 passes for 112 yards, while CeeDee Lamb hauled in 7 receptions for 110 yards, both putting up big numbers against the Eagles’ defense.
Jakorian Bennett, who just got placed on the IR, and Adoree’ Jackson have both struggled in the CB2 role, an issue that’s highly likely to persist all season unless Howie Roseman makes a move via trade or free agency.
Teams sitting at 0-3 that could be sellers soon if they don’t turn things around include the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans.
Veterans such as Stephon Gilmore, Asante Samuel Jr., and Justin Simmons are still on the market and could make an immediate impact, hopefully for the Eagles.
They could possibly have a quick reunion with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was just released by the Texans on Tuesday.
Gardner-Johnson has struggled in coverage and often does his own thing. Reports say the veteran wants to blitz more, but his role in Philly would mostly involve dropping back into coverage, so it doesn’t seem like a great fit this season.
If the pass rush and secondary continue to struggle, I’d almost guarantee that Howie and the team will make a big move at the trade deadline on November 4th.
Final Thoughts
As stated, I’m getting strong 2023 vibes from this Eagles team after three weeks.
That doesn’t mean they can’t change my mind with a few convincing wins, but I’ll have to take it week by week.
Either way, you’ve got to tip your hat to them for finding ways to win, somehow, someway, time and time again.
For more NFL content, follow me on Twitter @MontaltoJared, on TikTok @JarSportsTakes, and on YouTube @JarSportsTakes.
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