Philadelphia continues to be the best team in the NFC East after capturing the conference championship the previous year. Are all Eagles passing the test in 2023?
Philadelphia has the third-best yards per game in the league at 387. The group is in the top six with
Eagles 2,041 passing yards and 1,058 running yards. Jalen Hurts, the quarterback, has the seventh-highest passing yardage in the NFL, while D’Andre Swift is fourth among rushing backs with 571 yards.
The Eagles’ defensive coordinator, Sean Desai, is one of many new faces on the team. Perhaps it explains why they fell short against the Jets of Zach Wilson in Week 6 and allowed Sam Howell of Washington to pass for 397 yards and four touchdowns in Week 8.
On the other hand, Philadelphia’s defense shut down Miami’s potent passing game, holding the Dolphins to 17 points in Week 7. The Eagles won’t flirt with the NFL sack record like they did last year but overall, this year’s squad isn’t far off from their 2022 numbers.
Philadelphia is allowing 12 more yards but 1.3 fewer points per game compared to last year. Things could change with games against the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys and 49ers on tap, but so far Eagles fans should feel pretty good about the defense.
Only Tennessee’s Nick Folk has made more field goals than Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott. He’s perfect on kicks over 40 yards with a long boot of 61 yards. Britain Covey’s 14.7 yards per punt return are third-most in the league. Otherwise, the Eagles’ special teams numbers are modest at best
Nick Sirianni deserves a lot of credit for helping the team avoid a Super Bowl hangover. With the exception of the Jets game, Philadelphia seems motivated and prepared each week. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson needs to find a better run/pass balance, but overall the coaching staff has done a good job.
Adding a two-time All-Pro safety like Kevin Byard at the trade deadline was a brilliant (and necessary) move by general manager Howie Roseman. Injuries have taken a hit on Philadelphia’s secondary and Byard remains under contract through 2024.
