Looking Back at the Season so Far, as Eagles Take Sunday off - Sports Illustrated

It’s December and the Eagles, once again, are playing meaningful football.

Will they still be playing meaningful in January when they will travel to Washington on Jan. 2 the host Dallas a week later?

That, of course, will depend on how they finish this month.

Here are some thoughts on the season so far.

THE LINES

The offensive and defensive lines were supposed to be the strength of this team.

The O-line has lived up to that; the D-line not so much.

The D-line is in transition, with Fletcher Cox playing a bit better since the trade deadline passed, but someone the Eagles will most likely try again to trade in the offseason. Javon Hargrave will enter the final year of his three-year free-agent contract in 2022. Milton Williams is getting valuable experience as a rookie, but he’s been just OK, so far, and fellow rookie Marlon Tuipulotu has been inactive more often than not.

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The sack total is way down from last year, so defensive end becomes a top priority this offseason, even if Brandon Graham does return from an Achilles tear. He will be 34 in April.

As for the Eagles’ starting five offensive lineman and the depth behind them, it is the best in the NFL.

Enough said, except…

PRO BOWL BALLOTING

It’s a joke I get it, but the fact that none of the starting five O-linemen are leading their respective positions in the Pro Bowl balloting in an even bigger joke.

Each week an email hits my inbox updating the status of the voting for players at each position. And it’s annoying to see that Jason Kelce is not leading the balloting at center for the NFC. Even more annoying to see who is – Dallas’ Tyler Biadasz.

It’s not even the fact that the Eagles trade with the Cowboys two years ago allowed them to take Biadasz in the fourth round, when the Eagles drafted Jack Driscoll at 145 overall then traded away pick No. 146 to Dallas in return for pick No. 164 and a 2021 fifth-rounder, which the Eagles turned into Kenny Gainwell.

What’s bothersome is that Kelce is better, and it’s not even close.

TEAM MVP (SO FAR)

Offense: Jason Kelce. The Eagles center is the rock of the offensive line. Jalen Hurts would be the runner-up at this point.

Defense: Darius Slay. He should be named All-Pro for the second time in his career. He’s been that good. Even better.

MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE

Offense: Landon Dickerson. There was plenty of angst about his injury history when the Eagles picked him in the second round, but the rookie has stayed healthy and, more importantly, stepped in a performed at a high level when Isaac Seumalo when down early with a season-ending injury.

Defense: Davion Taylor. The linebacker has been beset with injuries since arriving in the third round of the 2020 draft. The hope is he doesn’t take the Jordan Hicks route, another talented LB and third round pick in 2015 that played well when he played, but couldn’t stay healthy. He has in Arizona, though, and is a standout.

Taylor has that kind of ability, and there’s no question the Eagles’ defense has been better with him on the field. When he is able to be on the field.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Offense: Jalen Reagor. A big jump was expected in the receiver’s second year. It hasn’t arrived

Defense: Ryan Kerrigan. The offseason signing was exciting – an NFC East rival for a decade in Washington was staying in the division. A broken hand didn’t help get the veteran off the start that he would have liked, but he still hasn’t shown much. Perhaps it’s scheme-related or, at 33, maybe he just doesn’t have anything left to give. He has played 266 snaps with just three tackles and no sacks.

3 TOP PLAYS

Fumble return, Fumble return, INT. All Darius Slay, of course. All this time, we thought his nickname – Big Play – was because it rhymed with his last name. Now we know better. His 33-fumble return TD against the Jets was just an appetizer for his 83-yard return TD that changed the momentum and the outcome in Denver and his 53-yard INT return against the Saints just before halftime against the Saints was a huge momentum swing.

T.J. Edwards’ blocked punt. The linebacker found a lane that was created by teammate Shaun Bradley against Carolina. With the offense struggling and trailing 18-13 with four minutes left against the Panthers in Week 5, Edwards’ blocked and Bradley’s recovery helped set up the offense at Carolina’s 27. On the fourth play from there, Jalen Hurts scampered in from 6 yards then threw a two-point conversion pass to DeVonta Smith with 2:38 to play. Eagles win, 21-18.

Jalen Hurts’ 24-yard TD run. It came against the Saints and iced a game that had become too close comfort and came with 3:59 to play. It’s probably my most watched play of the season because of the absolute cut he made on the edge to leave Nola DE Carl Granderson in his wake. Then, the QB made another move in the middle of the field and outsprinted other Saints defenders to the left pylon. Eagles win, 40-29.

IMPRESSIVE STAT

The Eagles’ ability to score. They have topped 30 points six times in 13 games and are 5-1 in those games. They didn’t top 30 in any of their 16 games in 2020 during Doug Pederson’s final season. Nick Sirianni’s scoring offense is 10th in the league.

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Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

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