Like any Super Bowl team, the Philadelphia Eagles had some departures from their title-winning roster. Among the most notable are Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Throw in some depth pieces, and the team is a bit different from what it was in their last game.
With that being said, how do the Eagles compare on offense and defense to the rest of the NFC?
Where Eagles’ Offense Ranks
The 2024 NFL season was the one where Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley wrecked any point the critics had.
Once again, on the biggest stage in football, Hurts delivered the game of his life. A long ball to DeVonta Smith to make the score 34–0 was more of a statement than actually important to the outcome of the game. That statement: Hurts is a superstar with a Hall of Fame trajectory, whether you like it or not.
Barkley, on the other hand, had the best rushing season of all time in terms of yardage (2,504). Without any playoff success as a New York Giant, the chances that he was a Hall of Fame player were slim. Now, it’s probably more likely than not.
Aside from narratives, though, this offense is terrific. Their skill-position players are some of the best in the world, while they have the best tackle duo in football and a good interior offensive line. This unit can dominate the time of possession and put massive points on the board.
So, who compares to the Eagles here?
It’s a tight-knit discussion, arguably, between the Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All three of these units are terrific, but do they beat out the Eagles?
Arguably, nobody definitively beats them. Only the Commanders retained their offensive coordinator, so perhaps continuity gives them an advantage. But in terms of talent and their system, these clubs are all excellent. The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers may belong here, too.
The Birds are at least in the top five, with a case for them being the best.
Where Eagles’ Defense Ranks
There are no real questions here. After allowing over 600 fewer yards than any team in the NFC and giving Patrick Mahomes a miserable time in the Super Bowl, the Eagles still have the best defense in the conference. Even with their departures.
The superstars on this defense are Jalen Carter and Zack Baun. The former commands double teams on the defensive line, yet can still break through, while the latter can swallow runners, creating an invisible barrier at the first-down marker.
But there’s obviously a lot more. The secondary was one of the NFL’s best last season, and it got even younger with the addition of second-round safety Andrew Mukuba. With sophomore corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, there’s a lot of talent that only projects to improve.
Even with the losses the defense suffered, there’s enough quality depth to make up for it. From cheap free agents to recent draft picks increasing their workload, it’s hard to see this unit having a steep decline. It’s still very good.
Compared to the rest of the NFC, the Eagles are objectively superior. Still, there are contenders.
The Lions and Minnesota Vikings come to mind, while the Seattle Seahawks and Packers don’t trail too far behind.
These teams all finished similarly in regular-season expected points added, minus the Seahawks, but they were still top five in the NFC. Adding DeMarcus Lawrence in the offseason furthers them in the conversation.
You can make the case that these teams are about equal, but only one reigned supreme in the playoffs. The Vikings and Packers lost by double-digits in the opening round, while the Lions allowed 45 points in their elimination, albeit without Aidan Hutchinson. Only the Eagles were able to shut Jayden Daniels and Mahomes down, and when push came to shove, Matthew Stafford.
The conversation is still relatively close, but the Eagles should be the unanimous No. 1 unit for what they accomplished last season.
The Eagles should be the favorites to come out of the NFC again, if not win it all. While theory and practice are much different, returning to The Big Game for the third time in four seasons isn’t unrealistic.
PHOTO: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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