The Philadelphia Eagles are firing on all cylinders.
Whether it's their methodical offense that ranks second in expected points added (EPA) per play or their suffocating defense that ranks sixth in EPA allowed per play, they’ve been stellar overall on the way to an 8-0 record.
Here are the standouts from Philadelphia’s current run of dominance through Week 9.
Jalen Hurts’ Success
Through the first eight games, Hurts has been one of the more efficient and consistent passers across the NFL. A would-be career-high 85.3 passing grade is only scratching the surface of how well the third-year quarterback has played.
Hurts' key numbers include a 107.8 passer rating (2nd), an 81.5% adjusted completion percentage (1st) and a higher big-time throw percentage (3.5%) than turnover-worthy play percentage (1.6%) on 239 pass attempts. His evolution into an effective decision-maker through the air paired with his always-present rushing ability makes him one of the league’s most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks. If he continues to play at this level, an MVP campaign is fully in the cards, as he's already a close second to Patrick Mahomes as the betting favorite for the award.
Wide Receiver Performance
The offseason addition of A.J. Brown has provided quite the spark to the Eagles’ offense so far this season. Brown is inching closer to 1,000 receiving yards (718) thanks to snagging 43 of his 64 targets. He ranks in the top 10 in yards after the catch (284) and first-down receptions (30) while also hauling in eight of his 15 contested targets.
Opposite him, former first-round pick DeVonta Smith has thrived in a WR2 role. He’s three catches shy of Brown from leading the team in receptions despite seeing 13 fewer targets. Smitty has tallied 10 explosive catches (15-plus yard receptions), 23 first-down grabs, 442 yards receiving and two touchdown snags. Philadelphia’s best projected wide receiver duo since Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin has lived up to the preseason hype and then some so far this season.
Offensive Line Dominance
Philadelphia's front five has been the heartbeat of the team's offensive success. Since the preseason, the unit has placed first in PFF's offensive line rankings while displaying no signs of relinquishing that rank.
Leading the charge are the Eagles' veteran mainstays from their last Super Bowl run in right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce. Both have earned pass-blocking grades north of 77.0 this season, surrendering a combined 11 pressures — including no sacks.
Pass Rush and Coverage
The Eagles’ defensive front has wreaked havoc in the passing game across the first nine weeks of the season. Haason Reddick is leading the charge with 27 total pressures, a top-25 mark at the position. Josh Sweat hasn’t been much of a slouch, either, as he's accumulated 26 pressures. Veteran Brandon Graham has been an effective third option with his 21 total pressures and whopping 23.3% pass-rush win rate, the latter of which is a top-10 mark at the position.
Starting cornerbacks Darius Slay Jr. and James Bradberry drive Philadelphia's secondary. Slay has allowed a 36.2 passer rating (second-best) across 37 targets and has three interceptions through nine weeks of football. Bradberry has surrendered just a 41.8% catch rate (second-best) on 58 targets while forcing a league-high 12 incompletions. Bradberry also joins Slay in maintaining a suffocating passer rating into his coverage (41.5).
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