Philadelphia Eagles

At least one NFL executive believes the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles are a prime candidate for an upset early in the playoffs.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous NFC exec wondered if the Eagles' weak schedule will leave them unprepared for the playoffs, saying: "I could see [the Eagles] being a one-and-done—they haven't had to go 15 rounds with anybody yet. I just wonder if they are battle-tested. I think a few late-season losses would actually help them."

The Eagles are the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, but they have been criticized for a lack of tough games on their schedule, as only two of their eight wins have come against teams that are currently above .500.

One of those teams was the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys, who were without starting quarterback Dak Prescott in that game because of an injury and had to start journeyman backup Cooper Rush.

Five of the Eagles' eight wins have come against teams that are presently in last place in their respective divisions.

While Philly's level of competition leaves something to be desired, it can only play the teams on its schedule, and it has largely dominated its opponents thus far.

Five of the Eagles' wins have been by at least two scores, including each of their past three against the Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans.

They also have one impressive win on their resume: a 24-7 home victory over the now-7-1 Minnesota Vikings in Week 2.

Some of the Eagles' wins over lower-level teams have been too close for comfort, though, including three-point triumphs over the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals, and an eight-point victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Regardless of their opponents, the team stats tell the story of Philly being an elite squad. The Eagles rank third in the NFL in total offense and second in scoring offense, plus they are third in total defense and fourth in scoring defense.

The Eagles also boast an MVP candidate in quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has established himself as the team's signal-caller of the future.

Hurts has not been dominant as a passer, completing 68.2 percent of his passes for 2,042 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions, but his running ability has set him apart (326 yards and six scores).

A.J. Brown, acquired from the Tennessee Titans, has provided a huge boost. He is sixth in the NFL with 718 receiving yards and tied for fourth with six receiving touchdowns.

The remainder of the Eagles' schedule looks quite favorable with four of their nine games coming against teams with winning records. Three are within their division—a rematch with the Cowboys and two games against the surprising 6-2 New York Giants.

Philly is also slated to face the 5-3 Tennessee Titans, who are led by all-world running back Derrick Henry.

Each of the Eagles' next three games is against struggling teams in the Commanders, Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers, giving them a chance to move to 11-0.

The final six weeks look tougher on paper, and whether they lose some games or go 17-0, that stretch could provide Philly with the types of challenges it needs entering the postseason.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said Saturday he was fined $10,000 by the NFL for taunting two Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs in Sunday's Week 8 game.

My two little finger points the other day cost me 5k a piece. I will keep my hands, feet, and other objects to myself from now on lol 😭😭😭

— AJ BROWN (@1kalwaysopen_) November 5, 2022

Brown pointed at Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick after scoring a second-quarter touchdown during the Eagles' 35-13 win.

YOU CAN’T COVER A.J. BROWN
pic.twitter.com/08MBvTHeSm

— PFF (@PFF) October 30, 2022

The 25-year-old wideout was borderline unstoppable against Pittsburgh. He finished the contest with six catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns.

It's the continuation of a trend since he was acquired by the Eagles in an April trade with the Tennessee Titans, a move that looks better with each passing week.

Philadelphia is averaging 242.3 passing yards per game in 2022, which is an increase of over 40 yards from last year (200.2).

That improvement has come despite the Eagles featuring many of the same key pieces offensively, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins and tight end Dallas Goedert.

Adding a true No. 1 receiver like Brown to the mix has made the passing game much tougher to defend, and that's a major reason Philly is the league's last undefeated team at 8-0 following Thursday's win over the Houston Texans.

Meanwhile, it's just the third time in Brown's career he's been fined. The previous two occasions came in 2020 with the Titans for excessive celebrations, totaling $19,000, per Spotrac.

Brown and the Eagles will look to continue their winning ways Nov. 14 when they host the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Philadelphia Eagles outlasted the one-win Houston Texans on Thursday night, and they remain the only undefeated team in the NFL. However, even the lowly Texans were able to take advantage of perhaps Philadelphia's only glaring weakness.

The Eagles continue to struggle against the run.

To be fair, Texans rookie Dameon Pierce is shaping up to be a special back, and it didn't help matters that Eagles rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis was on injured reserve with an ankle injury. This made for a mismatch that favored Houston, and the Texans repeatedly exploited Philadelphia's soft underbelly.

They ran it 32 times for 168 yards with Pierce averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Houston held the ball for 31:47 of game clock.

While the Eagles pulled away late, Thursday's 29-17 win wasn't as decisive as many expected.

#Eagles run defense had to be great tonight to make it a comfortable win and it hasn't been. It's the only thing the Texans do well. And Eagles have been terrible against the run.

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) November 4, 2022

Struggles against the run, though, aren't new for the Eagles.

Coming into Thursday night, Philadelphia ranked 29th in yards per carry surrendered (5.1). It hasn't been a major issue too often because the Eagles' fourth-ranked offense and playmaking pass defense have been good enough to keep games from regularly being close.

Philadelphia came into Thursday's game ranked fourth in pass defense and second in yards per pass (5.4) allowed.

The offense—led by Jalen Hurts and skill-position players Miles Sanders, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown—has frequently allowed the Eagles to play with a lead. Defensive stalwarts like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, Darius Slay, Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham have made passing on the Philadelphia defense difficult.

And with opponents regularly trailing, they've often abandoned the run.

Coming into Week 9, opponents attempted 269 passes (fourth-most) against Philadelphia and only 156 runs (third-fewest). The result was that despite allowing 5.1 yards per carry, the Eagles ranked a respectable 15th in rushing yards allowed. They had allowed just 45 first downs on the ground, tied for eighth-fewest in the NFL.

The Texans, however, stuck with the run (32 runs, 25 non-runs), and the game was tied well into the third quarter until a Gardner-Johnson interception shifted the momentum, and Hurts quickly responded with a touchdown pass.

We'll get into the turnover factor shortly, but for now, let's dive into the Houston game a little deeper.

As previously stated, Davis' presence was sorely missed. Houston found some success attacking the perimeter but even more success running into the teeth of the Eagles defense.

Think the Eagles miss Jordan Davis? So for tonight the Texans are averaging 6.6 Yards Per Carry to the inside and 4.7 Yards Per carry to the outside

— TNF Prime Vision (@TNFPrimeVision) November 4, 2022

No matter where Houston ran the ball, though, poor angles and bad tackling were problems for Philadelphia.

We'll reiterate that Pierce is a special player and perhaps a front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, but he shouldn't get past multiple defenders when they're touching his jersey.

This rookie 🔥 Count the broken tackles. @IRep229#PHIvsHOU on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/eUDwChPddF pic.twitter.com/VpTPxVfbqS

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2022

Again, this is not a new problem for Philadelphia. The Eagles had 41 missed tackles coming into Week 9. That was the 12th-most in the NFL, even though 14 teams with fewer missed tackles had played one more game.

Poor run defense isn't a problem of which the Eagles are unaware. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon addressed the run defense before the Week 6 game against the rival Dallas Cowboys.

"I think we can always clean up," Gannon said, per Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "We probably got a little leaky at times Sunday, which you would like to think that three-yard run that's going for six, you would like to get it down for three, but that's always a work in progress."

The run defense hasn't progressed since then, even before the Davis injury. The Cowboys rushed for 134 yards against the Eagles. The Arizona Cardinals rushed for 124 the week before, and the Pittsburgh Steelers rushed for 144 last week.

The big difference in most games has been the turnovers. The Detroit Lions and the Cardinals were the only two teams to rush for 120 yards or more and commit one or fewer turnovers against Philadelphia Eagles this season. Both teams lost by a field goal.

Had the Texans not turned the ball over, they might have pulled off the upset of the year. They turned it over twice and lost by 12.

While it's entirely unfair to say that Houston has provided a blueprint for beating the Eagles, Thursday was another example of how teams can beat the league's last unbeaten.

If a team can keep the score close enough to stick with the run, actually do that, and take care of the football, it can knock off Philadelphia. Looking ahead at the remaining schedule, a couple of teams could do exactly that.

Dallas (Week 16) will have quarterback Dak Prescott for the rematch. The Cowboys relied on backup Cooper Rush in the first meeting, and he tossed a trio of interceptions. The Eagles still have two games against the New York Giants (Week 14 and 18), and they could be a problem too.

New York has a star running back in Saquon Barkley, it ranks fourth in rushing yards and has played three games (all wins) without committing a turnover.

In Week 13, the Eagles will face the Tennessee Titans and running back Derrick Henry, who rumbled for 219 yards last week against Houston.

And potential playoff opponents like the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks could give Philadelphia trouble too. The 49ers recently acquired star back Christian McCaffrey, who should jump-start their 16th-ranked rushing attack.

The Seahawks have their own budding rookie star in Ken Walker III and are averaging 5.3 yards per carry as a team.

With all due respect to the Texans, the Cowboys, Giants, Titans, 49ers and Seahawks are all better teams who may be able to close out the Eagles where Houston could not.

Now, this doesn't diminish what the Eagles have accomplished this season. Head coach Nick Sirianni has his offense clicking, the pass defense is elite, and Philadelphia is 8-0 for the first time in franchise history.

First 8-0 start in Eagles’ franchise history.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2022

This team has few glaring weaknesses, but as Gannon noted a few weeks ago, the run defense remains a work in progress. If Philadelphia can't find progress in that department, it could be a fatal flaw that keeps the Eagles from reaching Super Bowl LVII.

The undefeated dream is still alive.

Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles improved to 8-0 on the season with a 29-17 victory over the Houston Texans in Thursday's contest. Road games don't get much easier on paper than a contest against the one-win Texans without wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, and Philadelphia shook off a slow start thanks in large part to its MVP candidate under center.

Hurts finished 21-of-27 for 243 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He spread the ball around early during an 18-play, 91-yard scoring drive and then honed in on tight end Dallas Goedert (eight catches for 100 yards) and wide receiver A.J. Brown for critical second-half touchdowns.

Social media had plenty of love for the signal-caller:

Jalen Hurts ➡️ A.J. Brown for the score

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/AXKllIMT9F

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 4, 2022

.@Goedert33's FIFTH catch on the drive is a TD. The lead grows! #FlyEaglesFly#PHIvsHOU on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/eUDwChPddF pic.twitter.com/a73TYd6tje

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2022

This push 😳 @JalenHurts gets the 2-pt conversion. #FlyEaglesFly#PHIvsHOU on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/eUDwChPddF pic.twitter.com/VBk6xc4E2t

— NFL (@NFL) November 4, 2022

Another brilliant game for Jalen Hurts: 20-26, 241 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 130.5 QB rating.

MVP. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1ZL5ULo1eH

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) November 4, 2022

Jalen Hurts is so good at football I hope the eagles win the super bowl

— Blaiden Kirk (@blaiden) November 4, 2022

Dude, I can’t explain enough how much Jalen Hurts has grown as a passer.

He’s everything we wanted and then some. Hasn’t even scratched his prime yet.

— Kendall Beck (@KBeckEagles) November 4, 2022

Jalen Hurts is a magician

— Sidelines - Eagles 🦅🏈 (@SSN_Eagles) November 4, 2022

The birds are loose FLY EAGLES FLY @1kalwaysopen_ @JalenHurts

— LeSean Shady Mccoy (@CutonDime25) November 4, 2022

The poise of Jalen Hurts tonight has been incredible

Big throws against the blitz, escaping pressure, converting longer yardage situations too

Even just catching that early snap. Never wavers.

— Louie DiBiase (@DiBiaseLOE) November 4, 2022

Jalen Hurts has made two "wow" plays this drive.

This is the result of working in the lab at your game. That throw to Dallas Goedert is one the best #NFL Qbs make. #Eagles

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) November 4, 2022

Goedert was unstoppable that drive. He hauled in five completions from Jalen Hurts, including his sweeping TD that froze the Texans linebackers and secondary. #Eagles are back cooking

— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) November 4, 2022

https://twitter.com/HandsTeamTy/status/1588358697792569344

All's well that ends well for the Eagles, but it wasn't always pretty.

The Texans marched right down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive, answered two scores with another touchdown to tie the game late in the first half, bullied a Philadelphia defensive line that was missing Jordan Davis (ankle) to open up consistent holes for Dameon Pierce and made it a four-quarter game.

Some of that was due to Eagles' mistakes, as Hurts lost a fumble on a strip-sack, Jake Elliott missed a field goal at the end of the half and the offensive line struggled to block Jerry Hughes as he got to the quarterback multiple times.

However, the game flipped with C.J. Gardner-Johnson's interception, as Hurts found Brown for a go-ahead touchdown a mere two plays later.

Hurts was in full control by the ensuing drive, leading the visitors 75 yards on 10 plays to create some much-needed breathing room. He established a rhythm with Goedert, scrambled to avoid pressure and then hit the tight end for a score before sneaking it in himself on the two-point conversion.

There weren't many style points for the undefeated contenders, but they got the win they needed ahead of a divisional clash with the Washington Commanders in Week 10.

It's the Philadelphia Eagles' world, and the rest of the NFL is living in it.

Philadelphia is nearly halfway to the first 17-0 regular season in league history after Thursday's 29-17 victory over the Houston Texans. It's a full two games clear of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East at 8-0 and looks like the team to beat in the race for the Lombardi Trophy.

Things are going much differently for the Houston Texans, who fell to 1-6-1 with their latest loss.

Here is a look at the updated standings and current tiebreaker scenarios following Thursday's results:

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AFC

1. Buffalo Bills, 6-1

2. Tennessee Titans, 5-2 (tiebreaker over KC because of winning percentage against AFC)

3. Kansas City Chiefs, 5-2

4. Baltimore Ravens, 5-3

5. New York Jets, 5-3 (tiebreaker over MIA because of head-to-head)

6. Miami Dolphins, 5-3

7. Los Angeles Chargers, 4-3

8. New England Patriots, 4-4 (tiebreaker over CIN because of winning percentage against AFC)

9. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-4

10. Indianapolis Colts, 3-4-1

11. Cleveland Browns, 3-5 (tiebreaker over DEN because of strength of victory)

12. Denver Broncos, 3-5

13. Las Vegas Raiders, 2-5

14. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-6 (tiebreaker over PIT because of winning percentage against AFC)

15. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2-6

16. Houston Texans, 1-6-1

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NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-0

2. Minnesota Vikings, 6-1

3. Seattle Seahawks, 5-3

4. Atlanta Falcons, 4-4

5. Dallas Cowboys, 6-2 (tiebreaker over NYG because of head-to-head)

6. New York Giants, 6-2

7. San Francisco 49ers, 4-4 (tiebreaker over WAS because of winning percentage against NFC)

8. Washington Commanders, 4-4

9. Los Angeles Rams, 3-4

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3-5 (tiebreaker over GB and AZ because of winning percentage against NFC)

11. Green Bay Packers, 3-5 (tiebreaker over NO and AZ because of winning percentage against NFC; tiebreaker over CHI because of head-to-head)

12. Arizona Cardinals, 3-5 (tiebreaker over NO because of head-to-head; tiebreaker over CHI because of winning percentage against NFC)

13. New Orleans Saints, 3-5 (tiebreaker over CHI because of winning percentage against NFC)

14. Chicago Bears, 3-5

15. Carolina Panthers, 2-6

16. Detroit Lions, 1-6

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From a playoff positioning battle, no game stands out more in Week 9 than the one between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans.

While many fans may assume the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are on an inevitable collision course for the AFC Championship Game with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen under center, the Titans have an opportunity to secure an early inside track for the No. 2 seed and the home-field advantage for multiple rounds that would come with a win.

Kansas City appears to have some advantages beyond the fact the game is at home, though, considering it lost a 24-20 nailbiter to the Bills. Comparatively, the Titans were blown out 41-7 in Buffalo in Week 2 and looked a step behind the other top contenders.

Yet Tennessee has won five straight games since that loss and appears to be one of the most daunting threats for a Mahomes-Allen rematch in the AFC title game.

It also flummoxed Mahomes last season on the way to a commanding 27-3 victory over the Chiefs. The Titans forced two turnovers from the four-time Pro Bowler and sacked him four times.

While he exited that game with injury concerns, the outcome was already well in hand by that point.

Repeating a showing like that will be no easy task in Kansas City, but the Titans will surely look to control the clock with Derrick Henry and keep Mahomes on the sidelines with extended drives.

That will especially be the case if quarterback Ryan Tannehill misses a second consecutive game with an ankle injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he was limited in Wednesday's practice and sat out Thursday, so his status is very much up in the air.

It could ultimately decide the most important AFC game of the week.

After coming into the season with questions about his long-term viability as a starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts finds himself in prime position to get a lucrative contract extension from the Philadelphia Eagles.

ESPN's Dan Graziano suggests the "floor" for Hurts' next deal has to be Kyler Murray's five-year, $230.5 million contract he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in July.

In addition to the total value, Murray's extension also included a $29 million signing bonus and $189.5 million guaranteed.

Hurts has one year remaining on his rookie contract, but he will be eligible to sign an extension after this season.

When the Eagles made their deal to acquire A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 NFL draft, one prevailing idea that came from it was the front office taking away any potential excuses for Hurts' development as a passer.

In his first full season as the starter in 2021, Hurts was fine throwing the ball. He finished with 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 61.3 completion percentage. The Oklahoma alum was excellent running the ball, racking up 784 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Per Pro Football Focus' Kevin Cole, Hurts was below average on late-down dropbacks. He also left a poor taste in the mouth of Eagles fans by playing his worst game of the season in a 31-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Game.

Hurts went 23-of-43 for 258 yards with one touchdown and two picks in the postseason game.

The combination of Brown, further development from second-year wideout DeVonta Smith and playing behind the best offensive line in the NFL has helped unlock new aspects of Hurts' game.

Through eight weeks this season, Hurts is averaging 257.0 passing yards per game with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. His rushing efficiency has decreased (3.8 yards per attempt), but that's offset by how much better he's throwing the ball.

Only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Geno Smith have more total expected points added in low-leverage plays than Hurts' 40.7 this season.

There's certainly some risk still attached to giving Hurts a massive extension. The Eagles have arguably the NFL's best roster, so what happens when those circumstances change?

It wasn't that long ago when Eagles fans thought Carson Wentz was a franchise quarterback because the 2017 roster was possibly the best in the NFL.

Hurts certainly looks better now than Wentz did for most of his tenure in Philadelphia, but any long-term quarterback deal carries significant risk.

Ultimately, it's hard to argue that Hurts hasn't done enough to warrant being Philadelphia's starting quarterback for many years to come.

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly aren't pursuing a trade for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara ahead of Tuesday's 2022 NFL trade deadline.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday it's "unclear" why the Kamara-to-Philly rumors emerged and, while it's possible the five-time Pro Bowler is moved before the deadline, it "won't be the Eagles" who make the blockbuster deal.

Although the Eagles' 6-0 record solidifies them as a contender and their recent trade for defensive end Robert Quinn shows the front office is looking to upgrade the roster, the rushing attack has been quite productive in 2022.

Philadelphia ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (156) and their 13 rushing touchdowns are the most in the league.

Miles Sanders (4.6 yards per carry) and Kenneth Gainwell (4.2) have formed a solid one-two backfield punch, and quarterback Jalen Hurts is also a key factor in the ground game.

Kamara is a game-changing player when healthy, but injuries have started to become a factor in recent years. He missed four games in 2021 with a knee injury and he's already sat out two contests this season while recovering from a rib injury.

In turn, there would be added risk to giving up the assets likely required to acquire a player of his caliber, and it's not a guarantee he'd significantly improve an already productive backfield.

Kamara, who's recorded 542 total yards and no touchdowns in five appearances this season, appeared to take interest in the rumors in a Thursday post on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/A_kamara6/status/1585737123453292544

No other teams have been heavily linked to the 27-year-old rusher, but any acquiring club would take on the remaining three-plus seasons on his five-year, $75 million contract.

So, all things considered, it wouldn't be a surprise if Kamara is still in New Orleans when the deadline dust settles next week.

After being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this week, Robert Quinn is going to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Eagles and Quinn agreed to void the final two seasons of his current contract as part of negotiations between the two sides during trade talks with the Chicago Bears.

The Eagles sent a 2023 fourth-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowler.

Quinn is still owed $7.82 million this season, of which the Bears agreed to pay $7.1 million as part of the trade. For 11 games of Quinn playing on their defensive line, the Eagles only have to pay him $711,000.

It's certainly possible Quinn could play his way into Philadelphia's plans for 2023 and beyond with a strong finish this season, but the team is also facing a potential cap crunch next year.

Per Spotrac, the Eagles have $188.9 million in cap commitments to 46 players in 2023. Darius Slay ($26.1 million) and Lane Johnson ($24.2 million) have the highest cap hits on the team next season.

The Bears originally signed Quinn to a five-year, $70 million deal ($30 million guaranteed) in April 2020. He was inconsistent in two-plus seasons with Chicago. The 32-year-old had two sacks in 2020 before finishing second in the NFL with 18.5 sacks last season.

In seven games so far this season, Quinn has two tackles for loss and one sack. He will be joining an Eagles defensive line that doesn't require him to be the No. 1 edge-rusher.

Head coach Nick Sirianni has the luxury of using Quinn in a rotation on pass-rushing downs. Hasson Reddick, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat can take a lot of attention away from Quinn.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made the move for Quinn in an attempt to capitalize on his team's fantastic start. They are the NFL's only remaining undefeated team (6-0) and rank fourth in both scoring offense (26.8 points per game) and scoring defense (17.5).

It's unclear at this point if Quinn will play on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.