December 26, 2023
Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports
The Eagles moved to 11-4 with a Christmas win over the Giants and remain in control of the NFC East. Everyone doesn't feel as rosy as that record indicates, however.
If someone was to say, "That was one of the worst Eagles wins in recent memory," it would be simultaneously a factual statement and one of the most Philadelphia phrases ever uttered. An unhappy city after the Birds moved to 11-4 following a Christmas win borders upon national clichés, but in watching those 60 minutes of football, questions about the true championship ability of this team are more than valid.
That disarray may even extend once the final whistle blows, too.
Here's a look at what the media is saying about the Eagles and other notes after Week 16, starting with a story about the team's post-win locker room session...
The Eagles are 11-4. They can easily finish 13-4, just win shy of last season's franchise-best 14 wins. Even with the way those records nearly mirror one another, nothing feels as simple and as smooth as it did in 2022. Reporter Ed Kracz details a locker room dynamic on Monday that doesn't align with a team of this record:
After just having ended a three-game losing streak, you would have thought there would be some jubilation, some celebration. The Eagles, after all, gained a game on the Dallas Cowboys in the division standings and are now 11-4.
There was happiness, for sure, but nothing over the top, especially for an offense that keeps making life hard on the team with penalties, turnovers, and red zone inefficiency.
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When the locker room doors opened, quarterback Jalen Hurts was spotted in conversation with receiver DeVonta Smith. It appeared to be a one-sided talk with Hurts doing most of the talking and Smith leaning up against his stall.
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“We’re not where we want to be,” [Smith] said. “I’m not satisfied. Yeah, we got 11 wins, I’m not happy. It needs to be better. What I want to do, what everybody else in here wants to do, what we want to be, we’re nowhere near that, so I’m not happy.” [SI]
That all occurred, mind you, before social media was set ablaze following A.J. Brown's decision to not chat with reporters after the win.
I can't explain it. DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown are getting the ball and putting up great numbers. Jalen Hurts has been good at quarterback, though not quite at the otherworldly level he was at in 2022. The same leaders are in place on the roster. The head coach remains in place.
This can go one of either two paths:
1. The Eagles return to the Super Bowl and everyone forgets about this.
2. The Eagles have a massive flameout in the postseason and an offseason expose sheds light on whatever the hell is going wrong.
Philadelphia is assuredly hoping for the first option.
In the win over the Giants, the Eagles first got on the board with a "Tush Push" touchdown from Jalen Hurts:
A special holiday edition of the Brotherly Shove 🎄
— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
📺: #NYGvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/YW8xYFwaRp
It was Hurts' 15th of the season, setting a new record for QB rushing TDs in a season, surpassing Cam Newton's mark of 14 from 2011. Per StatMuse, Hurts' 41 rushing touchdowns are the 18th most by a player over the course of his first four NFL seasons. Hurts has accomplished that despite being, ya know, a quarterback and starting just four games as a rookie (three TDs in 2020).
That's more than Hall of Famer Curtis Martin (40) and likely future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry (38)!
The sentiment that it's good that the Eagles are winning (duh), but doing so while showcasing a lot of flaws continues to resonate. Bleeding Green Nation's Brandon Lee Gowton correctly summed up the 33-25 win as "excruciating," writing...
In a season filled with excruciating wins, this was another one of them.
It didn’t have to be that way.
Entering this game as 14-point home favorites, the conditions were ripe for a “feel-good, get-right” victory.
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Ultimately, the Eagles should be happy that their three-game losing streak is over. They can clinch the NFC East with two more wins ... or just one more if the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Detroit Lions and the Eagles win in Week 17.
But the Birds need to play much, MUCH better to win in the playoffs. Being less worse than inferior opponents isn’t going to suffice at that point. And there are real concerns this team can find their groove if they can’t even look good against a Giants team that ranks 32nd in point differential and DVOA. [BGN]
Winning is supposed to cure all. That's just not the case with the Birds right now.
New York wasn't happy with the officials on Monday.
Head coach Brian Daboll blew a fuse after a false start call on the Giants in the third quarter:
Brian Daboll pissed at the false start call pic.twitter.com/Kf16KIGv0M
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) December 25, 2023
A late no-call for defensive pass of the interference on Kelee Ringo also drew ire:
WOW: No pass interference called here on the #Eagles DB with the game on the line
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 26, 2023
😳😳😳
(Via @iam_johnw)
pic.twitter.com/Y3QTd9WTpC
For an inside view of the Giants' whining, Dan Benton of Giants Wire shares postgame remarks from both Daboll and quarterback Tyrod Taylor:
The Giants were left in utter disbelief as quarterback Tyrod Taylor protested to the officials.
“I think there were some flags that could have been thrown, but that is not our place,” Taylor said after the game. “That is not fair. If it’s a call, call it. It shouldn’t be a last-play mentality. If it’s a call, and if it’s blatant, then it should be called. It should be honored like it is the first play of the game.”
Fearing that he might get himself fined, Daboll was far more subdued when discussing the officials. And by subdued, we mean he refused to answer any questions.
“I’d say, any official questions, you can ask those guys,” Daboll said.
Daboll repeated the line, “You can ask those guys” at least three times when pressed on the multiple bad calls. [USA Today]
Rough scene.
It could always be worse. You could be the Giants.
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