September 13, 2022
Are power rankings completely dumb and meaningless? Yes. Yes, they are. However, personally speaking, whenever I see them, I click. And now that I've sucked you in with promises of many power rankings, you'll read it and like it.
Here's where people have the Birds ranked after Week 2. Oh, and here's our version of these sellout rankings, too.
This offense is going to be a problem for teams. The Eagles rolled up 455 yards on 10 possessions against the Lions in a 38-35 win, taking it to the Hard Knocks darlings through the air and on the ground in an entertaining shootout at Ford Field. New No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Brown was an immediate-impact playmaker (10 catches for 155 yards on 13 targets) while the tandem of Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders rushing behind a stout offensive line has the potential to turn Philly into a matchup nightmare for any opponent -- not just a young and inexperienced defense like Detroit’s. Talent > Grit.
#JimmySays: Philly had grit first.
The Eagles integrated AJ Brown and schemed their ground game well. While the defense—middle of the road in down-by-down success rate—left a little to be desired, the Lions are tougher than we’re giving them credit for.
#JimmySays: Jonathan Gannon said on Tuesday morning, “35 points is not good enough.” I concur.
What’s more important? Putting up the second-best offensive performance of the week by EPA per drive against a defense that finished 29th in defensive DVOA in 2021, or surrendering the third-best offensive performance of the week against an offense that finished 29th in offensive DVOA in 2021? Offense matters more, so credit Jalen Hurts for scrambling the Eagles to victory against a Lions defense that blitzed him on 45.5% of his dropbacks and continuing the connection with Brown he showcased over the summer.
But there are very real early concerns about a defense that was upgraded on paper in the offseason at every level, from first-round pick Jordan Davis (who played the fifth-most snaps of the Eagles’ defensive tackles) and high-priced pass rusher Haason Reddick to defensive backs James Bradberry (who had an interception return for a touchdown) and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. With Jefferson and the Vikings coming to Philadelphia for “Monday Night Football,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has his work cut out for him.
#JimmySays: At the conclusion of training camp, my biggest concern for the 2022 season shifted from "Can Jalen Hurts make the most of the talent around him?" to "Can Jonathan Gannon make the most of his talent on defense?"
It's just one game, but it was certainly alarming.
The preseason hype surrounding the Eagles is still very real, and the final score isn’t indicative of how much the Eagles dominated this game against Detroit. ESPN’s win probability model gave the Eagles a 73 percent chance or better to win after they went up 21-7 in the second quarter. Allowing D’Andre Swift to go off for 144 yards rushing is a bit of a concern, but nearly everything else skewed positive for the Eagles in Week 1. Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders both recorded 90-plus yards rushing, and new wideout A.J. Brown caught 10 passes for 155 yards in a stunning debut for Philadelphia.
#JimmySays: The Broncos are ahead of the Eagles here, which, uhhhh, why?
Last year, no team in the NFL was better running the ball than the Philadelphia Eagles. If Sunday's opener against the Detroit Lions was any indication, not much has changed in that regard.
Against the Lions, the Eagles averaged 5.5 yards per carry while running the ball 39 times for 216 yards. Four different Eagles players scored rushing touchdowns, and both tailback Miles Sanders and quarterback Jalen Hurts ran for at least 90 yards and a touchdown.
In addition to those 90 rushing yards, Hurts also threw for 243 yards, with new No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown hauling in 10 passes for 155 yards. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni praised his young quarterback while speaking to reporters after the game.
“I thought he was in complete control of checking the plays, getting the different things, knowing what the defense was doing," he said. "Did it work every time we checked to a play? No, but that’s on us as coaches. Like, we’re telling him to get something versus a certain look, and if it doesn’t work—but he had complete control of what was going on out there today."
While the offense had a great game, the defense allowed 386 yards of offense and 35 points. Philly has work to do on that side of the ball ahead of next week's home opener against a loaded Vikings offense.
#JimmySays: There's a decent chance that the Eagles will lead the NFL in rushing again. After one week they're third behind the Giants (!) and Browns.
The run defense was gashed by the Lions, who averaged 6.5 yards per carry. That's a concern but it seems fixable with the Eagles' personnel. There was a lot to like about the Eagles' opener and it's not like Dak Prescott's injury doesn't give them a huge boost too.
#JimmySays: Yeah, within the structure of these power rankings, it's definitely worth noting that with Dallas' disastrous Week 1, the Eagles are now huge favorites to win the NFC East.
If Jalen Hurts can play like he did against the Lions, this could be a deep playoff team. The defense was not good, though, which has to be a concern.
#JimmySays: It can also be said that if Hurts plays like he did against the Lions, he won't survive the season.
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