Coming off a Super Bowl win, every Eagles fan has noticed that something is wrong with their offense. Despite returning virtually the same offense as last year, their explosive offense has turned anemic. However, despite their offensive woes, the Eagles are the top seed in the NFC with an 8-2 record.
After the birds’ win in Super Bowl 59 last year, their offensive coordinator—Kellen Moore—was poached by the Saints to become their new head coach. In return, the Eagles promoted Kevin Patullo as their new offensive coordinator. So far, he has not lived up to his predecessor.
But why is this? One significant reason comes from the huge decline in our run game.
The first reason for the decline in the run game comes from a steep drop-off by running back Saquon Barkley. Last year, he rushed for 2,005 yards, making him the ninth player in NFL history ever to do so. This year, he’s on pace to rush for 1,125 yards, roughly a 40% decrease from last year. He has gone from an elite 5.8 yards per carry to a normal 3.8 yards per carry.
The second reason for the decline in the run game is the Eagles’ offensive line. For the last several years, the birds have been blessed with fantastic offensive line play. This year, however, their offensive line play isn’t quite as good as it has been. While not bad by any means, it’s no longer the best. One example is that the excellent mainstays Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson simply haven’t been as good this year.
However, this doesn’t fully explain the Eagles’ offensive woes. The other major reason for this is due to the drop-off of A.J. Brown and the drama surrounding him.
Ever since being traded to the Eagles from the Titans in 2022, Brown has been the Eagles’ number one receiver. During his time in Philly, he has put up three 1,000-yard seasons and been selected to two Pro Bowls. He has also earned the reputation as a “diva” wide receiver—a common trope among star wide receivers, who are often difficult to please, attention-seeking, and very temperamental—due to his cryptic social media posts and attitude towards getting the ball. After his game against the Lions, Brown said on a Twitch stream,
However, this is not all Brown’s fault. Much of it falls to Patullo, who has been using Brown as a decoy to open up the short and intermediate pass game. Instead of designing deep pass plays where the 6’1 226 lbs player can shine, Brown is forced to run deep to merely take away one deep safety, opening up the shorter pass game.
When asked about why it has been difficult to involve Brown as much this year, Patullo said,
But does any of this even matter? Despite their abysmally low offensive numbers, the Eagles still have an 8-2 record, putting them on top of both the NFC East and the NFC as a whole.
In sharp contrast to their offense, the Eagles’ defense has not only met, but exceeded expectations. Projected to be an average to below average defense, the birds’ defense has shot up to eighth in scoring, allowing 20.1 points per game. Due to this, the Eagles have a positive point differential of +33, the eleventh highest in the league.
Another reason not to be concerned is that despite gaining fewer yards, the Eagles’ offense has been less turnover-prone and more red-zone efficient. For example, this year, Jalen Hurts has thrown only one interception, giving him an interception percentage of 0.4. They’ve also only fumbled three times this season, leading them to having the fewest turnovers in the league. This lack of turnovers has also led them to the seventh-highest turnover rate in the league.
Overall, the Eagles’ offense has fallen off a cliff due to the absence of a dominant running game and the lack of dominant play of A.J. Brown. Despite this, the Eagles have remained one of the best teams in the NFL and look like prime contenders to become repeat Super Bowl champions. So, as you watch the birds next Sunday, keep your head up high because, as they say, “defense wins championships.”
