Saquon Barkley is ineffective

The Eagles’ Offensive Woes Continue and the Defense Suffers in Horrible Loss#

The Philadelphia Eagles went into Dallas Sunday coming off disappointing offensive performances in games that ultimately ended in wins. The crucial victories were huge both for momentum and NFC standings against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers on prime-time national television.

Despite the important victories, concerns about the offensive playcalling and performance — coupled with locker room drama surrounding AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts — underscored just how important this game would be. A confident win would potentially quiet local and national detractors who have criticized the Eagles’ offensive game and potentially smooth over internal conflicts as the Eagles transition into the easier part of their schedule. More importantly, a win would have put the Eagles in control of the NFC East, bringing them much closer to becoming the first repeat division champions in over 20 years.

Ultimately, that did not happen. Despite a strong start that felt like it was going to fulfill all of those much-needed answers and serve as a season-defining launchpad game, the offense stalled in the second quarter, and the Cowboys scored 21 unanswered points to win on a field goal — a horrid showing of incompetence in a game the Eagles should have won but absolutely deserved to lose.

My Thoughts#

Even when the Eagles were still leading by multiple scores, I looked over to my friend watching the game and shared my trepidation. There is a lot to drill down into with coaching, execution, penalties, and injuries — but I think a wide-view take can summarize what is so problematic with the current Eagles offense in contrast with last season’s Super Bowl champions.

Last season, the Eagles dominated by controlling down and distance in a uniquely powerful way. A combination of an effective run game and the infamous tush-push bolstered short-yardage conversions, essentially giving the Eagles a mental and physical advantage. They basically started 1st-and-8 every set of downs. If they got within two yards of the marker by 3rd down, it was essentially over — a guaranteed first. It cannot be understated how much this impacted the game. It was not only physically dominating opposing defenses but had a profound effect on the mental game.

This core feature was the bedrock of Sirianni’s offense last year. It was the cornerstone that allowed for the intense clock control that defined late-season drives and wore down opponents into inevitable Eagles wins. It kept the defense off the field, and it was suffocating.

This year, the 2025 Eagles have exactly the opposite. The constant first-down stops against the stuffed, putrid run game have made it so the Eagles now operate with a down disadvantage. They essentially start every drive 2nd-and-10+. The constant burning of 1st downs devoted to a horrific run offense that is almost always guaranteed to result in a stuffed Saquon attempt — or even a loss of yards — has had the opposite effect. It energizes opposing defenses. It kills offensive momentum. It sets up Jalen Hurts for failure. It is a prime culprit for the staggeringly high three-and-out rate for the team this year.

It is putting the defense back out on the field constantly. It is making the playbook one-dimensional. It is forcing worse passing looks for Jalen. And it is setting up the team for failure drive after drive.

The 2025 Philadelphia Eagles have found their offensive identity — and it is defined by a complete lack of an ability to establish a run game, which reverberates through the entire team as a systemic cancer that will prevent any kind of sustainable offense from forming.

If Sirianni continues his philosophy of controlling the game clock and beating other teams with talent, this is not the way to do it. It is actively undermining his entire strategy — and unless Kevin Patullo and Sirianni can find a way to fix it, we are in for a long (or short) winter with this team.

The Eagles play the sparky upstart Bears on Black Friday in Philadelphia in what should not be billed as a get-right game but almost certainly will be. A loss here could signal the dreaded collapse that 2023 fans know all too well.