Are the Eagles about to repeat their disastrous 2023 collapse? That's the question haunting Philadelphia fans after a promising start has been followed by two crushing losses. It feels eerily familiar, doesn't it? Players were jamming to T-Pain in the frigid December air during Thursday's practice, trying to keep spirits high after a long break. But even as the music blared, the specter of last year's late-season implosion loomed large. Nick Sirianni, ever the optimist, urged everyone to "block everything out." But can they really ignore the warning signs? Let's dive into Eight Eagles Thoughts as they prepare for Monday's clash against the Los Angeles Chargers, and see if we can find some answers. Buckle up, because this gets interesting...
1. Déjà Vu All Over Again?
The burning question on everyone's mind: Is this 2023 redux? The parallels are undeniable. A scorching start, emotional victories against top teams (think Green Bay and Detroit this year, Kansas City and Buffalo last year), followed by back-to-back gut-punch defeats. And, just like last year, there's a coordinator facing intense scrutiny, heading into a Monday Night Football game on the West Coast. Remember the "Fire Kevin" chants? (You can revisit the saga here: [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6846485/2025/11/28/who-is-kevin-patullo-eagles/]). It's enough to send shivers down any Eagles fan's spine. But here's the bold claim: No, this isn't 2023. Not yet, anyway.
Why the optimism? The Eagles' defense is demonstrably better this year, even with Jalen Carter's recent shoulder injury (more on that here: [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6862540/2025/12/04/eagles-jalen-carter-procedure-shoulder-injury/]). They also have a coordinator in Vic Fangio, who is considered among the best in the league. It's hard to imagine the defense completely falling apart. Even in last week's disappointing performance, they held the Bears to a mere 10 points through three quarters. The bigger concern lies with the offense, which has undeniably underperformed through 12 games. But this unit is brimming with talent and boasts a proven track record of success. They've earned some leeway. Even with the inconsistencies, the flashes of brilliance suggest they're capable of turning things around. Remember how the passing game ignited last December? This offense has the potential to do the same. The 2023 season felt irretrievably lost by mid-December. That's not the feeling surrounding this team, despite the recent setbacks. And if they can avoid arrogance and confront their issues honestly, the hard lessons learned from the 2023 collapse could prove invaluable.
Sirianni himself alluded to this, stating, "I think you saw a lot of that the lessons we learned in '23 resulted in what happened last year...Sometimes that sting of the loss, or like you said, the 2023 season, has even more impact, which is why I'm grateful for adversity and looking for an opportunity to get better from the adversity. I think that most definitely those have lasting lessons, (and I) won't be specific about it. I have very specific thoughts and (have) written down exactly what we learned and how we learned it and what we did for that.” This cryptic response hints at deeper, unspoken adjustments the team has made.
Adding to the positive outlook, veteran offensive tackle Jordan Mailata firmly stated on his radio show that "this is nowhere close to 2023," citing the quality of practices. He acknowledged the issues with in-game execution but emphasized that the dedication to detail and coaching is far superior to what he witnessed last year. Mailata's perspective carries significant weight within the locker room.
So, is it all doom and gloom? Not necessarily. The Eagles need to elevate their performance, particularly on offense. Their remaining schedule is among the easiest in the NFL (fourth-easiest based on opponent winning percentage), offering a prime opportunity to right the ship. They're currently where many analysts predicted they'd be at this point in the season. It's easy to get caught up in the negativity, but perhaps these comparisons are a bit of a stretch. The Eagles could very well forge a new path rather than repeating history. What do you think? Are the similarities to 2023 being overblown, or is there legitimate cause for concern? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
2. Offensive Fixes: Quick Tempo & Hurts' Legs
If there were an easy solution to the offensive struggles, it would have been implemented already. Knee-jerk reactions rarely work, so unless the Eagles genuinely believe there's someone on staff better suited to calling plays than Kevin Patullo, a demotion would likely be a scapegoat move rather than a genuine improvement. The key question is: What does the Eagles' offense do well, and how can they amplify those strengths?
Two immediate adjustments come to mind: increasing the tempo and better utilizing Jalen Hurts in the running game. Inside the locker room, there's a strong belief that the Eagles thrive when playing with tempo. The numbers support this: their EPA/play (Expected Points Added per play) is 0.09 in no-huddle situations (15th in the league) compared to -0.03 when huddling (22nd). If the offense is built on leveraging exceptional talent, let them play fast and exploit defensive mismatches. As for Hurts, his mobility is a game-changing asset. This season, there seems to be a conscious effort to limit his runs, perhaps with an eye towards preserving him for the playoffs. But it's no coincidence that the best drive of last week's game featured a timely Hurts run. When the offense needs a spark, his legs can provide it. Leaning into his running ability, at least to inject some energy into the offense, seems like a worthwhile strategy.
3. The Coaching Booth Debate: Should Patullo Move Upstairs?
The question of whether Kevin Patullo should call plays from the coaching booth has surfaced. It's worth noting that Patullo has always been on the sideline during his Eagles tenure, so his perspective hasn't changed this year. Moreover, in the past 14 years of covering the Eagles, they've never had a play-caller in the booth. (While Pat Shurmur was in the booth as Chip Kelly's offensive coordinator, he wasn't calling the plays). Could a different vantage point offer an advantage? It's a valid consideration, but that information can be relayed from other coaches in the booth. There's also a clear benefit to being on the field for direct communication between series.
Patullo himself addressed this, stating, "I think the communication with the players is important. I’ve been on, since I’ve been here in ’21, I’ve been on the field every time...I think there’s a lot of communication with players, coaches on the field, making sure adjustments are done correctly. I have conversations with Jalen, with the O-line, with the receivers that are very important. I’ve been on the field for a long, long time. I don’t think I’ve been in the box since maybe 2011 as a coach. So, it’s been a while. I think just the relationship I have with the guys and the communication has been good, and we’ve just got to continue to improve in other areas, and we’ll be alright.” His emphasis on in-person communication highlights the potential drawbacks of a move to the booth.
4. The Tush Push: Cracks in the Foundation?
Discussing the "tush push" can feel repetitive, but there's genuine intrigue surrounding the play this week. Hurts expressed unusual candor last week, suggesting the play is becoming "tougher and tougher" to execute ( [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6846287/2025/11/28/jalen-hurts-tush-push-fumble/]). Even Al Michaels noted during the Amazon broadcast that Hurts seemed to believe he could manage the play without the pushers. It's worth considering if Hurts' enthusiasm for the play is waning, despite its cult-like following. One potential issue is opponents attempting to strip the ball from Hurts' grasp. While seemingly obvious, officials struggle to determine when forward progress has stopped, leading to costly fumbles, like the one last week.
Hurts himself hinted at potential adjustments, saying, "There are multiple ways to run a quarterback sneak...There are multiple ways to attack short-yardage defense and short-yardage opportunities. And over my six years of being here, we’ve done that in multiple ways. So, just being able to have the versatility there, when needed, and knowing we have a great weapon with what we’ve been able to do with the quarterback sneak, but being able and just have all different things available for that. Those are things that are being discussed.” This suggests the Eagles are exploring alternative short-yardage strategies.
Notably, the Eagles have had no gain or a fumble on four of their last seven quarterback runs with one yard to go. The play is no longer the guaranteed success it once seemed.
Sirianni acknowledged the adjustments teams are making, stating, "They adjust, you adjust, you try to make complements off of it, as many as you can, to keep them honest...All the different things that you do to help. I know it’s a unique play that gets a lot of attention and a lot of talk, but you handle it the very same way. You still teach the fundamentals the same way you would in an inside zone and the adjustments that come off of that and the things that the defense is doing and how you can combat that."
5. Rookie Report: Patience Required (Except for One Pick)
With Jihaad Campbell seeing reduced playing time and Drew Mukuba sidelined due to injury, the Eagles didn't get any offensive or defensive snaps from their rookies in the last game. While this shouldn't lead to immediate judgment of the draft class (it's a mistake to evaluate a draft after only one year), there is cause for some concern. The best draft class Howie Roseman has had was in 2018, when the Eagles selected Dallas Goedert, Avonte Maddox, Josh Sweat, Matt Pryor and Mailata. Sweat and Mailata took time to develop before becoming front-line players at premium positions. It takes time to see how the class develops.
The one area where the Eagles are particularly critical is in the fourth round, when they selected Ty Robinson with the No. 111 overall pick. Considering that Robinson was 24 years old when drafted and plays a position where the Eagles lost two players from last year's rotation, this wasn't a pick for the future. This was a pick made to contribute this season. He's played 35 snaps. Robinson could see an increased role this week with Carter sidelined.
Campbell should also see more playing time on Monday. Fangio has said he should have played Campbell more last week.
Both Campbell and Mukuba have potential. We'll see how the rest of the class develops, but patience is needed to fully evaluate their contributions.
6. Draft Preview: Offensive Line a Priority?
Dane Brugler recently released an updated mock draft ([https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6852455/2025/12/03/nfl-mock-draft-2026-browns-raiders-dante-moore/]), projecting the Eagles to select Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane at No. 22 overall.
Brugler wrote, "One draft pick isn’t going to rectify the Eagles’ run-game woes, but adding an athletic mauler such as Ioane (pronounced “Yo-wahn-ay”) sure would help. Tyler Steen has been up and down in his first year as a starter, and the Eagles have to be concerned about Landon Dickerson’s long-term durability."
It would be surprising if the Eagles didn't address the offensive line within the first two rounds of the draft. They haven't selected an offensive lineman in the first two rounds in three years. (To be fair, Tyler Steen was the No. 65 overall pick in 2023, so he was close). Roseman has never gone back-to-back years without taking an offensive lineman in the first two rounds until this three-year run. It's reflected in the depth and the internal pipeline at the position. Brugler projects four offensive linemen to be selected between No. 17-32, making it a potential sweet spot for the Eagles to land one in the first round.
7. IR Stash: Lampkin's Season Over
The Eagles will not activate Willie Lampkin to the active roster this season. After practicing for three weeks, his window to return has expired, meaning he reverts to injured reserve. The Lampkin signing was more of a long-term play, taking a chance on a player who impressed them on preseason film after signing as an undrafted rookie with the Rams. The Eagles claimed him off waivers (losing Trevor Keegan in the process) and kept him on the roster before placing him on IR to ensure he remained within their organization. Lampkin will now have the offseason to compete for the backup center role next season. Between Lampkin, Cameron Williams, and Myles Hinton, the Eagles have strategically used injured reserve to stash intriguing rookie linemen. (The Eagles have until next Wednesday to activate Hinton or else he’ll revert to IR.) It's a sensible strategy to see if they can strike gold with a late-round pick and land a potential starter or valuable reserve, but it doesn't negate the need to invest a high draft pick in the offensive line this spring.
8. Becton's Departure: A Regret?
The decision to let Mekhi Becton leave in free agency resurfaces this week as he lines up on the opposite sideline. He was a valuable starter for the Eagles last season before signing a two-year, $20 million contract with Los Angeles, including $6.94 million guaranteed. The Eagles miss Becton's run blocking, although letting him walk made sense from a financial perspective. The Eagles have four starters being paid among the top at their positions on the offensive line. They need at least one starter who’s on a cost-controlled rookie contract. The Eagles invested in Tyler Steen’s development, and by Year 3, they thought he was ready to start. It made sense, and defections are part of the reality of a Super Bowl team. (Moving on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson felt less sympathetic because he was under contract.) However, if there is a fault in the Eagles' approach, it lies in their failure to adequately address the backup tackle position. Remember, Becton wasn't initially signed to start at right guard. Steen's injury during training camp opened the door, and Becton played too well to be removed from the lineup. There was no true competition for that spot this year. This is why using a first- or second-round pick on a tackle with swing capabilities (like Josh Simmons) might have been a prudent move.
It's also worth noting that Becton hasn't replicated his performance this season in Los Angeles. He's part of a depleted Chargers offensive line heading into Monday's game. To secure a victory, the Eagles' defensive line will need a dominant performance, even without Carter. Is this a case of the Eagles making the right long-term move, or are they regretting letting Becton walk? Let us know what you think in the comments!
