I think I'm finally at the point that most fans seem to have arrived at; admitting that the defense is the true strength of this team. I had believed, as I think most did, that the offense would be the strength of this team and that that best we could reasonably expect from the defense would be "above average". I was wrong! It's certainly possible that the offense still has some room to grow (the only game in which they were fully healthy was the season opener in Brazil, a game in which they scored 34 against a tough Packer defense), but for now, the stop unit is carrying the team.
To what degree has this group been dominant? Let's count the (statistical) ways:
Yards per game: 282.8 (1st)
Points per game: 18.2 (3rd)
First downs per game: 17.8 (3rd)
Yards per play: 4.8 (1st)
Passing YPG: 178.0 (3rd)
Rushing YPG: 104.8 (7th)
Passer rating allowed: 83.3 (6th)
Sack rate: 8.5% (6th)
ANY/A allowed: 4.9 (3rd)
Missed tackles/game: 5.7 (12th fewest)
3rd down conversion rate allowed: 33.3% (T-2nd)
Red zone scoring rate allowed: 45.9% (5th)
Perhaps you prefer more advanced statistics? Let's check those out:
EPA/game: 1.50 (4th)
Score percentage allowed: 32.3% (6th)
Defensive FPI: 2.0 (3rd)
Defensive DVOA: (4th)
DSRS: 5.3 (3rd)
Massey NFL defensive rating: 3.02 (5th)
With very few exceptions, there's really nothing that this defense doesn't do well. If you want to nitpick you can find a few things (defensive yards per rush attempt allowed is mediocre, as is 4th down conversion rate allowed), but to bring that kind of thing up is exactly as I described it: nitpicking.
Here's an argument that you may hear as a counter to all of what I've said so far: "Well, the Eagles haven't played a tough schedule!". Thankfully we have counterarguments for that point, starting with the fact that most of the advanced metrics cited above factor in strength of schedule. Beyond that, chew on these thoughts:
Philly leads the league in yards per game allowed despite the fact that seven of their 12 opponents have averaged better than the league average of 336.9 yards per game gained.
The average NFL team gains 5.4 yards/play. The Eagles have played eight of their 12 games against teams that average that or better, including four of the top six teams in that category. Philly's opponents collectively have averaged 5.66 yards/play in non-Eagles games; again, the Birds have permitted only 4.78 YPP.
Philly has faced seven QBs so far who have above average passer ratings, seven QBs with above average QBR ratings, six QBs with above average PFF scores and eight QBs with above average ANY/A ratings. So much for the old "Eagles can't stop elite QBs" narrative. Speaking of old narratives...
From 2021-2023, the Eagles' defense was coordinated by total frauds and folded like a cheap suit every time it faced a top offense. Over those three seasons, the Eagles played 14 total games (excluding the '21 Dallas game where we sat our starters and the Cooper Rush Dallas game from '22) against top eight offenses by OSRS; they went 5-9 in those games and allowed 30.9 PPG. So far this year, we've played five games against top eight offenses, racking up a 4-1 record and only permitting 23.2 PPG. Defensive collapses against capable offenses torpedoed each of the last three seasons and in that regard it appears we're on better footing this year so far.
Another point worth making: the defense, as we all know, really came together after the bye, but they weren't a disaster before the bye either. Philly's first four opponents (Packers, Falcons, Saints, Bucs) have collectively averaged 24.8 PPG in non-Eagle games; Philly only permitted them 24 PPG on the dot. Even while struggling, they played at an above-average level. Of course, since that time, here's the point totals permitted (removing non-offensive scores and garbage time scores): 9, 3, 17, 15, 6, 10, 14, 12 (10.75 PPG).
The truth is that you can cite these sort of stats for hours but I think the point is made. The Eagles right now are playing the old fashioned formula of a brutal run game + a top shelf defense + avoidance of turnovers (side note: Jalen is currently on an eight game run in which he's committed only three "turnover worthy plays"; that's tied for the fewest in any eight game stretch for his entire career); that formula still works in football and these last eight games have proven as much. There are few teams that I would have thought would be able to exploit that formula, but Baltimore was one of those teams and Philly showed the ability to beat them anyway (on the road, no less).
Final analysis: if Philly can get healthy (as we expect them to; only BG is currently out for the season), the defense ought to stay hot and the offense may finally catch up. The Birds should be a brutally tough out, at a minimum, for pretty much anyone that they may need to face.
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