Midseason report card: Philadelphia Eagles

Defense: B

The Eagles have lots of new faces on defense, including coordinator Sean Desai. Maybe that’s why they lost to Zach Wilson’s Jets in Week 6 and let Washington’s Sam Howell throw for 397 yards and four touchdowns in Week 8.

On the other hand, Philadelphia’s defense shut down Miami’s potent passing game, holding the Dolphins to 17 points in Week 7. The Eagles won’t flirt with the NFL sack record like they did last year but overall, this year’s squad isn’t far off from their 2022 numbers.

Philadelphia is allowing 12 more yards but 1.3 fewer points per game compared to last year. Things could change with games against the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys and 49ers on tap, but so far Eagles fans should feel pretty good about the defense.

Special Teams: C

Only Tennessee's Nick Folk has made more field goals than Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott. He’s perfect on kicks over 40 yards with a long boot of 61 yards. Britain Covey’s 14.7 yards per punt return are third-most in the league. Otherwise, the Eagles' special teams numbers are modest at best.

Coaching: A-

Nick Sirianni deserves a lot of credit for helping the team avoid a Super Bowl hangover. With the exception of the Jets game, Philadelphia seems motivated and prepared each week. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson needs to find a better run/pass balance, but overall the coaching staff has done a good job.

Extra Credit

Adding a two-time All-Pro safety like Kevin Byard at the trade deadline was a brilliant (and necessary) move by general manager Howie Roseman. Injuries have taken a hit on Philadelphia’s secondary and Byard remains under contract through 2024.