Eagles struggle to play complete game in win over Patriots

But after the Eagles built this cushion, they seemed to think their work was done. Philadelphia didn't find the end zone the rest of the game while New England quarterback Mac Jones woke up to throw for 316 yards and three touchdowns. Three second-half field goals from kicker Jake Elliott proved to be the difference as a laugher turned into a nail-biter, with the Eagles only winning by a final score of 25-20.

Sunday's game continued a worrisome trend for the Eagles that began last season. In their 20 games played in 2022 (both regular and postseason), Philadelphia outscored their opponents in the first half by a margin of 369-196. In the second half, however, that margin shrunk to 212-200. The Eagles would dominate the opposition over the first two quarters but would pump the brakes after halftime. Given Sunday's result, not much has changed.

Philadelphia's inability to play consistently over four quarters was never more apparent than in Super Bowl LVII last February. The Eagles took a 24-14 halftime lead over Kansas City, but the Chiefs took over in the second half by scoring 24 points to the Eagles' 11 and winning by a final of 38-35. Teams seem to figure out Philadelphia's game plan by halftime and adjust their own game plan accordingly, while Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and his coordinators struggle to counter those adjustments.

If the results of Week 1 are any indication, the road back to the Super Bowl won't be easy for the defending NFC champions. The Detroit Lions upset Kansas City on Thursday night, the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys each cruised to resounding wins and the Green Bay Packers don't appear to have lost a step in their quarterback transition. Even the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked sharp in surprising road wins. The Eagles appear to have their hands full this season. The least they can do is learn how to play a complete game.