Eagles Reeling, But Vic Fangio’s Defense Offers a Lifeline
There’s no way around it - the Eagles are in a tailspin. After starting the season 8-2, they’ve now dropped three straight and sit at 8-5, looking far from the NFC powerhouse many expected.
What once looked like a team that could grind out wins in any situation now seems to be inventing new ways to lose. And for fans in Philadelphia, the déjà vu is hard to ignore.
This slump is stirring up memories of last season’s collapse - and for good reason. In 2023, the Eagles started 10-1 only to lose five of their last six games, culminating in a brutal 32-9 Wild Card loss to the Buccaneers.
The wins felt hollow even then, and the late-season unraveling confirmed what many suspected: something was off. Fast forward to now, and the parallels are eerie.
But here’s the thing - this year’s version of the Eagles has one major difference, and it’s on the defensive side of the ball.
Enter Vic Fangio.
The veteran defensive coordinator has brought much-needed stability to a unit that was in disarray last year. While the offense has been sputtering, Fangio’s defense is quietly becoming the backbone of this team - and possibly its last hope of salvaging the season.
Take Monday night’s loss to the Chargers. Yes, it was another “L” in the standings, but the defense showed up.
Despite losing the time of possession battle by nearly nine minutes (38:05 to 29:26), the Eagles held the Chargers to just 275 total yards. They forced two turnovers, sacked Justin Herbert seven times, and limited him to a mere 139 passing yards.
That’s not just solid - that’s dominant in today’s NFL.
Zoom out, and the numbers tell a more nuanced story. Philly ranks 22nd in total yards allowed, which might raise eyebrows at first glance.
But dig deeper: they’re ninth in points allowed, have given up the third-fewest passing touchdowns in the league, and are fourth in red zone defense. That’s classic Fangio - bend, don’t break.
And while the run defense still needs tightening, this group is playing with purpose and cohesion.
Fangio’s impact isn’t just philosophical - it’s personnel-driven, too. He’s been shaping this unit to fit his system, and the results are starting to show. With Jalen Carter expected to return soon, there’s a sense this defense hasn’t even hit its ceiling yet.
Contrast that with last year’s defensive disaster. In 2023, the Eagles finished 30th in points allowed, 26th in yards allowed, and were gashed through the air week after week.
They gave up the second-most passing touchdowns, ranked 23rd in takeaways, and were middle-of-the-pack in sacks. The defense allowed 30 or more points in four of their final seven games and held opponents under 20 just three times all season.
It was a unit without identity - and without answers.
The situation got so dire that the Eagles made a midseason change, sliding Sean Desai out of the play-calling role in favor of Matt Patricia ahead of Week 15. It was a desperate move, and the results didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
For context, Desai is now with the Bengals, who currently rank dead last in both points and yards allowed. That’s not a coincidence.
None of this is to say the Eagles are without issues. The offense is a mess, and it starts with the play-calling.
Kevin Patullo has been under fire all season, and Monday night did nothing to help his case. Jalen Hurts had arguably the worst performance of his career, matching his turnover total from the previous 12 games in just one night.
A.J. Brown hasn’t looked like the elite receiver he claims to be, Saquon Barkley is producing less than half of what he did last year, and the offensive line - once a gold standard - is now a disjointed, underperforming group.
It’s a far cry from the balanced, explosive team that made a Super Bowl run not long ago. But while the offense searches for answers, the defense is giving them something to hang their helmets on.
Fangio’s group isn’t just surviving - it’s competing at a high level. And in a year where the NFC feels wide open and no team looks invincible, that matters. The Eagles may not be the offensive juggernaut they once were, but if they can lean into their defensive identity and get even average production from the offense, there’s still a path forward.
This season might not end in confetti, but it doesn’t have to end in collapse either. The defense is too good for that. The question now is whether Jalen Hurts and the offense can rise to the occasion - because Vic Fangio’s unit is doing its part.