The Eagles didn’t just pitch a shutout on Sunday - they delivered a defensive clinic that might be remembered as one of the most suffocating performances of the season. Holding any NFL team scoreless is tough.
Holding them under 100 total yards? That’s a whole different level of dominance.
And that’s exactly what Philadelphia did.
“We knew we had the shutout working,” rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean said postgame. “But I think it was more about trying to hold them under 100 yards.
That’s what we were talking about on the sideline. And we did that.”
They sure did. The Eagles held the Raiders to just 75 total net yards - a paltry 1.8 yards per play - in a 31-0 rout at Lincoln Financial Field. That wasn’t just a win; it was a statement.
Veteran safety Marcus Epps was reportedly the one who first brought up the idea of holding Las Vegas under the century mark. Once the defense locked in on that goal, there was no letting up.
“That’s crazy,” linebacker Zack Baun said. “I haven’t done something like that since college.
But that’s really cool. Credit to our offense too, putting us in good situations.”
Let’s put this performance in perspective.
- This was Philadelphia’s first shutout since December 30, 2018 - a 24-0 win over Washington.
- The 31-point margin marked their largest shutout win since December 16, 1990, when they blanked the Packers by the same score.
- The 75 total yards allowed are the fewest by any NFL team this season - and the fewest since the Browns gave up just 58 yards to the Cardinals in November 2023.
- For the Eagles, it was their stingiest defensive outing in 70 years - not since December 4, 1955, when they gave up only 49 yards to the Chicago Cardinals, has this defense been that airtight.
This wasn’t just about stats, though. It was about pride.
“I take pride in being a good defense,” said linebacker Nakobe Dean. “I take pride in whatever defense I’m on being one of the best in the league.”
And on Sunday, they looked exactly like that.
Yes, the Raiders came in with one of the league’s least productive offenses. Yes, they were starting a backup quarterback.
But this is still the NFL - a league where even struggling teams can move the ball and put up points if you let your guard down. The Eagles didn’t.
“It feels great,” veteran pass rusher Brandon Graham said. “We know how hard it is to get a shutout in this league.
Every team can beat you. Everybody just went out and focused.
Even when we was in the game, nobody let up on nothing.”
The mission was clear: stop Ashton Jeanty, pressure the quarterback, and don’t give an inch. Mission accomplished.
The Eagles racked up four sacks - two from Graham, and one each from Nolan Smith and Moro Ojomo - but the pressure on Kenny Pickett went well beyond the box score. They collapsed the pocket, clogged the run lanes, and blanketed receivers all afternoon. The Raiders never found a rhythm, never crossed midfield with any real threat, and never looked remotely dangerous.
“It’s huge,” edge rusher Jaelan Phillips said. “It’s a pride thing at that point.
It’s pretty rare to shut out a team in the NFL. For us to be able to do that today, I thought we executed great.”
And they did it wire to wire. Leading 17-0 at halftime and 24-0 late in the fourth, the Eagles didn’t ease up.
There was no garbage-time yardage, no late-game lapses. They kept the hammer down for all 60 minutes.
That relentless effort was fueled in part by recent frustration. Coming into Week 15, the Eagles were riding a three-game losing streak, including a painful collapse in Dallas. That sting was still fresh.
“Well, we lost the last three games,” Dean said. “We lost in Dallas when we was up a couple touchdowns and then we lost the last two games. I don’t think it was hard at all for us to keep our foot on the gas.”
And now? With the defense finally playing to its potential, the Eagles might’ve just rediscovered their identity - and their edge.
“I don’t think it’ll be hard this week to keep it on the gas and for the rest of the season,” Dean added. “Because we know how it feels to lose. And we know what it takes.”
If Sunday was any indication, this defense knows exactly what it takes - and they’re ready to bring it.