The Philadelphia Eagles just reminded the league-and maybe even themselves-of what they’re capable of when everything clicks. Coming off a dominant 31-0 shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15, the Eagles didn’t just win-they reset the tone. It was the kind of performance that makes you stop and say, “Okay, that’s the team we’ve been waiting to see.”
Let’s start with the defense, because they were downright stingy. The Raiders managed just 75 total yards.
That’s not a typo. It’s the fewest yards allowed by an Eagles defense since the 1950s.
In today’s NFL, where even struggling offenses usually find a way to move the ball, that kind of defensive lockdown is rare air. The front seven swarmed, the secondary suffocated, and the unit played with the kind of energy that’s contagious.
On the other side of the ball, Jalen Hurts looked every bit like the MVP candidate we’ve seen flashes of. Three touchdowns, only three incompletions-it was surgical.
Hurts didn’t just manage the game, he took control of it. His poise, decision-making, and connection with his receivers were on point, and behind a line that gave him time to operate, he made the most of it.
But maybe the most telling part of this win wasn’t in the box score-it was in the locker room. Linebacker Nakobe Dean summed it up perfectly when asked how the Eagles pulled it off: “Together we can do anything.
Our confidence didn’t waver one bit.” He talked about the joy the team still finds in practice, the dancing, the energy, the belief.
And that’s not just lip service. That mindset has been a lifeline for this team during a turbulent stretch.
Let’s not forget, this win came on the heels of a three-game skid that had fans and media alike raising eyebrows. Blowing a 21-point lead to the Cowboys, coughing up five turnovers against the Chargers-those weren’t just losses, they were gut punches.
But through it all, the Eagles didn’t fracture. No finger-pointing.
No panic. Just a team that kept showing up with the same energy and belief.
And yes, that includes the now-famous “positivity rabbit” that made its way into the locker room a couple weeks ago. It may have started as a joke, but in a city like Philly-where pressure is constant and expectations are sky-high-it’s not a bad reminder to find joy, even when things get tough. Head coach Nick Sirianni has been pushing that message hard, and while it might sound unorthodox, it’s clearly resonating.
Now, at 9-5 and sitting atop the NFC East, the Eagles are in control of their own destiny. A win next week against the Washington Commanders could lock up the division. And if this team continues to play with the same confidence, unity, and yes, joy, they’re going to be a tough out come January.
This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.
The Eagles aren’t just surviving the noise-they’re tuning it out completely. And if they keep playing like this, they might just be peaking at the perfect time.