Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) score on a 19-yard touchdown run during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
Somewhere around 7:45 P.M. on Sunday night, we all suffered that sinking feeling as the 49ers ran out the clock and beat the Eagles 23–19 to advance to the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFC Playoffs.
Suddenly, we all just became a little more available this upcoming weekend with the Eagles not playing. And as bone-crushing as the final moments of the 2025–2026 Eagles season were, there is good news for Eagles fans. Let’s look at the reasons why the despair should end by this weekend (please let it end.)
Let’s start with a hard reality. One look at the Eagles predictable 4th and 11 play-call to end the season, and you understood why Philadelphia had almost no chance of making a 2026 return to the Super Bowl. Even with one of the finest defenses in the history of the Eagles, the poorly-prepared leading to a woefully inept offense on the same sideline that just completed eighteen games was highly unlikely to go on the road (most probably) to win two or even three more games.
Reason #2. Kevin Patullo is no longer coordinating the offense. Tuesday’s headline from the Novacare Complex seems like a knee-jerk reaction to place blame on one person for the offensive woes that didn’t just last for four quarters — but lasted for eighteen games (Kellen Moore is unavailable as he is still the Head Coach of the New Orleans Saints.)
The Eagles still maintain one of the best defenses and offenses in the NFL. On defense, they will return the best duo of young cornerbacks (and now All-Pro) in the NFL in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. They have a formidable linebacking corps in Nakobe Dean, Jihaad Campbell, and Zach Baun. And they still have a devastating pass rush complete with one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, Jalen Carter.
It’s hard to see at this moment, but they also have one of the finest offenses in the NFL. Jalen Hurts is a Super Bowl MVP, Saquon Barkley is still one of the best running backs in the league, and they still have All-Pro players like Dallas Goedert, AJ Brown, and Devonta Smith (at least for now.) And still the best right tackle in the game in Lane Johnson (who did not play in the playoffs.)
And this core group of Philadelphia Eagles is still young. Jalen Hurts is 27 years old and Saquon Barkley is 28. Devonta Smith is 27. Jalen Carter is 24. Cooper DeJean is 22 and Quinyon Mitchell are both 24. And Jihaad Campbell is 21.
It wasn’t the Eagles year, but they still have plenty of youth on their side, they have an offense that is still capable of scoring 30 points per game, and a defense that is even scarier. For many, however, the cold, dark playoff-less January 2026 might seem worrisome. But these Eagles still have plenty of confidence left in the tank.
They have plenty of talent, too.
