What experts are saying about the Eagles in their NFL Power Rankings

There were times, especially during that stretch of action that lasted from Week 2 through the first three quarters of Week 5 and that horrendous two-game stretch in Week 6 and Week 7 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders that made us feel like the 2021-2022 Philadelphia Eagles season was on its way to being the longest we’ve ever seen.

Sure, it was long in the sense that no one had ever experienced a 17-game, 18-week grind before, but did you watch those games? Did you see the Birds play the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys? That was excruciating!

Sometimes, though we probably shouldn’t say this, it felt like, if the NFL had some sort of three-knockdown rule, most Eagles fans would have had no problem with waiving the white flag. Take that game in Vegas for instance. Just watching those games took a toll on us all.

We persevered though, and so has this football team. Thanks to a heavy dose of the running game, decent defense, though inconsistent at times, and the heroics of an improving Jalen Hurts, the Eagles are back at .500 with three games remaining. Who would have thought that this could be a nine or ten-win team? It’s possible though.

Those are thoughts that we have all had since watching Philly win at home versus the Washington Football Team. Here’s a look at what some of the experts are saying as a result.

The Eagles are a middle-of-the-pack to a below-average team in Week 16 Power Rankings.

NFL Power Rankings, though subjective, have become a staple of the weekly evaluation process. You know, kind of like mock drafts. Nothing gets the blood flowing or a debate going like seeing where the experts rank your favorite team following a huge win or a brutal loss.

The Eagles got behind the eight ball early in Week 15 but steadied the ship. Next up is a Week 16 rematch versus the hated New York Giants. Where they fall in one NFL Power Ranking to another is all over the place. USA Today has them as high as number 16. ESPN has them as low as 23.

Other publications vary in their analysis as well, The Ringer and Yahoo Sports say they sit at 17. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports slots them at 21. Let’s take a look around and get some ideas on why there’s such a disparity.

We begin with Nate Davis’ take at USA Today:

"(They’re) now up to eighth place in NFC. They’re making a belated playoff run … by running. Philadelphia is (the) first team in 36 years to rush for at least 175 yards in seven straight games, and RB Miles Sanders is the first Philly player with back-to-back 100-yard efforts since LeSean McCoy in 2014."

Here’s Tim McManus’ take after ESPN drops Philadelphia from 20 to 23 following a win:

"Since (Nick Sirianni shifted his approach on offense to more of a ground-based attack), the Eagles are second in points per game (29.7), first in third-down efficiency (51.2%), and first in rushes of ten or more yards (40). Philadelphia (6-7) has won four of six games over that span and is now right in the thick of the playoff race. Sirianni has shown growth and a willingness to adapt, and he managed to keep his players on board despite a rocky 2-5 start. He has earned another year at the helm."

Hey, some of this is to be expected. These types of thoughts and theories are, more often than not, subjective right?

All that matters, at this point, is how the guys in the locker room feel about one another.