The Philadelphia Eagles were pushed around and laughed off the field by the New York Giants back in Week 6, a clear rock-bottom moment for an Eagles franchise currently living through its glory years.
Philly flipped the script in a big way in the Week 8 rematch — and a personnel change few saw coming helped set the tone.
Two weeks after giving up 172 rushing yards and four touchdowns to the Giants in a 34-17 loss at MetLife Stadium, the Eagles punched back, holding QB Jaxson Dart and company to 68 yards on 21 total attempts.
The aggressive downhill play of middle linebacker Nakobe Dean made a clear and obvious difference. The veteran finished second on the team with four solo tackles, and the bigger story entering Philly’s bye week might be the young rising star he's taking snaps away from.
Philadelphia Eagles veteran Nakobe Dean might’ve just taken the MLB job away from ascending rookie Jihaad Campbell
Campbell’s steady play alongside Zack Baun in the middle of Philly’s defense has been a major early-season storyline for the Eagles, but that story took a noticeable turn.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may have not-so-subtly revealed his preference at middle linebacker, as Dean aligned in that spot 32 times to Campbell’s 10 against the Giants, according to Pro Football Focus; Campbell’s 19 defensive snaps overall were a season low.
Nakobe Dean played 32 snaps against the Giants compared to just 19 for Jihaad Campbell.
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) October 27, 2025
That's a season-low for Campbell, who played noticeably less in the #Eagles nickel defense today than in weeks past.
Campbell’s reduction in playing time was noticeable. He entered Week 8 averaging 63.4 snaps per game, and played 60 in Week 7 with Dean mixing in at middle linebacker in Philly’s win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Eagles fans wondered where Dean would fit in Vic Fangio’s defense, with Campbell performing well and Dean coming off January surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon. It appears now that we were asking that question about the wrong player.
Dean was enjoying a career year in 2024 before injuring his knee during Philly’s wild-card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. He now finds himself in an intriguing spot — as a 24-year-old veteran facing legitimate roster competition in a contract year.
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If Dean does indeed reassume his role as Philly’s MLB next to Baun, Campbell’s potential move to more of an outside linebacker will be one to watch. Campbell lined up on the defensive line for a season-high 28 snaps against the Vikings, per PFF, and he could be poised for more reps on the edge with Dean’s experience and physicality already serving as a boon to the Eagles’ defense.