Reasons for renewed Eagles optimism (and one area of growing concern)

The Eagles’ 28-3 victory over the Giants was impressive in its own right, even without factoring in Saquon Barkley's incredible performance thus far. This matchup highlighted the Eagles’ ability to control the game with staggering defensive stats and historical performances worth breaking down.

It wasn’t just about a dominant scoreline; it was a complete performance that showcased the team’s resilience, physicality, and strategic prowess on both sides of the ball.

From suffocating the Giants' offense to executing a relentless ground attack, the Eagles set the tone early and never looked back. Despite a few ups and downs through the Birds’ first six games this season, there are some eye-opening stats that need to be recognized.

The defense is setting the tone with relentless pressure.

The Eagles' defensive line was relentless, racking up eight sacks, tying for the 9th-most in franchise history. Over the past two games, the Eagles have recorded 13 sacks, marking the second-highest two-game total in team history.

The last time they achieved eight sacks in a single game was against Washington in the 2022 season. Impressively, this is the sixth time the Eagles have notched eight sacks against the Giants, marking the most allowed by New York in 14 years.

Additionally, Philadelphia held the Giants to 1.16 net yards per pass play—the lowest allowed by the Eagles in 23 years and the fifth-lowest in team history. For context, the last time they achieved such a low figure was against the Seahawks in 2001, holding them to 0.68 net yards per pass play.

The Giants managed just 119 total yards of offense, marking the fewest against the Eagles since Washington posted 89 yards in 2018. It was also the fewest yards by the Giants against Philly in 71 years, dating back to 1953 when they mustered only 92 yards.

The offense continues to lean on their strong rushing attack .

On the offensive side, the Eagles rushed for 269 yards—their highest total in a road game since 2000, known as the "Pickle Juice Game". This marks just the second time in 50 years they’ve surpassed 265 rushing yards on the road.

Philadelphia also posted 70 net passing yards, the fewest since 2003 against the Giants, but still managed to score 28 points, the third-highest output in franchise history with fewer than 50 net passing yards.

The Eagles’ offense was defined by a run-heavy approach, attempting 45 rushes and just 15 passes, marking the first time in 46 years they’ve had at least 45 runs and 15 or fewer pass attempts in a game. Interestingly enough, all of these instances have come against the Giants.

The Eagles also achieved back-to-back games without allowing an offensive touchdown for the first time since the 2017 Super Bowl season.

Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Saquon Barkley are becoming a legendary Eagles trio

Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown have developed into one of the most dynamic connections in Eagles history. With 20 touchdowns together, they rank 13th in franchise history for quarterback-receiver combinations, and 5th over the last 40 years.

It’s also worth noting that Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley have a combined total of nine rushing touchdowns this season—just one behind the top duos of Jayden Daniels/Brian Robinson Jr. and Lamar Jackson/Derrick Henry, who each have 10 rushing touchdowns combined.

Concern: The defense is playing well but isn't causing any turnovers.

Despite the back-to-back wins with limited turnovers, the overall struggles are apparent. They've gone 13 straight games without winning the turnover margin, the second-longest streak in team history.

The Eagles have also failed to record multiple interceptions in 33 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in NFL history. However, we’ve seen two occasions recently where likely interceptions did not follow through: Quinyon Mitchell and C.J. Gardner-Johnson's mix-up in Week 6, and Reed Blankship’s would-be third interception of the season called back by a defense penalty in Week 7.

Final thoughts, and Week 8 outlookk

The Eagles’ dominance over the Giants adds another chapter to a solid start to the season. From their relentless defense to a punishing ground game, the team has shown an ability to control games with historic numbers and performances.

Looking ahead to Week 8, the Bengals will present a different kind of challenge. After a rough 1-4 start, Cincinnati's defense has stepped up in recent weeks, helping the team to back-to-back wins despite inconsistent offense.

The Bengals haven't put together a complete performance in all three phases yet, but they’ve proven to be resilient, even in tight games. As the Eagles aim to build on their momentum, they’ll need to be prepared for a physical contest against a scrappy opponent hungry for another win.