I spent the last week in Sicily. I say this both as a humble brag and a warning that my body is currently 50% arancini, 40% Aperol spritz, and 10% water. The island was lush and beautiful. It felt like some sort of alternate reality where I woke up and got Freaky Friday’d into a Rick Ross music video. I ate a lot of pasta and raw fish and pasta with raw fish on top (which also sounds like a Rick Ross lyric). But what I was really hungry for was something that the land could not provide.
As intoxicating as Italy is it can’t match the creature comfort of the NFL Fox theme song. Or the strange excitement of Fox’s weird CGI robot/transformer whose sole purpose is to look cool while holding a CGI football (editor’s note: The robot’s name is Cleatus. And there’s a great Fast Company article that dives into his origin story. Like did you know the idea for Cleatus was created by the 7-year-old son of current Fox Executive Vice President Gary Hartley? Or that in 2012 Fox had this Twitter account for Cleatus that was made to sound like Chuck Norris?).
Anyway football is back baby and it’s time for pure uncut Philadelphia Eagles gameplay. RIP to my future Sunday plans. The plans I’ll never know like figs falling from the tree only to rot on the beer-soaked ground (this may be the first time anyone has referenced Sylvia Plath in an Eagles article).
I huddled in a dark corner of my hotel room at 10 p.m. Sicilian time, ignoring the way the moon kissed the shimmering ocean to seek the warmth of a random pirating site I used to watch the Birds. For the Philadelphia Eagles, this offseason has brought about dramatic changes. With a defense mostly intact and flush with young talent, the offense received the largest overhaul since the start of the Nick Sirianni era (Patullo - A.J. = Mannion + new scheme + Wicks/Brown/Lemon).
And with great changes come great expectations. Like getting a new shirt in Sicily that you can’t wait to wear home, hoping people will say, “Wow, is that shirt from Sicily? That’s so sick. You are so cultured. Everyone says that about you.” Our new shirt is Sean Mannion, the new offensive coordinator, who’s aiming to evolve what the Eagles have done for years. We’ll see if it fits or if it’s as baggy as the last one.
The Eagles defense faced Mannion’s fellow ex-quarterback, who was also not very good in the NFL but is now an offensive playcalling star in the making in David Blough. Will David Blough it? Is Sean the Mannion for the job? How many puns before you unsubscribe? After crashing out against the Niners last year and with the doubters at the gate, the Eagles are looking for a John Wick-level revenge tour in 2026.
That revenge tour started with a hard-fought win over the Washington Commanders (Manders? Or as my homie Law calls them, “the Commandos”) and their head coach who dresses like a gym teacher with a heart of gold, Dan Quinn. The game featured some highs and lows, while also reminding us that the Nick Sirianni era of Eagles football embraces wins of all shapes and sizes. Our hiatus from the Birds made us forget just how ugly those wins can look. Either way, Sirianni has never lost in Week 1.
Mannion’s offensive coordinating career started off with some bangs and some whimpers. Jalen Hurts had a strong three-touchdown performance including a clutch 22-yard run on a 3rd and 18 in the fourth quarter on a drive that ended in a Dallas Goedert touchdown. Dontayvion Wicks turned from caterpillar into butterfly with a strong first half. And on the other side of the ball, the Eagles mostly held Jayden Daniels and the Manders in check until fatigue hit the unit late in the game.
But what can we learn about this Eagles team from Week 1? The first week of the season can feel like a mirage or that Twitter debate about the color of this dress. You kind of see what you want to see. Last year in Week 1 the Raiders beat the eventual Super Bowl participant New England Patriots and the Broncos barely beat the Titans. It’s hard to gauge the performance of an Eagles squad that didn’t have most of their starters play in the preseason. But Week 1 can reveal a little bit about these teams. So, what did we learn about our beloved Birds?
1. The Offensive Line Will Have Growing Pains and Regular Pains
The hardest part of evaluating the Eagles’ offensive performance in Week 1 is that the offensive line really struggled. This unit allowed Hurts to be pressured by a newly blitz-happy Commandos defense all day and struggled to find consistent running room for Saquon Barkley outside of Shayshawn’s 42-yard inside zone run of beauty.
This is a reminder that the Birds’ offensive line is shifting to a wide zone system, the foundation of the Shanahan/McVay offense and something none of these linemen have ever done before. It’s supposed to make things easier on the offensive line by requiring a little less thinking and keeping lineman off an island. But still, it is brand new.
The communication on the line at times was worse than when I fail to pick up hints that my girlfriend wants me to do the dishes. The main issue was the interior line, especially Landon Dickerson, who played like a swing door. We now know that Dickerson’s struggles were due in part to a bone bruise on his knee that is landing him on IR for the next four games.
Dickerson will be replaced by second-year man Drew Kendall out of Boston College who had a strong preseason. The Eagles are fortunate to boast solid depth on the line this year. Still, we’ll see if the rest of the line can keep the wheels on track while they try to round the learning curve.
2. From Dontayvion Wicks to Don Wick
In this space we don’t use the name Dontayvion. We refer to the Eagles’ newest gem of a wide receiver simply as Don Wick. A man on a mission for revenge like you blew up his house and stole his puppy. When the Eagles traded for Wicks, the reviews were mixed. He’s a talented route runner with explosive play ability but had a serious case of rocks for hands with the Packers.
In Week 1, Wicks showed the ceiling is the sky. He caught a beautiful 64-yard pass from Jalen Hurts off play-action and capped off his half with a 9-yard touchdown. Wicks is an explosive playmaker who complements DeVonta Smith well. Unfortunately, Wicks and most of the offense came to a screeching halt in the second half. But if Hurts had time to navigate the pocket, I guarantee we would’ve seen a bigger day from Don Wick. I’m excited to see how he continues to grow in his expanded role in the Eagles offense.
3. This Eagles Defense is as Great as Their Offense Allows Them to Be
This Philadelphia Eagles defense has the potential to be the best unit that Vic Fangio has coached in Midnight Green. The Eagles defense mostly kept Jayden Daniels and this surprisingly potent Manders offense in check until the end of the game. Everything looked hard for Washington outside of some timely chunk plays (which unfortunately is all it takes to stay in the game). In a rare down game, Cooper DeJean had potentially his worst performance as an Eagle since his first start in Tampa Bay in 2024, getting worked by Stefon Diggs in the slot.
Zack Baun was a miracle. He is one of those players who can singlehandedly stop an offensive drive. He is a bulldozer and a black hole. On one drive, Baun defended a pass against Stefon Diggs before blowing up a screen pass to Jacory Croskey-Merritt on the next play. His story has officially shifted from NFL success to one of the greatest linebackers I’ve ever seen play the game.
This defensive line only accumulated one sack for the day but pressured Daniels relentlessly. And this was a line without star addition Jonathan Greenard, who’s out with a pectoral injury suffered in training camp. Daniels had to call his number multiple times to keep the Commandos in it, including one ridiculous first-down conversion where he outspun two Eagles defenders. (Side note: LSU learned that when you call Jayden Daniels’ number, make sure to retire #5 afterwards or he might come for you. My nephew recently added 3+2 in kindergarten and is facing a cease and desist from Daniels team.)
The secondary limited Terry McLaurin to two catches for 14 yards with his first catch not coming until the fourth quarter. The safeties held strong aside from a miscommunication on a Commanders touchdown pass to rookie Antonio Williams. What killed this defense was the Eagles offense. The Birds lost the time of possession game, holding the ball for 26 minutes compared to Washington’s 33. The defense looked absolutely gassed at the end of this one and were bailed out by a baffling shovel pass call from David Blough for a two-point conversion that would’ve tied the game.
If the Eagles can get their run game going in these second halves and give their defense a chance to rest, this unit could truly be great.
4. The Eagles Need to Exorcise Their Third Quarter Demons
A calling card of the vaunted Kevin Patullo shitshow offense was the Eagles’ inability to do anything in the third quarter of games. Unfortunately, Patullo left that card on the playsheet. Due to the inefficiency of the offensive line, the Eagles couldn’t settle into their run game in the second half and therefore struggled to incorporate the play-action concepts they had success with. The Eagles went 3-and-out on 3 out of 5 drives in the second half. They were stuck in the mud. Hopefully as the line patches things up, this team can get back to strong starts and using a healthy dose of the run game to keep momentum going.
5. The Aggression of Sean Mannion’s Offense
It’s hard to judge Mannion’s debut. The same way it’s hard to judge the taste of a coffee when you just brushed your teeth. But one thing that was encouraging is how aggressive Boys-2-Mannion loves to be. The Eagles generated the 5th-highest explosive play rate in Week 1, according to Sam Hoppen. There was the 64-yard pass to Wicks, the beautiful 17-yard rip from Hurts to Dallas Goedert for a touchdown, and the 42-yard run by Barkley. It’s great to see Mannion take advantage of Hurts deep ball superpower and keep this Eagles offense aggressive.
6. Jalen Hurts Gets a Software Update
I love saying things like we as a society for things that we as a society most likely aren’t thinking as a whole. Anyway we as a society are too hard on Jalen Alexander Hurts. The Hurts arguments fail to mention the moments he is a ceiling raiser. He’s a coach’s son. A player who embraces the offense until circumstances dictate otherwise. This game, the circumstances dictated otherwise and Hurts raised the ceiling when the team needed it most.
Despite being under relentless pressure, Hurts played a great game. He threw for three touchdowns and delivered a beautiful 22-yard scramble late in the game to keep the Eagles in it. But Hurts’ true superpower is his ability to improve. He is a software update incarnate.
Both of his touchdowns to Goedert were delivered in the middle of the field, part of the field where he’s struggled in the past. He rarely seemed rushed despite the endless pressure from the Manders front seven (a stark difference from earlier in his career). He perfectly placed a pass to DeVonta Smith on the sideline for 31-yards. Hurts is obsessed with process and has seemingly fully embraced Sean Mannion’s offense. I think this is just the start of what could be a special year for him.
7. Dallas Goedert Still Has “Fuck It I’ll Do It Myself” Mode
This is simply a celebration of Dallas Goedert. A dude who perpetually the Eagles are like “I don’t know should we bring him back” only to bring him back and have him win games by himself. The dude has the rare ability to tap into what I call “Fuck It I’ll Do It Myself Mode.” He is a walking touchdown. A secret weapon. A missile in Midnight Green. His second touchdown of the day was a pass from Hurts he stomped for 42-yards into the end zone. The rest of the talent on this offense makes us forget the special connection he has with Hurts. The Man Named After A City at times is the most important person on this Eagles offense.
8. Can the Eagles Turn a Lemon into Lemonade?
I like Makai Lemon. I think he has the potential to be a special receiver. But injuries in training camp have limited how much he’s been able to come along. The Eagles are working this wide receiver room with a positionless basketball like mentality. That’s showcased in how they used Lemon in Week 1.
At his best, my guy Makai is a dynamic slot receiver. That’s where his skills are best suited. But the Eagles moved Lemon all over the formation. It’ll be something to keep track of as the weeks go on. I hope the Eagles mostly rely on Lemon in the slot (where his lone catch out of the flat came from) as the rookie gets acclimated to the NFL. It will be a slow start for Lemon, but I have faith he’ll get there if the Birds play this right.