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  • Eagles losing skid moves to three games with turnover-laden OT loss at Chargers

    Eagles losing skid moves to three games with turnover-laden OT loss at Chargers

    INGLEWOOD, Calif. — On Monday night, the Hollywood lights were too bright for Jalen Hurts.

    The fifth-year starting quarterback tossed a single-game career-high four interceptions in the Eagles’ 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Backup safety Tony Jefferson called game, picking off Hurts near the end zone on a pass intended for Jahan Dotson.

    The game went to overtime after Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker tied it, 19-19, with eight seconds remaining in regulation. The Eagles won the toss, and the Chargers had the first possession. Vic Fangio’s defense got gashed on the ground, but limited the Chargers to a field goal, giving the offense a chance to win the game with a touchdown.

    On the first play of the drive, Justin Herbert kept the ball and rushed right for a 12-yard gain punctuated by a stiff-arm on Reed Blankenship with his injured left hand. Omarion Hampton followed it up with an 18-yard run to the same side.

    Ultimately, the Chargers were forced to settle for a 54-yard field goal.

    Grading the Eagles’ loss to the Los Angeles Chargers

    The Chargers and the Eagles scored one touchdown apiece. Los Angeles scored on its opening drive on a 4-yard pass to Hampton, while Saquon Barkley notched a 52-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter off a Tush Push fake.

    Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ third straight loss:

    Hurts throws four picks

    Entering Monday, Hurts had thrown two interceptions all season. He tossed four against the Chargers and also fumbled the ball away as he went 21-of-40 for 240 yards (31.2 quarterback rating).

    Forget 2023. The Eagles are in bigger trouble now after their loss to the Chargers.

    No play better encapsulated Hurts’ struggles than his second-quarter interception and the chaos that ensued. On third-and-2, with the Eagles in the red zone for the first time that evening, Hurts dropped back out of an empty set. He tried to fit the ball into a tight window over the middle for A.J. Brown, but Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand was lurking underneath and made the interception.

    Will Shipley tried to save the day, punching the ball out of Hand’s hands. Hurts grabbed the loose, bouncing ball, but Chargers defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell then knocked it free from the quarterback’s grasp. Linebacker Troy Dye fell on the ball at the Chargers’ 43, bringing the wonky — and extremely rare — play to an end.

    Hurts turned the ball over a third time on the ensuing drive. On second-and-10 from the Eagles’ 28, Hurts attempted a pass for DeVonta Smith, but cornerback Donte Jackson undercut the pass and picked it off.

    The third interception came halfway through the fourth quarter on a pass over the middle intended for Brown. The ball bounced off Brown’s hands and into cornerback Cam Hart’s.

    Jalen Hurts had one of the worst performances of his NFL career in LA.

    Hurts nearly had two more interceptions. On the first play of the second quarter, Hurts overthrew Jahan Dotson in the slot on third-and-4 from the Eagles’ 15-yard line. His pass was nearly intercepted by safety R.J. Mickens, but the ball hit the turf before he corralled it, making it an incomplete pass.

    He also missed Brown late in the fourth quarter as the Eagles attempted to break the 16-16 tie. Hurts was hit by outside linebacker Khalil Mack as he tried to fit a pass into a tight window. Jackson got a hand on the ball, forcing the Eagles to punt.

    When it was pointed out to Hurts after the game that not turning the ball over has typically been a point of pride for the quarterback, he reframed the statement.

    “I think winning is a point of pride to me,” Hurts said. “That’s why we play the game. And I’ve got to find ways to lead our team to victories. It’s not something that’s foreign to us. We’re just not able to do it at the moment. It starts with me and how I play, how I lead, and how I go out there and do my job. So, when I look at it at any point, it’s about how I respond to a test. How I respond to it and what level of resilience and resolve I have to push forward and figure things out.”

    Hurts wasn’t the only player who faltered. Drops plagued the Eagles receivers in critical moments. With just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Brown dropped a would-be 26-yard touchdown pass. On the following play, Hurts got the ball out to Smith while being blitzed, but the wide receiver failed to control it.

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown drops a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter Monday.

    Near defensive domination

    The Chargers ultimately had just six points to show for Hurts’ turnovers.

    The defense, especially Nakobe Dean, tightened up after conceding a touchdown on the Chargers’ opening drive that gave them a 7-0 lead. Dean failed to pick up Chargers running back Kimani Vidal on a dump-off pass, a desperation play that turned into a 60-yard gain.

    Linebacker Nakobe Dean was part of a group that made life rough on Justin Herbert.

    But Dean was one of the keys to the Eagles’ ability to generate pressure up front in the absence of Jalen Carter. On the Chargers series following Hurts’ second interception, Dean blitzed the A gap, and Hampton didn’t hold up in pass protection.

    Dean took down Herbert and knocked the ball out in the process. Byron Young fell on top of the loose ball, ensuring that the Chargers wouldn’t capitalize on the interception.

    The defensive line also got pressure on Herbert by taking advantage of a weak offensive line. On third-and-4 from the Chargers’ 37, Jaelan Phillips pushed third-string right tackle Bobby Hart back and managed to get a hand on Herbert’s right arm as he launched a pass for tight end Oronde Gadsden. But the ball fluttered in the air short of its intended target, allowing Adoree’ Jackson to leap up and snag it.

    Zack Baun also got a piece of Herbert when he blitzed the A gap late in the third quarter, breezing past Hampton for a sack split with Jordan Davis on second-and-13.

    After Hurts’ third interception, the Eagles defense limited the Chargers to a 31-yard field goal, which tied the game, 16-16. Once again, the Eagles’ defensive front swarmed Herbert on the third-and-3 drop back beforehand, forcing the quarterback to throw the ball away.

    Davis earned a full sack late in the fourth quarter as the Chargers sought to break the tie. He cleaned up the initial pressure generated by Nolan Smith that forced Herbert to step up in the pocket on third down.

    Jake Elliott made four field goals but also had a critical miss just before halftime.

    Special-teams woes

    It’s been a tough second half of the season for Jake Elliott, the Eagles’ ninth-year kicker. In his last six games entering Monday, he missed four field goal attempts and an extra point.

    His struggles continued against the Chargers. At the end of the first half, Elliott missed a 48-yarder wide left. The Eagles trailed, 10-6, at halftime.

    After the game, Elliott said that he felt like he struck the ball well on the miss, even though he was forced to prepare for the attempt quickly on the heels of Herbert’s interception and before the end of the half. Still, he lamented his misses in recent weeks.

    “They need to stop,” Elliott said. “I feel like I’m striking the ball well. Last week [against the Chicago Bears], obviously, windy conditions. But no excuses here indoors. It’s frustrating.”

    Elliott wasn’t the only special teams player who made mistakes. On the Chargers’ 36-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter, Moro Ojomo used leverage to boost himself on the back of left tackle Jamaree Salyer, earning Ojomo an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The play gave the Chargers a fresh set of downs from their own 9-yard line.

    Luckily for Ojomo, the Eagles defense held up in the red zone again. Young sacked Herbert on second down, and the Chargers quarterback threw an incomplete pass for Vidal on third. Los Angeles settled for a field goal again for a 13-6 lead late in the third quarter.

    Elliott attempted to make up for his miss late in the third quarter. The Eagles had sputtered at the Chargers’ 36, partially thanks to Barkley’s shotgun run for a loss of four yards on second-and-10. This time, Elliott made the 54-yard field goal, cutting the Chargers’ lead to 13-9.

    Injury report

    Late in the second quarter, Landon Dickerson exited the game with a calf injury. Brett Toth took over for him at left guard.

    However, Dickerson returned late in the third quarter with the Eagles down, 13-9.

  • Saquon Barkley’s uncomfortable truths, plus the Eagles rooting for the Lions and another replay fail

    Saquon Barkley’s uncomfortable truths, plus the Eagles rooting for the Lions and another replay fail

    “They wanted it more.” — Saquon Barkley, after the Eagles blew a lead and lost at Dallas.

    “Honestly, I think it’s been awful.” — Saquon Barkley, assessing the Eagles’ game-day juice, after the Eagles lost the following game on Black Friday to the Bears.

    What will Saquon say if the Eagles lose a third straight game when the visit the Chargers on Monday Night Football?

    Whatever it is, believe it. It’s the truth. His truth.

    What we’ve learned in Barkley’s 32 games as an Eagle is he speaks his truth. It is a refreshing and unvarnished truth, and not everyone always agrees with that truth.

    Eagles coach Nick Sirianni “saw the effort sky-high” all game long in Dallas and has emphasized that the effort level remains high.

    Lots of folks criticized Barkley in April when he not only attended the Eagles’ White House reception (several teammates, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, conveniently discovered scheduling conflicts), he also golfed and lunched with President Trump the day before, even as Trump advanced his scurrilously racist agenda.

    Saquon Barkley got cozy with Donald Trump. Jalen Hurts declined. So what?

    Barkley didn’t care.

    He didn’t care that Nick clapped back. He didn’t care that I clapped back.

    Barkley is 28. One day he might regret his words or actions. One day he might speak and act with greater discretion.

    For now, even while living as a celebrity in a world of unprecedented scrutiny, he’s saying what he feels and doing what he wants.

    For that, he should be commended.

    Go, kneecap-biters

    In 2021, Sirianni’s disastrous introductory press conference was largely overshadowed by comparisons to Dan Campbell’s outrageous presser, in which he promised his Lions would bite off kneecaps.

    Since their memorable arrivals, Campbell has been nearly as successful as Sirianni. Many Eagles players and coaches expected to face the Lions in the NFC Championship game, and they were quietly pleased as the Lions stumbled through the season.

    Now, they’re rooting for the Lions.

    The Bears’ loss to the Packers on Sunday helped the Eagles’ chances to secure the No. 1 seed and a bye in the NFC. The Packers are 9-3-1 and atop the NFC North. The Bears are 9-4, and the Eagles can move to 9-4 with a win Monday night, through the Bears hold that tiebreaker.

    However, after they play the Browns next week, the Bears face the Packers again, then the 49ers, and finally, Campbell and the Lions to end the season. The Lions blew out the Bears in Week 2.

    The Rams’ win at Arizona put them at 10-3 and they remain atop the conference with the best chance at the bye, but they face the Lions and the Seahawks, who they barely beat at home, as well as the Falcons and Cardinals.

    The Packers face the Broncos, Bears, Ravens, and Vikings.

    The Eagles will face the Raiders, Commanders, Bills, then the Commanders again. The only game they won’t be favored in will be at Buffalo. If they finish 4-1, a 12-5 record could secure the top seed. Don’t scoff: The Chargers, Raiders, and Commanders all have injured starting quarterbacks.

    What’s the Eagles’ most likely path to the No. 1 seed?

    First, they would need the Rams to lose the next two weeks. One of those losses would be to the Lions. That would leave the Rams at 12-5, but the Birds have the tiebreaker since they beat the Rams.

    Second, they would likely need the Bears to beat the Packers, then lose to the 49ers … and Lions. That would leave the Bears at 11-6.

    Third, they would need the Packers to lose to the Broncos and, probably, the Ravens. That would leave the Packers at 11-5-1.

    Where would all of that Lions winning leave the Lions? At 12-5, that’s where. The Eagles beat the Lions on Nov. 17, and so hold that tiebreaker.

    So, go, knee-biters.

    The curse of replay

    Replay stinks.

    My stance: Review every play or review nothing, and do so with replay officials located in the booth rather than forcing coaches to challenge.

    My point: Too often, reviewing plays to the letter of the law robs us of plays that follow the spirit of the game. Just ask the Ravens.

    Leading, 27-22, midway through the fourth quarter Sunday, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to catch his own batted pass — but he also appeared to lose possession as he fell to the ground and to have the ball snatched from him. The initial call awarded the Ravens an interception at the Steelers’ 31-yard line with 6:26 to play. However, upon mandatory turnover review, Rodgers was ruled down by contact, even though his possession seemed far too flimsy to reverse the call. The Steelers kept the ball and punted.

    Certainly, the Rodgers ruling was much more convincing than another play that was reversed upon review four minutes later.

    Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely caught a go-ahead touchdown pass, took one step, took another as he extended the ball away from defender Joey Porter Jr., but before he landed a third step, Porter knocked the ball from his hands. The initial ruling of a touchdown was overturned, and, two plays later, the Ravens turned the ball over on downs.

    Likely didn’t tuck the ball away, and he didn’t get a third step down, so it was ruled incomplete. The call might have been right, but the rule is dumb, and its enforcement Sunday was ridiculous.

    These plays happened minutes apart in the same game that, for the moment, gave the 7-6 Steelers the AFC North lead and bumped the 6-7 Ravens out of the playoff picture.

    Replay slows the game. It also it affords officials the chance to interpret plays in a counterintuitive manner. Officials are terrified to not apply the letter of the law, even when the spirit of the law aligns better with common sense.

    Zach Ertz, humanitarian, might be done

    Zach Ertz, one of the Eagles’ heroes in Super Bowl LII, ended a possible Hall of Fame career when he suffered a torn ACL on Sunday. Ertz planned to retire after this, his 13th season. Ertz only went to three Pro Bowls, from 2017-19, but he ranks in the top 10 in receptions (5th), yards (8th) and TDs (10th) for a tight end.

    Zach Ertz dives over the Patriots’ Devin McCourty to score the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl LII.

    Ertz and his wife, Julie, a soccer star for the U.S. Women’s National Team, spread goodwill wherever they played and lived, be it in Pennsylvania/New Jersey, Arizona, or the Washington, D.C. area. He might never get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he’s become a Hall of Fame person.

    Too tough?

    Before Sunday, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was in the middle of a career resurrection, but he also had played three games with a broken bone in his left leg. He was one of several quarterbacks playing with what appeared to be significant injuries to non-throwing appendages: Aaron Rodgers’ left wrist, Jayden Daniels’ left elbow, and Justin Herbert’s left hand, which was surgically repaired just a week ago but was not expected to keep Herbert out of Monday’s game against the Eagles.

    Daniels played with the aid of a brace from a company called Protect3D, begun by two clever former Duke teammates who helped Jones play in college with a broken collarbone by 3-D printing a similar protective device. It was a cool story.

    On Sunday, however, Jones collapsed with a non-contact injury to his right Achilles tendon. This brings into question whether playing on the broken left leg created stress on the right Achilles, and whether Jones should have been playing at all.

    Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) grabs his leg after an injury during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

    He was anticipating a massive free-agent contract extension in 2026. Now, he’s looking at unemployment and a season lost to rehab.

    Extra points

    On Sunday night, the Chiefs lost to the Texas in Kansas City to fall to 6-7, with possible losses to the Chargers and Broncos on the horizon. After reaching five of the past six Super Bowls and winning three of them, the Chiefs are likely to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. … Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders, who played under Deion Sanders at Colorado before falling to the fifth round of the draft, threw for 364 yards and with three touchdowns, an interception, and a rushing touchdown in a 31-29 loss to the Titans. It was his third start. He’d thrown for 358 yards in his first two starts combined. … The NFL has enjoyed the careers of running quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham, Cam Newton, Steve Young, and Steve McNair, but in less than eight seasons Josh Allen holds the rushing TD record, which he extended Sunday to 77. That’s two more than Newton, who played 11 seasons. Notably, Hurts is in third place with 63 rushing TDs, and he’s played less than six seasons.

  • Gameday Central: Eagles vs Chargers

    Gameday Central: Eagles vs Chargers

    The Eagles head into tonight’s matchup against the Chargers with strong momentum, looking to solidify their position in the NFC race and build on their season’s progress. After a hard-fought stretch, they’re aiming to make a statement under the primetime lights. Join Olivia Reiner & Jeff McLane on Gameday Central for expert analysis, insider insights, and live updates throughout Eagles-Chargers tonight.

  • Updated NFL playoff picture: Eagles in surprisingly good shape, four teams eliminated

    Updated NFL playoff picture: Eagles in surprisingly good shape, four teams eliminated

    Yes, the vibes are bad, but the Eagles (8-4) enter Week 14 in surprisingly good shape, as far as the playoffs are concerned.

    Despite losing two straight, the Birds can tighten their grip on the NFC East and improve their chances of earning the No. 1 seed with a win Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4). Though it won’t be easy.

    Send some thank you notes to Detroit (8-5). The Lions’ 44-30 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) Thursday night gave the Eagles a much-needed playoff boost. But they’ll need more help to move back into the NFC’s top spot.

    Unfortunately, they didn’t get any help from former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, now the embattled head coach of the Arizona Cardinals (3-10). The Cardinals were blown out 45-17 at home by the Los Angeles Rams (10-3), moving Matt Stafford and company back into the NFC’s No. 1 spot.

    Regardless what happens, the Eagles will end the week in the No. 3 seed. The Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) moved into first place in the NFC North and the NFC’s No. 2 seed thanks to their 28-21 win against the Chicago Bears (9-4).

    As a result, the Bears slide down six spots, from No. 1 all the way down to No. 7, the NFC’s final wild card.

    The good news is the Eagles hold tiebreakers against the Rams, Packers (though it likely won’t come into play because of Green Bay’s tie), Lions, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6), and just two of the Birds’ final five games are against opponents with a winning record.

    The bad news is the Eagles would need the Rams to lose two of their final four games to have a chance at overtaking them. That could also create more headaches for the Eagles, with the Rams tied with the Seattle Seahawks (10-3) and just one game up on the San Francisco 49ers (9-3) in a tight NFC West.

    Currently, the Eagles have just a 5% chance to land the No. 1 seed, according to the New York Times’ playoff simulator, but that would improve slightly with a win Monday night.

    NFC East standings

    Nick Sirianni and the Eagles have the NFC East all but wrapped up.

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    To win the NFC East and clinch their fifth-straight playoff berth, the Eagles’ magic number — combined Birds’ wins and/or Cowboys’ losses — is now three. That will drop to two with a win Monday night against the Chargers.

    Barring a 2023-level collapse, the Birds will become the first team in 21 seasons to win the NFC East in back-to-back years. That would mean hosting at least one playoff game at the Linc.

    As for the Cowboys, may the odds forever be in their favor. With four games left on their schedule, Dallas has just a 9% chance of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times. That would drop to 6% with an Eagles win Monday night.

    Even if the Cowboys win their four remaining games — at home against the Chargers and Minnesota Vikings (5-8), on the road against the Washington Commanders (3-10) and New York Giants (2-11) — Dallas would still need the Eagles to lose three of their final five games to take the division.

    NFC playoff picture

    Caleb Williams and the Bears slid all the way down from the No. 1 seed to the No. 7 spot Sunday.

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    With nine teams bunched together atop the NFC, there were no playoff clinching scenarios in Week 14.

    But a couple of teams were eliminated.

    The Commanders slim playoff hopes were extinguished Sunday in a 31-0 blowout loss to the Vikings.

    The same goes for the Atlanta Falcons (4-9), who were eliminated from playoff contention after being defeated by the Seattle Seahawls (10-3). That will make it eight straight seasons without a postseason appearance for Atlanta.

    Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers (7-6) are still in the hunt, thanks to their upset win against the Los Angeles Rams last week and Sunday’s Buccaneers loss. Carolina has a bye this week and faces Tampa Bay twice in the final four weeks of the season.

    AFC playoff picture

    Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos moved up to the AFC’s No. 1 spot.

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    As with the NFC, there were no clinching scenarios in the AFC this week, but a couple of teams were eliminated.

    The Cleveland Browns (3-10) were officially eliminated from playoff contention by the Tennessee Titans (2-11) Sunday, while the New York Jets (3-10) were eliminated by the Miami Dolphins (6-7), who have won four straight games and are trying to remain in the hunt for a wild card.

    The loss also guarantees this will be the 15th straight season the Jets miss the playoffs, the longest current streak in the NFL.

    If the Eagles do turn around their season, it’s looking less and less likely they’ll have yet another rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-7). Andy Reid’s squad lost to the Houston Texans (8-5) Sunday night and are currently two games back in the hunt for the AFC’s final wild-card spot, their only remaining path to the postseason.

    The Eagles could help improve the Chiefs’ odds by defeating the Chargers Monday night, but they’ll still have any 80% chance of missing the playoffs, according to the New York Times simulator.

    The Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC South thanks to their win against the Indianapolis Colts (8-5) Sunday. With everyone in the AFC bunched at the top, the winner of the division might be the only team from the AFC South that advances to the playoffs.

    The Denver Broncos (11-2) moved back into the AFC’s No. 1 seed thanks to their win against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders (2-11). While the Broncos are tied with the New England Patriots (11-2), Denver has a better conference record (7-2 vs. 6-2) and Sunday’s win guarantees they’ll have a better record among common opponents (the Patriots lost to the Raiders back in Week 1), the next tiebreaker if Denver ends the season with the same record as the Patriots.

    When do the NFL playoffs start?

    We’re still more than a month away from the first playoff game, which will take place on wild-card weekend beginning Jan. 10.

    Six games will take place in the first round of the playoffs, airing across Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. Amazon will also exclusively stream a wild-card game on Prime Video for the second straight season.

    Full 2025 NFL playoff schedule:

    • Wild-card round: Saturday, Jan. 10 to Monday, Jan. 12
    • Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 18
    • AFC and NFC championship games: Sunday, Jan. 25
    • Super Bowl LX: Sunday, Feb. 8

    Where is this year’s Super Bowl?

    Fans watch from a general view at Levi’s Stadium during the first half of an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

    Super Bowl LX (or 60, for those who don’t like Roman numerals) is being held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers. NBC will broadcast this year’s Super Bowl.

    It will be the third time the Bay Area hosts a Super Bowl, and the second played at Levi’s Stadium. The first was Super Bowl 50 in 2016, with the Broncos defeating the Carolina Panthers in a defensive battle best remembered as Peyton Manning’s final game.

    Here are the sites announced for future Super Bowls. Maybe Philly will be added to this list over the next decade, if Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie builds the dome he wants:

    • Super Bowl LXI: Feb. 14., 2027, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. (ESPN, ABC)
    • Super Bowl LXII: Feb. 2028, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga. (CBS)
  • Saquon Barkley says the vibes on the Eagles’ sideline have been ‘awful.’ He can help change the mood.

    Saquon Barkley says the vibes on the Eagles’ sideline have been ‘awful.’ He can help change the mood.

    LOS ANGELES — The sky is falling in the city of Philadelphia, just not between Broad and 17th Streets, from Pattison Avenue to Hartranft Street. There, at the NovaCare Complex, the laws of gravitational pull and atmospheric pressure remain normal.

    The 8-4 Eagles have lost two consecutive games, their second such losing streak of the season. Their offense, under first-year coordinator Kevin Patullo, can be generously described as inconsistent and harshly described at times as incompetent. The defense, normally a steady strength, got tossed around on Black Friday against the Chicago Bears.

    “They sky’s falling outside the locker room,” Saquon Barkley said after that game.

    Not inside.

    The Eagles, Barkley included, say the energy at the practice facility reflects that. The Eagles have been attentive in the meeting room. They have had spirited practices. They feel like they have the right game plans.

    “But [you’ve] got to go out there Monday and do it,” Barkley said Saturday after the Eagles finished their final practice before their Monday night matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. “That’s where we’re at.”

    That’s where the translation hasn’t occurred. The Eagles are struggling, and the vibes on the sideline reflect a team that is trying hard to correct its issues without success.

    “Honestly I think it’s been awful,” Barkley said when asked what the sideline energy has been like. “I think if you asked anybody, if they’re being honest, we’ll all agree on that.”

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is stopped by the Bears on Nov. 28.

    To be fair, who could blame them? The Eagles, with one of the highest-paid offenses in the NFL, haven’t scored more than 21 points in four consecutive games. Barkley ran for 2,000 yards last season but is finding it difficult at times to top 50 during a given game. The principals in the passing game haven’t been able to get on the same page, as evidenced by the sequence in which Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith didn’t have their signals down and missed a potential touchdown in the loss to the Bears.

    “We haven’t been playing well,” Barkley said. “It’s easy to come on the sideline and have great energy when you rip off a 60-yard touchdown. That’s the truth. We know that.”

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Chargers in Week 14: What you need to know and a prediction

    Barkley went back to a saying he picked up from offensive line coach and running game coordinator Jeff Stoutland. “Execution fuels emotion,” Barkley said. “When you make plays and score touchdowns it’s going to get the energy going on game days. Energy has been great throughout the week of practice.

    “We got to carry that to game day.”

    There’s an argument to be made that Barkley and the running game can lead the charge in changing those vibes. The Eagles have faced defenses that have keyed in on stopping the run. Only four teams are pitted against a stacked box more often than the Eagles, who see eight or more defenders in the box 32.7% of the time.

    Patullo and Stoutland haven’t yet figured out a way to consistently break through against the opposition, and the passing game hasn’t been good enough for defenses to change their approach. Barkley’s blockers have been banged up, which has certainly affected the outcomes, but Barkley does not look like the same runner, either. He has had a nagging groin injury that hasn’t forced him to miss any time, and he has repeatedly said he is healthy.

    New wrinkles are on the way, left tackle Jordan Mailata said earlier in the practice week leading into Monday’s game vs. the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Barkley smiled Saturday when asked about the topic. “I don’t know what change they’re talking about,” he said.

    “I really love the game plan.”

    Barkley said he thinks positivity is important on the sideline.

    “It’s kind of been a role I’ve tried to take on ever since I came into the league,” he said. “I feel like it’s big. Sometimes it’s just the sense of having confidence and having great energy is going to help us out on the football field. I’m a believer in that.”

    A few feet away from Barkley’s locker stall as he spoke Saturday in the locker room at the NovaCare Complex was a large inflatable Easter bunny. Barkley said he didn’t know how it arrived there. Earlier in the day, though, AJ Dillon took the credit. The backup running back, who has been a healthy scratch, has anointed himself the “vibes guy.”

    “I was told that it’s a vibes bunny,” Barkley said. “And the vibes are high.”

    Gipson waived

    The Eagles on Sunday waived wide receiver and returner Xavier Gipson. They now have an open spot on the 53-man roster, which will likely go to safety Marcus Epps, who is expected to be activated from injured reserve and could start next to Reed Blankenship on Monday night.

    Gipson missed the Eagles’ Week 13 game with a shoulder injury, one he suffered during a mistake on a punt return that helped flip the result of the team’s Week 12 loss to Dallas. The team will continue to use Britain Covey as a returner.

    The Eagles also downgraded Myles Hinton (back) to out for Monday’s game. Hinton’s 21-day practice window is nearing its end. The Eagles have until Wednesday to activate their rookie offensive tackle or he will be sidelined for the rest of the season — like fellow rookie lineman Willie Lampkin, whose window expired on Nov. 27.

  • Eagles need nothing short of domination from Nolan Smith, Jaelan Phillips, and Jalyx Hunt against vulnerable Justin Herbert

    Eagles need nothing short of domination from Nolan Smith, Jaelan Phillips, and Jalyx Hunt against vulnerable Justin Herbert

    It won’t be Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley.

    It won’t be Nick Sirianni or Kevin Patullo.

    It won’t even be Jordan Davis or Moro Ojomo.

    All will have plenty to prove against the Chargers. But none will have more than the guys whose primary responsibility is putting the quarterback on his back. The most important players on the field Monday night will be the Eagles edge rushers.

    The pressure is on the pressure.

    Or, rather, the pressure-ers.

    Jaelan Phillips, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt. These are the names you will need to hear with regularity against the Chargers. We haven’t heard them nearly enough this season.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips stop Lions quarterback Jared Goff on Nov. 16.

    Through 12 games, the Eagles have gotten just eight sacks combined out of their edge rushers.

    True, five of them have come in the last five games, a stretch that has seen Smith return from injured reserve and Phillips arrive via trade from the Dolphins. But it still isn’t enough. Three years ago, Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham combined for 38 sacks, an average of more than two per game. That’s the kind of output the Eagles should be expecting on Monday night.

    Eagles vs. Chargers: Predictions, odds, playoff standings, injuries, and what everyone is talking about

    Rarely have the Eagles faced an opponent so ripe for the picking. The Chargers have been a mess up front all season. In late August, they lost starting left tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending knee injury. A month ago, they lost All-Pro right tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury. In the four games since Alt went down, the Chargers have allowed a remarkable 17 sacks. That included three last week against the Raiders, a game that ended with Justin Herbert nursing a broken non-throwing hand.

    Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is expected to play against the Eagles.

    This should be a get-right game for the Eagles’ most underperforming unit. That’s true regardless of who is under center — or in shotgun, or in the pistol — on the other side of the line of scrimmage. It will be especially true if that player is Herbert, who is reportedly preparing to play despite undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand early last week.

    The Eagles have already seen firsthand what Herbert can do when given an ample amount of time to throw. The Chargers veteran shredded them during Sirianni’s first season as coach, completing 32 of 38 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-24 win in Week 9. That afternoon was one of the 11 times in Herbert’s career that he was not sacked. The Chargers are 9-2 with a plus-110 point differential in those 11 games.

    It goes without saying that none of those games has occurred this season. Herbert has been sacked multiple times in 11 of 12 of his starts in 2025, with three-plus sacks in eight. Heading into Sunday, the Chargers were one of five teams in the NFL to allow five-plus sacks in at least four games. At 8-4, they are the only one of those teams with a winning record. The other four have combined to go 10-38.

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Chargers in Week 14: What you need to know and a prediction

    The Eagles need to take advantage. Whatever the overall numbers say, they have more than enough talent on the edge to be a deciding factor Monday night. We’ve seen flashes of dominance from the group. Apart from maybe the cornerbacks, the Eagles’ edge rushers were the best unit on the field in back-to-back victories over the Packers and Lions. In a 10-7 win over Green Bay in Week 10, the group combined for two sacks, three tackles for losses, and five quarterback hits against Jordan Love. The following week, Phillips and Hunt combined for five hits on Lions quarterback Jared Goff, including Phillips’ first sack in an Eagles uniform. The pressure on Goff was one of the biggest reasons the veteran completed just 14 of 37 passes with an interception.

    But those two wins feel like a distant memory, don’t they? For the first time in the Vic Fangio era, the Eagles are coming off back-to-back games of 400-plus yards of total offense allowed. Two weeks ago, Dak Prescott was way too comfortable while completing 23 of 36 passes for 354 yards. Last week, the Bears gashed them for a ridiculous 281 rushing yards, with running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combining for 255 yards on 40 carries.

    The Bears gained 281 yards on the ground against the Eagles.

    The four truest words in the NFL came out of Jordan Davis’ mouth earlier this week.

    “It’s a copycat league,” the Eagles defensive tackle said.

    With Herbert ailing and the Chargers pass protection in shambles and the Eagles taking the field without All-World defensive tackle Jalen Carter, we should expect to see Greg Roman do as Sean McVay and Ben Johnson did before him.

    “We’ve got to play the run well enough to where they just don’t run it a bunch,” Fangio said. “They run it, and like most teams that run it well, they have a good play-action game, and not give up the shots in the play-action passing game, which they do a good job of.”

    The Chargers are ready for Vic Fangio’s defense — and aren’t worried about Justin Herbert’s hand injury

    But stopping the run can only carry you so far against a quarterback like Herbert. The Eagles need to put themselves in a position to pummel him as thoroughly as the rules allow. They need Smith to be the guy he was down the stretch last season, when he recorded 10½ sacks in his last 16 games, including four in the playoffs. They need Phillips to be the guy he was against the Packers.

    The best offense is a good defense. And the best defense is a great pass rush.

  • Eagles will play Chargers in a stadium full of ‘Monsters.’ That’s not the only difference on ESPN’s alt broadcast.

    Eagles will play Chargers in a stadium full of ‘Monsters.’ That’s not the only difference on ESPN’s alt broadcast.

    Dan Orlovsky has four children who are Eagles fans and Disney devotees, so he couldn’t turn this opportunity down. On Monday night, the former NFL quarterback will provide analysis for ESPN’s animated Monsters Funday Football alternate broadcast of the Birds’ matchup with the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

    The alt-cast, which will air on ESPN2 (as well as the Disney Channel and Disney XD) and stream on Disney+ at 8 p.m., will be a real-time animated broadcast set in the universe of Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. franchise. It will be the third edition of the Football Funday series, which was set in The Simpsons’ Springfield last season and in the Toy Story franchise in 2023.

    Orlovsky was on the call for the Simpsons broadcast last season, but his children are far more excited about this year’s broadcast.

    “When I had told them I got asked to do Monsters, it was an excitement that was different,” Orlovsky said. “My wife is from Philly, and my kids are crazy Eagles fans. So, when I told them [it was] Monsters and it was an Eagles game, it was, like, to the moon.”

    The alt-cast will use real-time player tracking data to place Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, and the rest of the Eagles in the animated Monsters universe, where they’ll face off against the Chargers inside the cheer factory in Monstropolis.

    The real-time animation is handled by Beyond Sports, an AI-based data analysis and visualization company owned by Sony. Using data from NFL Next Gen Stats and Hawk-Eye Innovations optical tracking, Beyond Sports’ virtual recreation engine will animate live action between the Eagles and the Chargers for viewers.

    Dan Orlovsky hasn’t been shy about the Eagles’ struggles. But he still believes they can be contenders.

    Drew Carter and Orlovsky will call the game from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn., while wearing tracking suits that allow them to pilot characters in the Monsters universe.

    “We’re in a big studio and they set up a couple monitors where we can watch the regular live broadcast,” Carter said. “We have that synced up with our animated broadcast, which makes it easier to see what’s happening. But, for the most part, I’m looking at 22 cartoons running around and trying to decipher what’s happening.”

    A look inside the “Monsters, Inc.” stadium that will play host to the Eagles-Chargers “Funday Football” broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+ Monday.

    Carter has done play-by-play for all three of ESPN’s Funday Football alt-casts as well as its animated Big City Greens NHL broadcast. He has high praise for the technology that makes the broadcast possible, but he is preparing for the Eagles’ signature quarterback sneak to push the system to its limits.

    “If they do the Tush Push, I don’t know what’s going to happen to the technology,” Carter said. “It’s going to be very hard to spot the ball when everyone’s animated. That’s the time where I’ll look at the live game.”

    Eagles vs. Chargers predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 14

    Carter also calls other live events for the network, but the animated games require an extra layer of preparation, especially when he’s unfamiliar with the source material, as he was for The Simpsons alt-cast. Fortunately for Carter, he’s already familiar with Monsters, Inc., which came out when he was a young child. Still, he circled back to the 2001 film and its 2013 prequel, Monsters University, to prepare for Monday’s broadcast.

    “It is kind of like prepping for a regular game,” Carter said. “You just don’t want to be caught off guard by anything. We have an element that rolls in and it’s, for example, the pig from Monsters University. I don’t want to be like, ‘Who the heck is that?’ because I’ve only seen Monsters, Inc.”

    ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky on the set of “First Take.”

    Orlovsky was already very familiar with the Monsters franchise. He has made 15 trips to Disney World with his children. One of his oldest boys, 13-year-old Madden, is interested in animation and drawing and is particularly drawn to the Monsters movies.

    “I’ve seen Monsters, Inc. and Monsters U a dozen times, if not more,” Orlovsky said. “I know the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Disney World very well. I have a son who is autistic and his superpower is animation and creation. Obviously, that’s one of the cores of Monsters, Inc. when it comes to their characters. So I know it very well.”

    Jalen Hurts running more might be the best thing for the Eagles. Is it also hazardous to his career?

    For Orlovsky, the more difficult aspect of the broadcast will be doing less of his X’s and O’s analysis and leaning into the animated aspect of the game.

    “No one who’s watching our alt-cast is watching it for football,” Orlovsky said. “Everybody is watching it for the unique element of it. … My default is to be very football-centric, and so I have to just be very conscious of understanding [that] no one’s watching that game for the football part of it.”

    While the Funday Football broadcasts primarily target younger audiences, Carter says the broadcast can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. John Goodman and Billy Crystal will voice their characters from the film franchise, James “Sully” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski, who will explain basic football rules for young viewers in prerecorded cutaways during the broadcast. There will also be an animated short during halftime that will feature Mike and Sully battling to collect cheers from the crowd.

    “I’m an adult who’s watched football my entire life, and I find those interesting, even though I know the rule they’re explaining,” Carter said. “I just think it’s funny to hear John Goodman as Sully explaining what a football is.”

    A look inside the “Monsters, Inc.” stadium that will play host to the Eagles-Chargers “Funday Football” broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+ Monday.

    Orlovsky hopes the broadcast can provide a different experience for football fans and the opportunity to enjoy the game as a family.

    “If you’re a family that, you know, you don’t watch the football game together, try this one together,” Orlovsky said. “If your kids and you don’t necessarily stay up late for Monday Night Football, this would be the one time to do it, because it’s just a very different way to take in the game. It’s going to be visually a very cool experience. I think it’s just a great way to share football.”

    For Eagles fans who want to check out the Funday Football broadcast but do not want to miss out on the experience of watching the regular broadcast, the animated alt-cast will be available on demand on Disney+ shortly after the game ends.

  • Eagles vs. Chargers: Predictions, odds, playoff standings, injuries, and what everyone is talking about

    Eagles vs. Chargers: Predictions, odds, playoff standings, injuries, and what everyone is talking about

    The Eagles will be back in prime time as they try to stop a two-game skid from turning into three against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Monday Night Football.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the team’s Week 14 matchup …

    How to watch Eagles vs. Chargers

    The Eagles kick off against the Chargers at 8:15 p.m. on ABC and ESPN, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the call and Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge on the sidelines. For fans looking for a more monstrous viewing experience, ESPN will be producing an animated Funday Football alternative cast on ESPN2, DisneyXD and Disney+ set in the Monsters, Inc. universe.

    If you prefer Merrill Reese and Mike Quick on the call, the radio broadcast can be found on 94.1 WIP-FM. And if you want to watch the game with fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.

    Eagles will play Chargers in a stadium full of ‘Monsters.’ That’s not the only difference on ESPN’s alt broadcast.
    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter underwent a procedure on his shoulders and will miss Monday night’s game against the Chargers.

    Final injury report

    The Eagles will be without one Pro Bowl lineman on each side of the ball on Monday night. Lane Johnson remains out with the Lisfranc injury he suffered in the team’s win over the Lions. Fred Johnson will fill in at right tackle for a third game. Jalen Carter will also miss Monday’s game, as the defensive tackle underwent a procedure on both of his shoulders and is currently considered week to week.

    Jalen Carter’s absence could put rookie Ty Robinson in the spotlight

    For the Chargers, quarterback Justin Herbert is questionable after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left (non-throwing) hand earlier in the week. Here’s a look at the final injury report for both sides.

    Eagles

    Out

    • DT Jalen Carter, shoulders
    • T Lane Johnson, foot

    Questionable

    • S Marcus Epps, shoulder
    • T Myles Hinton, back

    Chargers

    Out

    • TE Tucker Fisk, ankle

    Questionable

    • RB Omarion Hampton, ankle
    • QB Justin Herbert, left hand
    • DT Otito Ogbonnia, elbow

    Eagles vs. Chargers odds

    As of Saturday afternoon, the Eagles were 2.5-point favorites at FanDuel and DraftKings. Both sportsbooks have set the projected point total at 41.5.

    Marcus Epps is ready to do ‘whatever the team needs’ as Eagles could have a new starting safety
    With their win over the Eagles on Black Friday, the Bears moved ahead of the Birds in the NFC standings.

    Playoff picture

    With five games remaining in the regular season, the 8-4 Eagles hold a two-game lead over the NFC East and hold the third seed in the NFC. At 2-11, the Giants are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, and the 3-9 Commanders can be eliminated from the divisional race with a loss or an Eagles win this week. The Cowboys, at 6-6-1, stand the best chance of taking the division lead from the Eagles, though Dallas’ loss to the Lions on Thursday night gave the Birds a bit of extra cushion.

    NFC East standings

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    NFL playoff picture: Eagles in surprisingly good shape, several teams could be eliminated

    The Bears and the Rams, both at 9-3, sit ahead of the Eagles in the NFC’s playoff seeding. The Birds have a tiebreak advantage over the Rams thanks to their 33-26 win over Los Angeles in Week 3, but the Bears hold the head-to-head advantage over the Eagles after last week’s loss.

    NFC Standings

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    Police confirmed earlier this week that offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s Moorestown home was vandalized after the Eagles’ loss to the Bears on Black Friday.

    Storylines to watch

    The Eagles’ struggles on the offensive side of the ball continued in back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Bears, and fans expressed their anger in various ways, with some going too far and egging offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s home.

    An alternate history of 2023, and why the Eagles are preaching the right message | Marcus Hayes

    But the Birds’ defense also struggled in the team’s 24-15 loss to Chicago at Lincoln Financial Field last Friday, giving up 281 rushing yards. After holding opponents to fewer than 400 yards of offense in each of its first 10 games, Vic Fangio’s defense allowed both the Cowboys and the Bears to eclipse 400 yards of total offense in back-to-back games. Can the defense recover from back-to-back poor performances and contain the Chargers without Carter?

    Injuries will also play a part in Monday night’s game for the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh’s team is preparing for Herbert to be their starting quarterback against the Eagles after he had surgery on his fractured left hand on Monday, though his status was listed as questionable on Saturday’s injury report. Herbert’s right throwing hand is healthy, but will a recovering left hand impact Herbert’s abilities on the field? Or will the Eagles see backup Trey Lance on Monday night?

    Here are a few more storylines to follow…

    If you haven’t been paying attention to the Eagles’ troubles, let’s get you up to speed | Mike Sielski

    One number to know

    75.9% – The rate of trips to the red zone that have resulted in touchdowns for the Eagles this season.

    While the Eagles’ offensive struggles have been well documented, the Birds are leading the league in efficiency when they get inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. They have converted 22 of their 29 red-zone trips into touchdowns this season.

    Numbers and trends that could impact Monday’s Eagles-Chargers game in Los Angeles
    The Eagles and chargers last met in Nov. 2021.

    Inquirer Eagles-Chargers predictions

    Our writers are split on their predictions for Monday night. Here’s a snippet of each of what they’re thinking — but you can click their names for a more in-depth breakdown …

    Jeff McLane: I’m sure fans hate whenever I pick the Eagles. I get the joke. But I like their chances against a limited quarterback, and definitely if Lance starts. I don’t think the offense will rise from the near-dead, but I anticipate noticeable changes off the mini-bye that will aid their chances. I also like Hurts indoors. | Prediction: Eagles 25, Chargers 19

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Chargers in Week 14: What you need to know and a prediction

    Jeff Neiburg: Justin Herbert is wearing a cast on his left hand, and the Chargers have a passing attack that should play into the Eagles’ hands, as long as they’re able to stop the run and get Herbert into third-and-longs. That may seem like a big ask without Carter, and it is, but the Eagles have had a solid enough run defense for most of the season to think Vic Fangio and Co. will make sure the last performance was just a one-game blip. | Prediction: Eagles 23, Chargers 20

    Olivia Reiner: On one hand, I find it hard to believe that this Eagles team, with all of its talent, will lose three straight games for the first time since 2023. On the other, these matchups aren’t exactly favorable for the Eagles, even with an injured Herbert factored into the equation. | Prediction: Chargers 27, Eagles 24

    Matt Breen: Omarion Hampton is trending to play Monday night, giving the Chargers a two-headed rushing attack against the Eagles. Does that remind you of anything? … This seems like a tough spot. | Prediction: Chargers 27, Eagles 17

    Eagles vs. Chargers predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 14

    National media picks

    Here’s how the national media is leaning for Monday …

    • ESPN: Eagles
    • NFL.com: Eagles
    • CBS Sports: Eagles
    • Sports Illustrated: Eagles
    • USA Today: Eagles
    • Sporting News: Chargers
    • Bleacher Report: Eagles
    Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have lost four of their last eight games.

    What we’re saying about the Eagles

    Here’s what our columnists are saying about the Eagles this week, starting with Marcus Hayes, who argues that Jalen Carter’s injury will intensify the pressure on Jalen Hurts …

    Marcus Hayes: “The Eagles can win three of their remaining games, four if they win Monday night. That would give them 12 wins and a chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC, since they’ve beaten the Rams and Lions, and since the Bears have a much more challenging schedule left to play. But no longer can the Eagles expect their defense to win games for them, as Hurts squeezes the football and stares, mystified, into opposing secondaries.” Read more.

    David Murphy: “The reality of the NFL is that good teams struggle. It is a counterpunchers league, led by a bunch of maniac coaches who won’t rest until they figure out what you are doing and how to beat it. Andy Reid did not suddenly become a worse offensive coach over the last three seasons. Patrick Mahomes is still the same Patrick Mahomes who threw for 5,250 yards in 2022. Nobody in Kansas City or elsewhere is seriously questioning whether one of them is the problem. The Eagles made it look easy last year. But last year was an anomaly. The competitive environment this season is much closer to the norm.” Read more.

    Mike Sielski: “That narrative — that [A.J.] Brown is only about Brown and his selfishness damages the Eagles — has never held up under much scrutiny. Should he stay off social media more? Of course he should. But they have a 53-18 record (regular-season and postseason), have won a Super Bowl, and reached another since acquiring him. At least 29 other teams in the NFL would sign up for that level of damage. Read more.

    Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert broke a bone in his non-throwing hand last week against the Raiders.

    What the Chargers are saying

    At 8-4, the Chargers are in the current playoff picture in the AFC as the top wild-card team and trail the 10-2 Broncos for the lead in the AFC West. According to NFL.com’s playoff probabilities, a win against the Eagles would give the Chargers a 76% chance of making the playoffs, while a loss drops their postseason odds to 50%.

    Herbert’s status under center is still in question, but the Chargers have prepared this week as if he will be the starting quarterback. Herbert had high praise for Vic Fangio’s defense as he prepared to face the Birds this week.

    “He’s had a ton of success in this league,” Herbert said. “Back at his time with the Broncos, we saw him twice a year and we had a lot of respect for him then … The guys that they have on that side of the ball are game-wreckers and you have to be aware of those guys, and at the same time they are really well-coached, and it makes for a dangerous combination for a defense.”

    The Chargers are ready for Vic Fangio’s defense — and aren’t worried about Justin Herbert’s hand injury

    Here’s what else the Chargers had to say…

    Offensive coordinator Greg Roman on Fangio’s coverage schemes: “I was born at night, but not last night. Vic’s going to have different ways to leverage coverage to where it’s not one-on-one at all times … But as far as the matchup, I like Ladd [McConkey] against anybody.”

    Wide receiver Quentin Johnston on Herbert’s injury: “I forgot he was dealing with something the way he’s playing. But that’s just the type of guy he is. Very, very tough guy. He was still at practice, throwing very accurate, so he honestly looked like he hasn’t lost his touch. So right now, just getting him through practice and getting him through the week and prepared for Sunday.”

    Defensive end Khalil Mack on the Eagles’ offensive line without Lane Johnson: “Nameless, faceless objects. You understand who they are and what they’ve been able to accomplish and the level of football they play at, so it’s going to be a hell of a challenge.”

    Guard Tyler Steen, center Cam Jurgens, and guard Landon Dickerson make up 60% of the Eagles starting offensive line.

    What the national media is saying

    Back-to-back losses from the Birds has placed them under the microscope of national network analysts and pundits, who are trying to diagnose what’s wrong with the reigning Super Bowl champs. On his New Heights podcast, former Eagles center Jason Kelce said the team will be in better shape once his former teammate Johnson returns from injury to his spot at right tackle.

    “Lane Johnson coming back will be huge,” Jason said. “Even though [backup Fred Johnson] has done well, especially in pass [protection]. I think the run game is close, I know it hasn’t manifested yet. It’s frustrating watching because you know it can be so much better. I think with the health that is starting to come, it will only improve.”

    Here’s what else the national media had to say about the Birds…

    Travis Kelce on how pre-snap motions might help the Eagles offense: “You watch the Chiefs play, you see me moving around all the time. I move from one side of the line to the other side of the line, and what that does for the defense is it changes passing strength, it changes rules on how they’re going to pass off routes, it changes how they have to fill gaps.”

    Dan Orlovsky on the Eagles’ first-down struggles: “If you struggle as an offense on first down, it makes second down much harder, and then therefore third down much harder. Until they play better as an offensive line and play better offensively on first down, that’s not going to get fixed.”

    Dan Orlovsky hasn’t been shy about the Eagles’ struggles. But he still believes they can be contenders.

    What else we’re reading and watching

  • Eagles vs. Chargers: Rounding up local and national media picks for ‘Monday Night Football’

    Eagles vs. Chargers: Rounding up local and national media picks for ‘Monday Night Football’

    The Eagles suffered another defeat last week with their 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears. Philadelphia was the top seed in the NFC just a month ago, but after two straight losses, the team is tasked with an uphill battle for the NFC’s number one seed in January.

    Now, the Eagles (8-4) will turn their focus to a Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers — and they will do so without star defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

    Jalen Hurts and the Birds, who are 2.5-point favorites, have a chance to get back on track against a Chargers (8-4) team dealing with a hand injury to quarterback Justin Herbert, although he is expected to play. Here’s who the experts are picking in Monday’s game …

    Inquirer predictions

    First, let’s begin with what our writers are thinking about the game. Here’s a look at Jeff Neiburg’s prediction …

    To read more of Neiburg’s prediction and see what our other writers think the outcome will be, click here.

    Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has come under fire this season as his unit has struggled to find an identity.

    National media predictions

    Here’s a glimpse at how the national media is swaying before Monday’s matchup …

    • ESPN: Just like last week, ESPN is heavily toward the Eagles. Nine of the 11 panelists have the Birds winning.
    • CBS Sports: CBS follows suit, as six out of eight CBS analysts pick Philly to win.
    • Pro Football Talk: NBC is split on this matchup. Mike Florio picks the Eagles while Chris Simms predicts a Chargers’ win.
    • USA Today: USA Today is nearly split, four of the six panelists have the Eagles winning Monday night.
    • The Athletic: The Athletic is the same, with four of six staff members picking the Eagles.
    • Bleacher Report: After picking against Philly last week, six of the seven Bleacher Report analysts have the Birds winning and covering the 2.5-point spread.
    • Sporting News: Vinnie Iyer predicts a 21-17 win for the Eagles.
    Dan Orlovsky hasn’t been shy about the Eagles’ struggles. But he still believes they can be contenders.

    Local media predictions

    Here’s what some others in the local media think of the game on Monday …

    • Delaware Online: Ten of the 12 panelists pick the Eagles
    • PhillyVoice: There is a split between the four panelists with each team receiving two votes.
  • Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Chargers in Week 14: What you need to know and a prediction

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Chargers in Week 14: What you need to know and a prediction

    The Eagles travel to the Los Angeles Chargers for a Week 14 matchup at SoFi Stadium on Monday at 8:15 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about the game:

    When the Eagles have the ball: It’s December and it’s unlikely the Eagles will suddenly have a high-powered offense at this late stage. At the least, they could look more like the outfit that did enough to win most of the first 11 weeks by not turning the ball over and being effective in the red zone. But there is conceivable room for improvement and I think one way to address that is having Jalen Hurts run more. Kevin Patullo suggested as much earlier this week, and the guess here is that the offensive coordinator and coach Nick Sirianni had a “come-to-Jesus” conversation with the quarterback about having more designed runs.

    Jalen Hurts running more might be the best thing for the Eagles. Is it also hazardous to his career?

    At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this could be the game to get Saquon Barkley and the run game back on track. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has used light boxes 48.2% of the time — which ranks third in the NFL — to induce good passing offenses into running more. But he may break that trend considering how effective defenses have been when concentrating their efforts on stopping Barkley. The Chargers use their base five-man front only 20% of the time, but when nose tackle Teair Tart is on the field, he eats up the “A” gaps. Patullo can keep L.A. in nickel on run downs simply by favoring three-receiver sets. This matchup screams for less of second tight end Grant Calcaterra as a run blocker, despite the Eagles’ perplexingly high use of “12” personnel.

    A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith could be contending with a defense that puts seven defensive backs on the field Monday.

    Minter’s philosophy mirrors that of Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He’ll sacrifice some yards on the ground if it means aiding the secondary and limiting explosive plays through the air. The Chargers lean on two-high safety shells and zone coverage 82% of the time. Minter uses dime personnel — and sometimes will have as many as seven defensive backs on the field — more than most coordinators. He favors Cover 4 when he has two safeties — typically RJ Mickens and Elijah Molden — deep. Derwin James is the linchpin in the secondary and rotates between the slot, box, and post. The Eagles will see some single-high safety looks, but rarely vs. man coverage. Patullo needs to open the playbook with more crossing routes for receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Hurts can throw intermediate-length passes, he just needs to pick his spots.

    Fred Johnson’s ability to protect Jalen Hurts against the Chargers pass rush will be critical on Monday night.

    The Eagles’ pass protection has been relatively sound, but pressure has been an issue in recent weeks. Minter blitzes only 19% of the time — 31st in the league. He likes to simulate blitzes with exchange pressures. The Eagles have struggled to pick those up this season. Hurts needs to find his answers … not that they’ve always been there. Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu leads the Chargers in pressures, but Khalil Mack is healthy and the most dangerous. Both edges line up predominantly over the right tackle, which will be Fred Johnson in this case. He’s starting for a third straight game with Lane Johnson (foot) still out. Patullo has increasingly helped his tackles with chip blocks. Hurts isn’t getting sacked as much, but he’s completed only 59% of his passes in the last four games vs. 70% before the bye.

    When the Chargers have the ball: Justin Herbert is expected to play despite surgery on the quarterback’s left non-throwing hand earlier in the week. If he can’t go, it’ll be backup Trey Lance, which would be a considerable drop-off. Assuming Herbert is active, he may not be able to go under center. The Chargers don’t have a heavy volume under-center offense, but they do it 29% of the time and throw play-action out of that formation 33% of the time. That’s one less variable coach and play-caller Jim Harbaugh will have at his disposal. And that could help an Eagles defensive line vs. a patchwork offensive line.

    Chargers QB Justin Herbert breaks bone in non-throwing hand vs. Raiders; status for Eagles game uncertain

    The Chargers offense is down both starting tackles. Rashawn Slater was lost for the season in training camp. Joe Alt followed him to injured reserve last month. In the three games since his injury, the offense ranks 28th in expected points added (EPA) per drop back. After some shuffling, Harbaugh has settled on Jamaree Salyer at left tackle and Trey Pipkins at right tackle. Both have previous starting experience, but are backups for good reason. With the Eagles down their best defensive lineman, Jalen Carter, the edge rushing group — led by Jaelan Phillips, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith — will need to exploit their advantage.

    Herbert has four solid receivers to sprinkle around his throws. Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Oronde Gadsden, and Quentin Johnston each have more than 500 yards receiving. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is unlikely to follow one guy as a result. Adoree’ Jackson should expect a lot of attention, as should a safety corps that has underperformed. Sydney Brown may be back to the bench if Marcus Epps is ready after a stint on IR. If not, Herbert or Lance will likely find ways to attack him in coverage.

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    Even without Carter, the Eagles’ interior D-line shouldn’t be overmatched. Center Bradley Bozeman can be a liability. Right guard Mekhi Becton has regressed playing on a weaker line than he did in Philly. He was benched in Week 11 but is expected to start. Harbaugh will want to establish the run, especially after the Eagles got chewed up on the ground by the Bears. Running back Omarion Hampton could be active after having his 21-day practice window opened last week. The first-round rookie averaged 4.8 yards a carry in five games before suffering an ankle fracture. A remarkable 4.1 of those yards came after contact. Hampton is tough to bring down, as is Kimani Vidal, who averages 3.4 yards after contact. The Chargers use a fair amount of two-back personnel. The Eagles, who missed eight run tackle attempts vs. the Bears, will need to be more sure-handed on Monday night.

    If Jim Harbaugh has quarterback Justin Herbert (10) on the field, the Chargers’ chances of moving to 9-4 increase exponentially.

    Extra point: I’m not 100% convinced Herbert is active. Neither are the Eagles. They prepared for both Chargers quarterbacks. Herbert is the one to worry about, obviously. He’s done a remarkable job considering the O-line woes. He can make almost any throw and can fit it into tight windows. Herbert also been excellent out of structure, which has happened a fair amount due to poor pass pro. But he’s forced some passes, which has resulted in interceptions. And now he has the issue with his off hand.

    I’ve been terrible at picking Eagles games, as usual. Come for the analysis above — I hope — and leave by the time you get to the prediction. I’m sure fans hate whenever I pick the Eagles. I get the joke. But I like their chances against a limited quarterback, and definitely if Lance starts. I don’t think the offense will rise from the near-dead, but I anticipate noticeable changes off the mini-bye that will aid their chances. I also like Hurts indoors.

    Prediction: Eagles, 25-19