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  • Eagles remain a slight favorite heading into Dallas; plus player props for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and more

    Eagles remain a slight favorite heading into Dallas; plus player props for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and more

    Coming off two straight prime-time wins over NFC North teams, the 8-2 Eagles travel to Arlington, Texas, for Sunday’s rematch with the Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m., Fox29). A lot has changed for both teams since their Week 1 matchup kicked off the NFL season. While it has been a relatively smooth season for Philadelphia — at least in terms of wins and losses — Dallas (4-5-1) has been hindered by its defense, allowing the second most points per game (29.3).

    But recent head-to-head history favors the Cowboys, as they have won five of their last six home matchups against the Birds. Dallas will look for that trend to continue in order to shrink the Eagles’ 3½-game lead in the NFC East, the largest of any division leader in the NFL.

    Here is a look at the updated odds and some player prop bets for Fox’s game of the week …

    Updated Eagles vs. Cowboys game odds

    The Eagles opened the week as 4.5-point road favorites over Dallas. Following the Cowboys’ dominant win Monday night over the Las Vegas Raiders, the line shifted in their favor.

    FanDuel

    • Spread: Cowboys +3.5 (-122); Eagles +3.5 (+100)
    • Moneyline: Cowboys (+150); Eagles (-178)
    • Total: Over 47.5 (-115); Under 47.5 (-105)

    DraftKings

    • Spread: Cowboys +3 (+100); Eagles -3 (-120)
    • Moneyline: Cowboys (+145); Eagles (-175)
    • Total: Over 47.5 (-118); Under 47.5 (-102)
    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying
    Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, left, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts talk after the Birds’ Week 1 win at the Linc. The rematch is set for Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

    Passing yards props

    Jalen Hurts has thrown for under 200 yards in three consecutive weeks. While the Eagles’ offense has struggled the past two weeks, they have also generally not been a pass-heavy team. Hurts ranks 23rd among all quarterbacks in passing attempts.

    Dak Prescott, on the other hand, is coming off a strong 268-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Raiders, although his two previous outings were much less impressive. The 10th-year signal caller ranks fifth leaguewide in passing yards (258.7 per game).

    Fanduel

    DraftKings

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    Passing touchdowns

    Hurts has thrown for just one touchdown in the Eagles’ last two games, although he threw for seven combined touchdowns in the two games prior. Prescott has thrown five touchdowns in his last two games, four of the scores occurring last week. Both sportsbooks have the quarterbacks’ over/under set at 1.5 passing touchdowns for Sunday.

    Fanduel

    DraftKings

    Running back Saquon Barkley carried the ball 18 times for 60 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ Week 1 win over Dallas.

    Rushing yards

    Saquon Barkley has rushed for under 70 yards in three of his last four games, although he recorded 150 rushing yards in the one outlier. This season, Barkley is rushing for two fewer yards per carry compared to last year, when the Penn State graduate was named offensive player of the year, and is on pace for 1,125 yards, down from 2,005.

    On the other hand, Cowboys running back Javonte Williams has rushed for over 70 yards in three of his last four games, including a 116-yard performance against Washington.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Receiving yards

    Both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have put up quiet performances over the last two weeks. Against Detroit on Sunday, Smith only caught one pass for eight yards, and against Green Bay, Brown caught two passes for 13 yards. During each of the Eagles primary receivers’ better week, they notched 69 and 49 yards, respectively.

    For the Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb has posted over 65 yards in each of his last four games, and ranks sixth in yards per game across the NFL. His teammate, George Pickens, ranks third, and is coming off a 144-yard performance.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Hurts scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown Sunday night against Detroit.

    Touchdown scorers

    Against Detroit, Hurts was the lone touchdown scorer for the Eagles. For Dallas, Lamb, Pickens, and Jake Ferguson all caught touchdowns, along with receiver Ryan Flournoy.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

  • Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    It’s Dallas Week — and there’s plenty of drama. But it all seems to be focused on the 8-2 Eagles, not their sub-.500 opponents on Sunday, the Cowboys.

    Despite a four-game winning streak and a 3.5-game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East, most of the discourse surrounding the defending Super Bowl champions has come off the field.

    From the fallout following a report that there have been internal frustrations with Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown’s continued disappointment with his contributions on offense, here’s what they’re saying about the Birds ahead of their upcoming game against the Cowboys …

    ‘So disrespectful to Jalen Hurts’

    During Sunday’s postgame show with former Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner, longtime Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn said “there’s a lot of people in that organization that are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now.”

    Frustrations with Jalen Hurts? Quarterback says he holds himself accountable.

    When Hurts was asked to respond to the comments, he held himself accountable and said the frustrations haven’t been brought to him directly. Although Hurts didn’t voice his own frustrations with the report, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky called it “disrespectful” toward the QB.

    “What’s going on with Hurts is so disingenuous and disrespectful to Jalen Hurts,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up. “And I’m not the biggest Jalen Hurts fan. All this dude does is literally, everything that everybody begged every other quarterback to do — or knocks them for not doing.

    “All he does is win. All he does is be obsessed with football and winning and doing what’s best for the team. And we’re just finding ways to knock him and take shots at him or report this about him or that about him. We heard this stuff last year about him being disliked in the locker room and he never wavered. He never flinches. And it’s this constant attack.”

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown late in Sunday night’s win over the Detroit Lions.

    Since the 2022 season, Hurts has recorded a 51-15 record, made two Super Bowl appearances, winning one and earning a Super Bowl MVP. Despite his success, the quarterback still seems to face plenty of scrutiny.

    “We kill guys — Joe Burrow doesn’t win enough, Dak Prescott doesn’t win enough, Mathew Stafford didn’t win enough in Detroit, Josh Allen doesn’t win enough, he can’t win the big game — and all Hurts does is everything we beg those quarterbacks to do,” Orlovsky said. “And all we want to do is kill him because it doesn’t look the same way, or the way that we want it. And I’ve done it [criticized him] before in the past as well.

    “I don’t understand why we are obsessed with trying to knock Jalen Hurts right now when he does the only thing that people actually care about.”

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    ‘I hate seeing this’

    Orlovsky isn’t the only one upset hearing about the drama that’s reportedly taking place within the Eagles. Former center Jason Kelce responded to the Gunn report on 94 WIP and shared some insight about what it’s like inside an NFL locker room and the emotions at play.

    “I think that there are frustrations within a team that build up, continually,” Kelce said. “And I think Jalen gets a lot of the highlighting of that, again, because he’s the quarterback. … Lane [Johnson] and I didn’t talk for an entire offseason. Lane is like one of my best friends. Like, I love that guy. And this is part of being on a team. There are so many ups and downs. I’ve gotten into yelling matches with Jeff Stoutland, a guy that I consider like a second, almost like a father.

    “This thing brings out emotions and sides of people because you all want to win so badly. I hate seeing this, and the only way out of this, and I mean this fully, you talk to people. You be accountable, you try and work this out. I mean, it’s not that much different than what you do in your marriage, right? You try to be accountable to what you’re doing wrong, what you’re failing in. You try to take accountability to alleviate the burden off of other people. These are the ways you maintain relationships and maintain a team functionality.”

    ‘[There’s] something else going on’

    Leading up to the report, there was plenty of drama surrounding star receiver A.J. Brown — from cryptic social media posts to voicing his frustrations on a Twitch stream with Janky Rondo. Former Eagle DeSean Jackson believes there’s something more going on between Brown and Hurts.

    “You can tell when the interest ain’t there, it ain’t there,” said Jackson on the House of Action podcast with Clinton Portis. “It’s something else going on. And I got a great relationship with [Brown]. I respect him. I can’t say it. But I know it’s something else going on. It’s not all about football, it’s not all about X’s and O’s. I’ve been there. I’ve had situationships with QBs that I didn’t necessarily like. I’m just going to be honest. And when it ain’t there, it sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s all I’m going to say.”

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    ‘Take away winning and it’s a muck down there’

    Despite their 8-2 record, the Eagles haven’t found their identity offensively. The passing offense has been inconsistent and Brown hasn’t put up the same production as past years. On the ground, Saquon Barkley is on pace to finish with just over 1,100 yards, after finishing with 2,005 last year.

    On ESPN’s First Take, former quarterback Cam Newton discussed what he perceives to be massive problems hidden behind the team’s winning record.

    “You don’t get reports like this from thin air, they’re coming from somewhere,” Newton said. “When you’re not getting opportunities to make plays, the frustration then comes to say like ‘Yo, we’re an offense that is well capable of producing way more. Are we winning the football games? Yes. Is it becoming a distraction that I’m voicing my opinion because I want to hold my team accountable and there’s an expectation here to dominate? Yes.’

    “The Philadelphia Eagles have been able to mask a lot of their deficiencies because they have been winning. Take away winning and it’s a muck down there.”

  • Eagles center Cam Jurgens takes the next step in concussion protocol by returning to practice

    Eagles center Cam Jurgens takes the next step in concussion protocol by returning to practice

    The Eagles may end up only being down one starting offensive lineman when they travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys this weekend.

    Center Cam Jurgens, who left Sunday’s game and missed Wednesday’s practice with a concussion, returned to the practice field on Thursday as a limited participant. He was still sporting a brace on his right knee.

    Jurgens returning to the field means he is progressing through the NFL’s return-to-participation protocol, a five-step process players must progress through before being cleared to return to the field for a game.

    A right knee injury knocked Jurgens out of the Eagles’ Week 7 game in Minnesota. He returned to Sunday’s 16-9 victory over the Detroit Lions but was injured and left the game in the fourth quarter. Brett Toth, who filled in during Jurgens’ absence, finished the game Sunday.

    The Eagles, of course, will be without Lane Johnson (Lisfranc injury) on Sunday, and Fred Johnson will take his spot at right tackle.

    They will face a Dallas front that has improved with the addition of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, whom the Cowboys acquired from the New York Jets before the trade deadline. Williams, who plays next to the talented Kenny Clark in the interior, tallied a season-high five pressures in his Cowboys debut Monday night on 28 pass rushes, according to Next Gen Stats. Williams was credited with 1½ sacks. Williams was doubled on half of those 28 pass rushes.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys: All the numbers that matter

    The Eagles will likely need to focus extra attention on Williams, regardless of whether a banged-up Jurgens returns or Toth gets the nod.

    Toth said he sees a lot of Kansas City defensive tackle Chris Jones and former Eagles tackle Fletcher Cox in Williams.

    “He’s a great player and he’s a force,” Toth said. “He’s a game-wrecker if you give him a chance. They’re a unit that’s been looked at a certain way, but it’s the NFL. Every given week you have to go out there and prove yourself.”

    The Dallas Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, and he made an immediate impact with a sack and a half against the Las Vegas Raiders.

    Williams has also been stout against the run. He leads all interior defensive linemen in run stops (26), according to Pro Football Focus. In his debut Monday, the Cowboys did not allow a single rushing yard before contact, according to Next Gen, with all 27 Las Vegas Raiders rushing yards gained after contact.

    Toth said Dallas could be similar to the Eagles of 2024. They were a team that didn’t have an identity heading into their bye week. Dallas retooled at the deadline, then had its bye week, then emerged from the bye with a dominant win over a lesser opponent.

    “You got to try to piece together, are they giving different schemes because of the personnel or was it something that was always packaged together as well?” Toth said. “You have to be able to adjust on the fly.”

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Right guard Tyler Steen said schematically he is seeing a lot of the same stuff on film that he saw before Week 1. That week, the Eagles entered with a relatively healthy offensive line, though left guard Landon Dickerson left the game early with an injury. This time, Steen could be sandwiched between two backups. With the amount of time Jurgens and Lane Johnson have missed, that has been a constant in Steen’s first year as a starter.

    “I don’t think it’s impacted me too much,” he said. “Obviously, Cam and Lane are extremely good players. Brett and Fred are also pretty good players as well. It all goes back to making sure everyone is on the same page.”

    This week, with an improved Dallas front, that will be key. Jurgens could clear protocol in time to face one of his toughest challenges yet.

    Eagles practice report

    Jurgens was the only Eagles player listed as limited on Thursday’s practice report. Lane Johnson (foot) did not participate. He has not yet been placed on injured reserve, a move that is expected.

    Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who was listed as limited Wednesday with a shoulder injury, was upgraded to a full participant.

  • Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    When the Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season on Sunday, they’ll face a team that plays the seventh-highest rate of zone coverage, according to Sharp Football Analysis.

    The Eagles passing offense — which has seen a lot of zone coverage — has been a roller coaster this season. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown haven’t put up the production to match the gaudy numbers they’ve produced together in years past.

    Brown still thrives against man coverage, catching 16 of his 25 targets for 244 yards and three touchdowns this season against man schemes, according to Next Gen Stats. But Brown not only has his lowest target per route percentage (20.9%) against zone coverage since joining the Eagles in 2022 per Next Gen, but has a career-low 38 yards after catch vs. zone coverages and is averaging 1.14 yards per route against zone coverage, the lowest rate of his career.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys: All the numbers that matter

    We took a film- and stats-based dive into why Brown is having a down year, and particularly what’s contributing to his issues against zone coverage this season as the passing game searches for consistency:

    Route variety

    For this exercise, we watched all of Brown’s targets in an Eagles uniform, beginning with his dynamo 2022 season, in which he finished with a franchise-record 1,496 receiving yards on 88 receptions with 11 receiving touchdowns.

    The playcaller that year was current Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, and the first noticeable difference from 2022 to now is the variety of routes that Brown ran in that offense.

    According to Pro Football Focus, Brown had a near 70/30 split in terms of his alignment, with 808 of his 1,187 snaps that year coming out wide, and 342 coming from the slot. This will be important later, but that unpredictability allowed Brown to be moved around to several spots and be utilized in different ways.

    One of the best ways to get receivers the ball against zone coverage is moving the pocket and utilizing shallow crossing routes. Brown had a career-best 17.5 yards per reception vs. zone coverages, and the utilization of him getting underneath or between linebackers across the middle of the field made for easy throws for Hurts.

    Even though that route wasn’t as prevalent in 2023, the Eagles brought it back more often in 2024, especially after the bye week with the Birds sitting at 2-2. Against the Cowboys, Commanders, and Rams, there was a noticeable effort to get Brown touches and space for yards after catch opportunities on those routes, and even Brown’s touchdown in Super Bowl LIX came on a shallow cross route.

    In 2025, there have been attempts to incorporate crossing and shallow routes into the offense, but the attempts have been either infrequent or unsuccessful. A shallow route passing attempt from Hurts to Brown vs. zone coverage against Denver was rushed because of pressure and fell incomplete, and a crossing route to Brown vs. zone went for a 16-yard gain against the Giants.

    The routes that Brown was known for in Tennessee and even now as an Eagle, are in-breaking routes, including slants and dig routes. Those have been a major aspect of Brown’s game, because of his ability to create after the catch, and his physicality to withstand hits that come over the middle of the field.

    A large portion of his catches in 2022 were on those routes, and he dominated after the catch that year. According to Next Gen, 40.5% of his YAC came against zone coverage, and he caught 51 of his 78 targets against zone coverages for 892 yards. He also averaged 2.62 yards per route against zone, which is still the second-highest split of his career.

    In 2023, those numbers took a dip, to 2.19 yards per route, with just 26.7% of his YAC coming against zone coverages, per Next Gen. But the in-breaking routes were more successful post-bye last year, as his numbers crept to the highest yards per route mark (2.83) of his career and his second-highest YAC percentage (29.4%) against zone.

    This season, he’s at career-low in both categories: 1.14 yards per route and just 17.8% of his YAC are coming against zone coverages. He’s averaging just 9.7 yards per reception vs. zone and has 22 catches on 187 routes run against zone this year.

    Part of that is linked to the running game’s ineffectiveness in past years, but also the increase in heavy personnel. The Eagles are running 13 personnel (one back, three tight ends) at a 6.47% rate, according to Sumer Sports, almost double the rate from last year, and 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) at a slightly higher rate this year (30.32%) compared to last year (30.16%).

    The Eagles are running more condensed formations while running 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) at the lowest rate since Brown as been an Eagle, with just 54.8% of their snaps. They’re also not throwing the ball as much either from empty formations, where Brown has thrived in previous years against both man and zone coverages.

    Add in that fact that Brown has been targeted on just 21.3% of his routes against zone coverage this season, his lowest rate since his rookie year in 2019 (20.7%), according to Next Gen, and it’s been a struggle for him to get the ball. Per Pro Football Focus, 13 of his 14 catches between the numbers this year came on passes of 10 yards or less, with just one coming in beyond 20 yards. In 2022, he had 14 catches beyond 10 yards between the numbers, 12 in 2023, and 10 last season.

    Formational changes

    As outlined above, formational changes have played a part in Brown’s struggles this season, with a shift to heavier personnel and dialing back 11 personnel. But so has Brown’s alignment, which has trended away from utilizing him in the slot.

    After playing 342 snaps in the slot in 2022, he played 259 in 2023, and 171 in 2024, which matched more of his alignment with the Titans in 2019-21 (when he averaged 131 slot snaps). This year, Brown is on pace for his fewest such snaps as an Eagle, with 52 of his 504 snaps coming in the slot, per PFF.

    He’s aligning outside the numbers over 88% of the time, which not only allows defenses to send multiple defenders his way, but also limits his route tree. Almost all of his routes against the Lions last week were outside the numbers and he played just four snaps in the slot.

    Having Brown in the slot not only creates opportunities for mismatches, but it gives him a chance to create big plays against linebackers and safeties. The 2023 season probably shows his slot usage best, when Brown had career-highs in routes (366), targets (89) and catches (62) against zone coverage with 801 receiving yards, his second-highest total behind the 2022 season.

    The route spacing this season just isn’t as sharp as years past and it seems to bring some hesitancy from Hurts in challenging those windows at times. Hurts had no problem ripping the ball Brown in 2022 and 2023 on curl or in-breaking routes, but appears not as confident in doing so this year.

    Brown had targets where he sat in the soft spot of zone coverage against Denver and Green Bay, and against the former, Hurts eventually hit him after scrambling and immediately put the ball on him against the Packers.

    What could help?

    One way to combat some of the bracket coverages and extra attention that Brown is getting from opposing defenses is to have him align on the same side as DeVonta Smith. Especially against zone coverages, the alignment puts defenses in a bind, forcing them to choose one star receiver or the other.

    A lot of Brown’s big plays against zone coverage in those situations came in either 12 personnel or empty formations, and since the heavier personnel isn’t working this year, adding more empty passes could be beneficial for Brown and the Eagles’ passing game.

    Most of the time the Eagles are attacking downfield this year, its in man coverage situations, but Hurts and the passing attack has shown the ability to hit “hole shots” which are passes in between the corner and safety in zone coverage. They did so in 2022 and 2023 to Brown, making two-high zone coverages pay for not sending help to the corner on such throws.

    The Eagles have Smith and Brown run hitch routes above league-average this year (16.5%), at 24.5% and 23.7%, respectively, according to Next Gen, and that will always be an identity of the offense. But adding in more variations, where Brown isn’t always working along the sidelines, could help open some throwing windows for Hurts.

    Whether it’s adding him more to the slot or utilizing more empty formations and 11 personnel, there has to be a more concerted effort for the Eagles to find more easy targets for Brown and find answers to their issues against zone coverage. Unlocking this dimension could be the step forward the offense needs.

  • Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Nick Sirianni’s message for Fred Johnson during his annual meeting when he explains each player’s role on the team was pretty simple.

    The Eagles had just reacquired Johnson via trade at the end of training camp. They weren’t comfortable with their depth at tackle, and Johnson’s quest to be a starter when he signed with Jacksonville in free agency had not gone as planned.

    The message, and the role: “Be ready for when your number’s called,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “You just never know when that’s going to be, and that’s every backup. Every guy’s one snap away from going in. We have a lot of faith in [Johnson].”

    The role, Johnson said, was “the same role as last year. Be ready to go at any moment.”

    The moment, once again, has come.

    The Eagles and Johnson have been here before. Last season, Johnson started five games as a fill-in for Lane Johnson (once) and Jordan Mailata (four times), and he has come on in relief of Lane Johnson multiple times this season. But while Fred Johnson’s role is the same, and he’s being called on once again to fill in for Lane Johnson — who will likely hit injured reserve and miss at least the next four games with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot — he doesn’t want a repeat of last year.

    There were things he “would have taken back,” he said. He felt as if he was just waiting for the starters in front of him to come back rather than trying to seize the opportunity.

    “Lane Johnson is cemented in stone as one of the greats,” Fred Johnson said. “Fred Johnson is still trying to make a name for himself.

    “Now is my time to show what I can do.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 12 vs. the Cowboys

    He has been a reliable backup for the Eagles so far. Four times this season, he has been asked to come in at right tackle to replace Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ perennial Pro Bowler.

    The Eagles first added Fred Johnson as a practice squad member in November 2022. In addition to filling in, he has been used as an extra blocker in the Eagles’ jumbo package this season.

    “There’s a reason why we were putting him into playing those big packages because we have a lot of faith in him,” Sirianni said. “For what we were trying to do, we felt like he was one of our best 11 to do what we were trying to do on those particular plays.”

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson is a seventh-year veteran who also has played for the Bengals and Buccaneers.

    It is no secret that the Eagles are a worse football team without Lane Johnson. They are 12-23 since the beginning of the 2016 season in games he doesn’t start. Fred Johnson, though, has at least provided some reliable backup play over the last two seasons.

    But some of the numbers show a big difference. The offense’s struggles, particularly in the running game, are well documented at this point. But when the Eagles do choose to run behind Lane Johnson — something they probably should do with more frequency — they have found success. According to Next Gen Stats, the Eagles average 4.6 yards on their 84 designed runs to the right side with Lane Johnson on the field. That average drops to 2.4 yards on 40 runs to the right side with him off the field.

    Pass protection sees a similar drop-off.

    According to Pro Football Focus, Lane Johnson has allowed seven pressures (and no sacks) on 262 pass-blocking snaps, a pressure rate of 2.67%. Fred Johnson, meanwhile, has also allowed seven pressures, but on 77 pass-blocking snaps, a pressure rate of 9.09%.

    Eagles rookie Jihaad Campbell sees ‘opportunity’ and the bigger picture in his new role

    The Eagles will need to make adjustments, or live with the fact that their already-struggling offense is going to find improvements hard to come by for the duration of Lane Johnson’s absence.

    “Lane’s one of the best players in the NFL, so it makes you do a couple different things here and there,” Sirianni said. “With that being said, I have a lot of faith in the guys with Fred. … We need all hands on deck. We’ve had a lot of guys play, so a lot of experience doing that, not just with Lane, but with every position.”

    Fred Johnson, 28, said knowing he is starting changes little except getting more first-team reps in practice. He prepares to play every week.

    “Fred knows the drill,” Mailata said. “Fred knows what’s going on, what we’re going to ask of him.”

    Mailata said he sees a difference this year in the backup’s mindset and how he approaches the game plan each week. He thought Fred Johnson’s size and skills would have landed him a starting job and was excited to have the “extra-extrovert” back in the building when the Eagles traded him for after camp.

    “We got lucky,” Mailata said. “We got really lucky.”

    Maybe Fred Johnson did, too. For the next stretch of games, he’ll have another chance to, as he said, show what he can do. He wants the 2025 version to be better than the 2024 version. He thought he “left some meat on the bone” last time around.

    “I don’t want nobody to see a down step in physicality, execution, things like that that Lane does day in and day out,” he said. “I want people to forget that I’m even on the field.”

  • Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    The Eagles this weekend head to Dallas, where they will try to sweep their rival for the second consecutive season and move one step closer to clinching the NFC East for the second straight year. They would become the first team to win the division in consecutive seasons since they did it in 2004.

    Here are some important numbers and trends for Sunday’s game:

    4.6 … 2.4

    Lane Johnson’s impact on the Eagles is a well-known fact. As a reminder, the Eagles are 12-23 since the start of the 2016 season in games Johnson hasn’t started.

    What is a Lisfranc injury? And what does it mean for Lane Johnson?

    Let’s get a little more granular.

    The Eagles’ running game has not been close to what it was in 2024, and it’s a big reason the offense ranks 25th in the NFL in yards per game. But Johnson has at least been a player the Eagles can run behind (when they choose to). In 84 designed runs to the right side when Johnson is on the field, the Eagles are getting 4.6 yards per attempt, according to Next Gen Stats. In 40 carries to the right side with Johnson off the field, the Eagles average 2.4 yards.

    The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson (center) indefinitely.

    Further, the Eagles have totaled minus-16 rushing yards before contact (an average of minus-0.4 yards) and 113 rushing yards after contact (2.8 per) on designed runs to the right side, resulting in 97 net rushing yards.

    That’s not great.

    Eagles rookie Jihaad Campbell sees ‘opportunity’ and the bigger picture in his new role

    +6 … -4

    The Eagles’ obsession with possessing the football and not giving it away is nothing new. It’s largely the impetus behind their conservative offensive approach.

    The tendencies of the two teams that have led to the difference in turnover differential — plus-6 for the Eagles (seventh-best), minus-4 for the Cowboys (21st) — could play a big part in the result.

    Jalen Hurts has been impressive in not turning the ball over. He’s up to 156 consecutive passes without throwing an interception when under pressure, according to Next Gen, dating back to Week 2 of last season against the Falcons. That’s the second-longest active streak in the NFL.

    14.8%

    What was the cure to getting A.J. Brown the football a little more last week? Man coverage. The Lions deploy man coverage at the third-highest rate in the NFL, according to Sharp Analytics.

    Brown saw a lot of Rock Ya-Sin, who matched up with the receiver on 19 of his 28 routes, according to Next Gen, including 14 man-coverage matchups. Eight of Brown’s 11 targets came against Ya-Sin.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 12 vs. the Cowboys

    Well, expect a lot less man coverage on Sunday.

    The Cowboys, according to Sharp Analytics, play man coverage just 14.8% of the time, the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL.

    The Eagles have struggled against zone, and Dallas may be wise to stick to its tendencies.

    9-33

    The Cowboys are a dangerous team. They have one of the best offenses in the NFL by yards per game (third, 378.7) and points per game (second, 29.6). They lead the NFL in passing yards per game (258.7).

    But they have largely beaten up on bad teams. Sure, they trounced the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football a few days ago, but they were coming off double-digit losses to Arizona and Denver, which rolled Dallas in a 44-24 game on Oct. 26.

    Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt puts heat on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the first quarter in Week 1.

    Dallas’ wins this season are against the Giants, Jets, Commanders, and Raiders, four teams with a combined record of 9-33.

    How can an offense this dominant belong to a team with a 4-5-1 record? The defense is almost as bad as the offense is good. Maybe Jerry Jones shouldn’t have traded Micah Parsons, one of the best defenders in the NFL.

    Dallas owns the third-worst defense in yards allowed per game (381.3), and the second-worst in points allowed (29.3).

    The Eagles, of course, haven’t looked of late like an offense that is capable of putting up big numbers, but Sunday’s opponent could be the remedy.

    42.9%

    Just five weeks ago, when the Eagles were 4-2, their percentage chance of making the playoffs, according to FTN Fantasy, was 59.2%.

    Now, they are up to 42.9% to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Funny what a four-game winning streak — coupled with some poor play from the rest of the NFC East — can do to a team.

    A trip to the playoffs is pretty much sewn up. The Eagles have a 99.6% chance of making the postseason.

  • Frustrations with Jalen Hurts? Quarterback says he holds himself accountable.

    Frustrations with Jalen Hurts? Quarterback says he holds himself accountable.

    According to Jalen Hurts, scrutiny comes with the territory of being the franchise quarterback.

    Hurts isn’t lacking in scrutiny, especially as the Eagles offense is still trying to establish an identity despite being more than halfway through the season. Longtime Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn said on former Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner’s postgame show Sunday night that “there’s a lot of people in that organization that are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now.”

    Kevin Patullo frustrated with offense’s negative plays vs. Lions

    He likened it to “Carson Wentz Part 2,” referring to the 2021 trade when the Eagles dealt the former franchise quarterback to the Indianapolis Colts and took on a $33.8 million dead salary-cap hit — the largest in league history at the time. While Gunn said the Eagles are “not going to eat this kind of money yet” with Hurts, he also asserted that “the quarterback understands he has them over a barrel.” Hurts signed a five-year, $255 million contract extension in April 2023, and his cap figures for 2026 and 2027 total more than $73 million.

    When asked for his reaction to the report, Hurts responded that he’s just going to work every day and continue to try to do his best. He also acknowledged that it’s his responsibility to handle criticism as the franchise quarterback.

    “I guess I get a lot of attention when things are going well and when things are not going so well,” Hurts said. “So I never run away from holding myself accountable and I think that’s exactly what I’ve taken the approach of doing. Even when I look at this last game, I take great pride in what we do on offense. I take great pride in how we go out there and play as a team and what our flow is.

    “So we obviously got work to do, and I think that obviously starts with me. That’s always my approach. That’s always me looking internally first in everything that we do. And in due time, rising above.”

    A.J. Brown (11) is among those who have expressed frustrations with the offense, but has not directed complaints to Jalen Hurts, the quarterback said.

    Hurts also said that the reported locker room frustrations haven’t been brought to him directly by anyone within the organization. When asked if he would be open to teammates or coaches coming to him with those concerns, he expressed that he didn’t want to entertain a hypothetical situation.

    “Ultimately, it’s about coming in here, working, and leading,” Hurts said. ”And bringing good energy and going out there and showing it by how you work. At the end of the day, we are here to play as a team and to play together and go out there and find ways to win. That’s where we all have our focus at.”

    Hurts and the Eagles offense will attempt to refocus on the heels of a shaky two-week span. Despite winning their last two games following the bye week, the unit has scored just 26 points, the second-fewest among teams that have played two games in that stretch (and the lowest among teams with two wins).

    The Eagles quarterback had his lowest completion percentage of the season against the Lions (50%), although 14.8% of his passes were dropped, according to Pro Football Reference.

    The offense showed flashes of potential during the two-week stretch before the bye that included wins over the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. Hurts had a perfect passer rating (158.3) against the Vikings and came close to matching that effort against the Giants (141.5).

    Week 12 NFL power rankings roundup: ESPN drops Eagles from top spot after win

    Still, the offense’s overall numbers reflect a lack of consistency from week to week. The group ranks 16th in points and 25th in yards. While the efficiency of the passing game isn’t much different from the 2024 Super Bowl season (6.3 net yards per pass attempt in 2025 compared to 6.5 in 2024), the running game has seen a serious drop-off (3.9 yards per rush in 2025; 4.9 in 2024).

    “I think a lot of the things are internal wounds a bit,” Hurts said of the offense’s woes. “It’s about correcting those things. It’s a lot of opportunities out there for us. We’ve just got to take advantage of them. I’ve spoken on particulars in what we do, just having alignment in that, having a vision, and then going out there and establishing an identity and committing to it.

    “I think over the course of the year, we’ve gone out there and played different styles of games in almost all of the games. It’s about sitting in something, committing to it, and then going out there and saying, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ And push forward. You watch the course of the season, I watch the course of the season, and I don’t think it’s a capability thing. It’s a matter of having great focus and ultimately pursuing the same thing as an offensive unit and from a bigger perspective as a team.”

    Jalen Hurts, head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo have been actively trying to overcome the offense’s inconsistency.

    Despite Gunn’s report pointing at internal frustration with Hurts, Nick Sirianni emphasized Tuesday during an appearance on 94 WIP’s morning show that he isn’t among those with concerns.

    “Shoot, I’m not frustrated with him,” Sirianni said. “He goes out there and does his job each week and does a great job of putting us in position to win games. That’s the name of the game. Particularly, for the quarterback, what are you doing to help your team win football games? And, shoot, he finds a way to help us win.

    “I love his attention to detail and I love his leadership and I love his mindset of, ‘I’m going to do everything I can do to win this game. Sometimes that means handing it off, sometimes that means me running it. And sometimes that means me throwing it where I need to throw it.’ He does a great job of leading this football team.”

  • HBO releases trailer for in-season ‘Hard Knocks’ featuring the Eagles and NFC East

    HBO releases trailer for in-season ‘Hard Knocks’ featuring the Eagles and NFC East

    Ahead of the 2025 season, HBO and NFL Films announced its in-season edition of Hard Knocks would follow the NFC East, which meant behind-the-scenes access to the Eagles, as well as their division rivals — the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Commanders and the New York Giants.

    At the time, it sounded like cinema.

    Following one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, one that featured the reigning Super Bowl champions, as well as some of the biggest names in the sport — including the Eagles’ A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts, Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, and Giants’ Russell Wilson and Malik Nabers — seemed like appointment viewing.

    However, it took a turn after a number of setbacks plagued each team. The Commanders (3-8) lost star quarterback Daniels to a dislocated elbow in Week 9. The Giants (2-9) have started three different quarterbacks and fired head coach Brian Daboll. The Cowboys (4-5-1) have battled inconsistency while adjusting under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer. Even the Eagles (8-2), who are running away with the division, are still trying to figure out their offense and drama continues to surround Brown.

    It’s not exactly the tight race fans were expecting — but there’s still likely to be plenty of drama. Fans can now get an early look at the series after HBO revealed its first trailer.

    Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East will premiere on HBO on Dec. 2 and can be streamed on HBO Max. New episodes will premiere every Tuesday throughout the end of the NFL regular season and into the playoffs.

  • A look at the custom cleats and causes the Eagles are supporting for NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative

    A look at the custom cleats and causes the Eagles are supporting for NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative

    It’s not just Dallas week for the Eagles. It also happens to be the start of the NFL’s 10th annual My Cause My Cleats initiative, which allows players to wear their hearts on their feet — by highlighting a charity of their choice with custom cleats through creative artwork and designs.

    “My Cause My Cleats is a player-driven platform that does a tremendous job of amplifying the voices, charitable causes, and social issues that matter most,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “I am especially proud of our players for always taking this opportunity to drive change and draw attention to the organizations that work year-round to help others. The dedication of those in our building is inspiring and a testament to their ongoing commitment to making a positive difference in the community.”

    This year’s My Cause My Cleats campaign will take place during Weeks 12 and 13. While the players will lace up their cleats Sunday against Dallas, the Eagles’ coaching staff will highlight the Eagles Autism Foundation during the team’s Black Friday game against the Chicago Bears by wearing custom Nike sneakers on the sideline.

    Game-worn cleats will be auctioned off at NFL Auction, with all proceeds donated to the charities chosen by players. Ahead of Sunday’s game, we’ve picked out some of the Eagles’ custom cleats, but you can check them all out — and find out more on the charities they support — here …

    Jalen Hurts’ custom Jordan 1 cleats will highlight the Jalen Hurts Foundation.

    Jalen Hurts

    Jalen Hurts will be highlighting the Jalen Hurts Foundation, which aims to “strengthen communities by servicing and advancing the youth.” Similar to last year’s cleats, the quarterback’s baby blue Jordan 1s will have the foundation’s logo painted across the toe of the shoe.

    Jalen Hurts’ growing relationship with Jordan is helping the Eagles QB express himself: ‘Each pair is like a canvas’
    A.J. Brown will support the A.J. Brown Foundation with his custom green and purple Vapor Edge 360 “Untouchable” cleats.

    A.J. Brown

    Similar to last year’s look, wide receiver A.J. Brown will stick with a bold colorway — sporting green and purple Vapor Edge 360 Untouchable cleats to support youth development with the A.J. Brown Foundation. The Joker-like cleats feature a silhouette of Brown walking hand-in-hand with children above the foundation’s name.

    Cooper DeJean will highlight cancer awareness and prevention with his custom cleats.

    Cooper DeJean

    Cornerback Cooper DeJean is highlighting cancer awareness and prevention with custom cleats designed to honor the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

    Representing the school’s colors, the cleats feature a yellow colorway with a painting of the hospital on the inside of the shoe. Different colored handprints decorate the cleats, and “Iowa” is painted along the outside.

    DeVonta Smith will support the Eagles Autism Foundation with custom Under Armour Spotlight Pro Suede cleats.

    DeVonta Smith

    Wide receiver DeVonta Smith will honor the Eagles Autism Foundation, wearing custom Under Armour Spotlight Pro Suede cleats that feature the autism puzzle pieces decorating an all-lime green body.

    Nakobe Dean is supporting youth development with custom cleats designed to honor Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe.

    Nakobe Dean

    Nakobe Dean is supporting youth development with custom cleats designed to honor Kind Hearts 4 Lyfe. The Eagles linebacker started the foundation to “provide community outreach programs and services that support, assist, and positively impact the lives of people of all ages.”

    Dean’s all-red cleats have the organization’s logo on the heel with its slogan, “Reaching for the hand, but touching the heart,” running along both shoes. Hearts decorate the inside of the Nike logo.

    Zack Baun’s custom Nike Alpha Menace 4 Varsity cleats highlight the Special Olympics.

    Zack Baun

    Linebacker Zack Baun is highlighting the Special Olympics. His custom Nike Alpha Menace 4 Varsity cleats feature a sleek red, white, and black design with the Special Olympics logo on the toe of the shoe.

    Britain Covey’s all-pink cleats are decorated with horseshoes to honor Bridle up Hope and the Rachel Covey Foundation.

    Britain Covey

    Britain Covey is supporting women’s mental health by highlighting Bridle Up Hope and the Rachel Covey Foundation. Its mission is to “inspire hope, confidence, and resilience in girls and women through horses and habits.” The foundation was founded after the death of Rachel Covey, Britain’s cousin, who battled depression for many years. Covey’s all-pink cleats are decorated with horseshoes and the foundation’s name.

    Grant Calcaterra is supporting first responders by highlighting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

    Grant Calcaterra

    Grant Calcaterra is supporting first responders by highlighting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, whose mission is to “honor America’s fallen fire heroes and support their families, colleagues, and organizations,” as well as reduce the number of preventable fires.

    The tight end’s custom Jordan 1 cleats are painted to replicate a firefighter extinguishing a fire in a burning building, with the artist utilizing the Nike swoosh as the water from the hose. The organization’s logo decorates the heel of the cleats. Calcaterra previously pursued becoming a firefighter before continuing his football career.

    Joshua Uche’s custom Jordan 11 cleats support the Innocence Project.

    Joshua Uche

    Edge rusher Joshua Uche is using his platform to support social justice by highlighting the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate those who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. His custom Jordan 11 cleats are decorated in broken chains with the words “reform,” “justice,” and “equity” written across the cleats’ upper.

    Lane Johnson’s camouflage cleats honor the Travis Manion Foundation.

    Lane Johnson

    Lane Johnson won’t be playing, but the Eagles right tackle is again highlighting the Travis Manion Foundation, supporting veterans and the families of fallen military members. His cleats feature a black and gray camouflage design with a gold star alongside the outside of both cleats.

    Lane Johnson is driven by the motto of a Doylestown Marine killed in Iraq.

  • Vic Fangio’s best Eagles defense yet, Jason Kelce’s ‘biggest concern’ on offense, and more from ‘New Heights’

    Vic Fangio’s best Eagles defense yet, Jason Kelce’s ‘biggest concern’ on offense, and more from ‘New Heights’

    While the Eagles (8-2) topped the Lions, 16-9, on Sunday and continue to lead the division, not all has been to Philadelphia’s standard.

    Unsurprisingly, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce had some constructive criticism for what he called a “frustrating” Birds offense. He shared his thoughts on the game in the latest episode of his New Heights podcast, alongside his brother and Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.

    Defense continues to impress

    In Jason Kelce’s view, the most notable success of Sunday’s win was limiting a potent Lions offense to just nine points. Travis Kelce also recognized the Philadelphia defense’s ability to stop Detroit on fourth down on all five of its attempts.

    “The [Eagles] defense is playing unbelievable right now,” Jason said. “Probably the best they’ve played since Vic Fangio’s been here. … And it’s at every single level of the defense. The defensive line is playing out of their minds. Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter were playing volleyball out there, batting down passes left and right.”

    Eagles rookie Jihaad Campbell sees ‘opportunity’ and the bigger picture in his new role

    One of those deflected passes turned into an interception for cornerback Cooper DeJean, who picked off Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the first quarter, leading to an Eagles field goal.

    “Batting down those passes early, that clearly got [the Lions] out of their rhythm,” Kelce added.

    After finishing with 2,005 yards last season, Saquon Barkley is on pace to finish with 1,125 this season.

    Kelce’s ‘biggest concern’ with the Eagles

    The longtime Eagles center was less satisfied with his former team when it came to the offensive side of the ball.

    He recognized the midgame blow of not having Lane Johnson on the field. The offensive tackle went down in the first quarter with a foot injury and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.

    “I don’t know how long [Johnson] is going to be out, but that’s something that has decimated this offense in years past,” Kelce said. “Whenever Lane’s been out, it’s been very detrimental. Positively, Fred Johnson has played well in his snaps that he’s had to go in for Lane. But make no mistake, they’re going to miss Lane.”

    Kevin Patullo frustrated with offense’s negative plays vs. Lions; Eagles have Nolan Smith on a snap count

    However, Kelce stated that the Eagles have wider struggles on offense to address — particularly, not maximizing their potential to run the ball.

    “We have to get the ground game going,” Kelce said. “Everyone wants to talk about this year’s offense vs. last year’s offense, and vs. previous offenses with Jalen Hurts. The number one difference is that we can’t run the football. We’re not running it at a consistent, successful rate. …

    “We have to be demoralizing in the ground game. And [the Eagles] can be. They should be, and they’re just not. It’s frustrating to watch.”