The Eagles return to primetime with an opportunity to reset in front of the entire country after an embarrassing loss last Friday. Philadelphia is 8–4 and has been struggling to find its identity. There has not been a post-bye surge this season for the Birds, and they need to hit that second gear now to make a run in the postseason. With three extra days of rest and time to re-evaluate their offense, they have a chance to stop the slide.
The Chargers have an above-average offense, but it is highly volatile. Their quarterback can drop 40 on you or turn it over four times. The Eagles' defense hopes for the latter by confusing them into a sloppy, turnover-heavy game.
While this matchup does not carry divisional or conference weight, given the standings, the schedule ahead, and the recent losing streak, its importance is obvious.
The Eagles' offense, which was unstoppable and appeared effortless in 2024, hasn’t found its identity in 2025. The run blocking and timing are inconsistent, and the threat of Jalen Hurts as a runner, which was once a central part of his game, has been sorely missed. A return to the style of play that left the league unable to find an answer to stop them would be a welcome change.
Hurts doesn’t need 10 carries. He just needs enough designed runs, keepers, and read-option looks to influence linebackers and open lanes for Saquon Barkley. Without that threat, defenses sit on everything. With it, the old structure comes back to life.
Minor tweaks in the passing game to create more spacing should allow Jalen to get into a quicker rhythm and be more decisive on intermediate targets. They could also find explosive plays that have been missing for much of the season.
The Chargers play a lot of Cover 3, and are vulnerable deep, which opens the door for vertical shots, especially off play-action. The signature plays of last season need to be brought into the present, and LA is the perfect defense to get that going.
The Chargers enter the contest banged up up front, and that’s where the Eagles must win. Los Angeles is without both starting offensive tackles, and Justin Herbert has been hit relentlessly this season. If the Eagles win early downs, they can force Herbert into predictable drop-backs, and that’s where the turnovers should come.
L.A. will look to stretch the field, and one of the matchups to watch is Ladd McConkey vs. Cooper DeJean. McConkey is a separation generator in the NFL, as he was for Georgia in college. DeJean’s discipline and anticipatory instincts will dictate just how much the Chargers can threaten deep. It is one of the chess matches inside the game that could determine the winner.
The Eagles welcome back Marcus Epps at safety, who I expect to take over from Sydney Brown. For a defense that has been struggling, he is a welcome shot in the arm.
If the defensive line causes havoc and can force Herbert, or whoever their QB is, into mistakes, the defense should provide a turnover for a score or a short field. The loss of Jalen Carter to a procedure on both shoulders makes this a more challenging task, but not impossible. The team was embarrassed on Friday, and I expect them to respond.
The Chargers have scored 24 or more points in six of their last seven games. The Eagles have averaged slightly over 15 points per game since the bye. If this becomes a shootout, it is hard to see the Eagles winning. The Birds are not built to survive that type of game right now. But if Philadelphia controls the trenches, Hurts gets moving again, and the defensive backfield is stingy, this is a winnable game. Discipline and focus cannot wane, as they have many times this season.
The Eagles have had many distractions this season, including the unacceptable behavior directed at Kevin Patullo’s home and family this week. It is time for this team to block out the noise and begin a hard reset to regain its winning ways. They have the talent to turn it around.
Jalen Hurts has said that just because they haven’t done something doesn’t mean they can’t do it. But talk without action isn’t worth anything, and it is time to prove otherwise again. Hurts has a history of responding when people doubt him, and this is the type of stage where he’s flipped narratives before.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Chargers 25
Player of the Game: Jalen Hurts. When the doubt peaks, he tends to answer the bell. I expect him to do that Monday Night in LA.
As always, thank you for reading!
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