The noise surrounding the Eagles' passing game has been loud and abundant this season. There was everything from assumptions about body language and sideline conversations to examinations of Instagram captions and X posts.
There was even speculation that the Eagles would trade star receiver A.J. Brown before the deadline. As that chatter has come and gone (as GM Howie Roseman said, "You don’t get rid of guys like that"), the Eagles have locked in on repeating as Super Bowl champions.
The early criticism of the passing game was founded. Through four games, Jalen Hurts averaged the fewest passing yards per game (152.3) among qualified passers. Brown and DeVonta Smith averaged fewer than 40 receiving yards per game.
And…the Eagles were 4-0, but it seemed like nobody even cared. Rather than focusing on tough wins against the Chiefs, Rams, and Buccaneers, the conversation swirled around what wasn't working.
Then the losses came. The offense put up 17 points in back-to-back losses against the Broncos and Giants. The noise got louder, but Hurts has built his career flourishing in the face of adversity.
And…he responded again.
In the two games leading into their Week 9 bye, Hurts helped two Eagles victories in which the team averaged 33.0 points per game. Over that span, Hurts has completed 79.1 percent of his passes, averaged 11.7 yards per attempt, and notched a 155.2 passer rating, each the highest in the NFL since Week 7.
Smith has averaged an NFL-best 133.5 receiving yards per game over that stretch. Even Brown, who missed Week 8 with a hamstring injury, posted 121 yards and two touchdowns in his lone game since then.
Brown, a lightning rod for media topic bars and fan bar topics, is expected to return in Week 10 after being listed as a full participant on Thursday. His presence changes the formula for teams attempting to defend the Eagles offense. Sure, he has the lowest open percentage (17.6) and the fewest yards of separation (1.8) among 46 players with at least 50 targets. And Hurts has a 33.3 tight-window percentage when targeting Brown, the second highest in the NFL (according to Next Gen Stats).
But that hasn't mattered much in the past. Brown is second in the NFL in receptions (32) and receiving yards (634) on tight-window targets since joining the Eagles in 2023. The 3-time Pro Bowlers' game has always been able to "dominate" when the ball arrives, regardless of who or what is around him, and being a menace with the ball in his hands.
As for his quarterback, Hurts has quietly played at an elite level after the early season blips. He's the first quarterback since Patrick Mahomes (in 2020) with at least 15 touchdown passes and one or fewer interceptions through the first eight games of a season. Only Mahomes (21) and Matthew Stafford (21) — two early season MVP candidates — have more total touchdowns than Hurts (20) this season.
Hurts has also been the league's most prolific deep passer this season, according to Next Gen Stats. He has the most completions (16) and yards (615) on throws of 20+ air yards. Only Baker Mayfield has more deep touchdown passes (7) than Hurts (6) in 2025.
And historically? Hurts is handling success exceptionally. Among quarterbacks in any season after winning the Super Bowl, only Aaron Rodgers in 2011 had a higher passer rating—a still-standing single-season NFL record 122.5—than Hurts (114.4) in 2025.
As for the offensive struggles, it's been less about a lack of explosive plays and more about a lack of sustained drives. The Eagles have gone three-and-out at the highest rate (32.1 percent of drives) in the NFL this season. The team's bottom five ranking in third-down conversion percentage (33.3) can be traced to its league-high 7.9 yards to go on third down. Nearly 40 percent of the Eagles' drives have ended without a first down, the third worst in the NFL.
This would matter for any team, but it really matters for the Eagles. When they do reach the red zone, they're the best team in the NFL. Philadelphia has converted 85.0 percent of its red zone drives into touchdowns, easily the best by any team this century. The issue stems back to sustained drives; only the Titans (16) and Jets (19) have fewer red zone drives than the Eagles (20).
If the Eagles can get into the red zone more often, this offense can reach new heights. The early-season struggles were real but so are the adjustments that have been made by Hurts and company. Hurts is on a heater. Smith is playing like a true WR1, and Brown is returning to the lineup. The noise can surely continue but the listening shouldn't.
The Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champions. They're currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They aren't focused on fixing their passing game. They're focused on defending a championship. If the past is any indication, this group is built to rise when the stakes do.
For more NFL stats and history, follow Tony Holzman-Escareno on X.
