You know the Philadelphia Eagles are in bad shape when even a push ends in failure.
The Eagles made everything look easy last season. Especially the Tush Push, which was so effective that there was a league-wide vote to ban it. One play in an ugly Black Friday performance illustrated the difference between last season’s Eagles and this season’s version, which is frustrating everyone in Philadelphia.
Advertisement
In the third quarter, the Eagles lined up for a Jalen Hurts sneak at the Bears’ 12-yard line on third-and-1. This game was almost automatic for them. This time. Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright came in at the end, got a hand on the ball as Hurts pushed forward and snatched it away. Wright then dug to the bottom of the pile and was able to recover the fumble.
Everyone expected a first try. The Bears got the ball back instead.
These are the Eagles of 2025. They lost 24-15 to the Chicago Bears at home on Friday in a surprising disappointment, four days later giving the Dallas Cowboys a 21-0 lead in another surprising loss. THE The Bears Were Simply Better in Every Way Friday.
Advertisement
After the Bears scored to take a 24-9 lead in the fourth quarter, the Amazon Prime Video the broadcast showed Eagles fans leaving. They booed for over three quarters, then couldn’t even stand to watch their team flail.
The Eagles are 8-4 and still in first place in the NFC East. A lot of teams would be happy with that. But the Eagles are not happy. Neither does anyone else in Philadelphia.
Eagles fall behind in first half
The Eagles looked terrible in the first half and the fans let them know it. At least until they start leaving in the fourth quarter.
The offense was once again terrible. The Eagles managed just two first downs before halftime and held the ball for just nine minutes. DeVonta Smith had a 30-yard catch and the rest of the half produced just 53 yards.
Advertisement
Why didn’t the passing offense click on Friday?
“Execution,” said AJ Brown, which has raised its fair share of audience complaints this season. “Execution.
Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles suffered their second two-game losing streak of the season. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)
The defense was no better. The Bears figured out early that they could run right at the Eagles and knock them off the ball. Chicago totaled 142 rushing yards in the first half, an average of 6.5 yards per attempt. It was amazing to see the Eagles get beaten up. At the start of the fourth quarter, D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 100 yards rushing. The Bears hadn’t had two backs pass for 100 yards in a game since 1985, when Walter Payton and Matt Suhey did it. Chicago finished with 281 rushing yards. The Eagles defense, which looked excellent in wins over the Packers and Lions in Weeks 10 and 11, couldn’t stop the Cowboys in their comeback last week and was mauled by the Bears on Friday.
Advertisement
The Eagles were booed loudly as they left the field for halftime, but they didn’t let themselves get blown away. The Bears had completely dominated Philadelphia during the half, but only led 10-3. But given how weak Philadelphia’s play was on both sides, it was only a matter of time before the game ended.
Even when the Eagles finally found a way to do something right, they still managed to get booed. After the second half started with a three-and-out and an interception by Hurts, Hurts hit AJ Brown for a nice touchdown. It was the Eagles’ first touchdown since taking a 21-0 lead over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12. And then Jake Elliott missed the extra point, keeping the Bears ahead 10-9.
Everything the Eagles do this season, even the highlights, somehow seem to lead to frustration.
Can the Eagles be fixed?
When asked earlier this week if he would consider taking over the game director duties from oft-criticized offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, head coach Nick Sirianni said he would not.
Advertisement
After the final egg thrown by the offense on Friday, Sirianni reiterated it.
“We’re not changing the point guard,” he said of Patullo.
However, we’re approaching the point where he may not have many choices if the Eagles want to change course. The status quo won’t be enough to take them far in the playoffs.
The play call was torn up because it wasn’t creative. The execution wasn’t very good either. Saquon Barkley is a shell of what he was last season. He had 56 yards on 13 carries and has only one 100-yard game this season. The passing game was below average. There was a key play in the first half Friday in which DeVonta Smith went wide open on a smart play call, which was rare. Hurts apparently thought Smith was going to stop, Smith continued and Hurts’ pass was well behind his receiver and incomplete. Philadelphia settled for a basket.
Advertisement
When Sirianni defended Patullo, he said it wasn’t just one thing holding the Eagles back.
Finally, there’s something Eagles fans and Sirianni can agree on. Anyone who watched the Black Friday game could see that the Eagles’ problems are multiple. Forwarding game calls might help, but it wouldn’t solve everything. That wouldn’t make Barkley feel like he’s not feeling the effects of handling 482 touches last season, nor would he magically get consistency from a defense that led the NFL in yards allowed last season but entered Week 13 ranked 20th in that category. The Eagles may be able to plug some leaks before the playoffs begin, but it’s almost December. If many of their problems were salvageable, they would have been solved by now.
Advertisement
The Eagles will almost surely be in the playoffs. But Philadelphia won’t settle for a quick exit this season. Given what the Eagles looked like on Friday, it’s hard to see any other outcome.
