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The Philadelphia Eagles had a Jekyll and Hyde 2023 season. In the first half of the season, they looked unstoppable and well on their way to another Super Bowl berth. In the second half of the year, they couldn’t stop any offense and ended up with an early exit from the playoffs. The talent is still there and the team upgraded in key positions. They also changed coordinators to try and revitalize their team. Here are three numbers to know heading into the 2024 season.
Philadelphia Eagles: 35
Number of passing touchdowns the Eagles gave up in 2023
The defense was awful down the stretch of the season. Offenses moved the ball at will. The 35 touchdowns they gave up to opposing passing offenses were 2nd in the league behind the Washington Commanders. The Cardinals, Bears, and Broncos were the next three on the rankings list. This is not the company the Philadelphia Eagles want to keep. GM Howie Roseman saw this as a need and aggressively worked to fix it.
The team brought back CJ Gardner-Johnson after his one-year hiatus with the Lions. In the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Terrion Arnold and Cooper DeJean who many had as top cornerbacks in the draft. More importantly, Matt Patricia is gone. Now, it is time to see if these massive changes will make any difference on the field.
Philadelphia Eagles: 46.15
3rd down percentage in 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles were one of the top teams on third down in 2023. The reason has been a topic of discussion for a couple of seasons: the Tush Push. Teams have tried to copy what the Eagles have done to no avail. Philadelphia has found themselves a nearly automatic play when they are faced with a 3rd and 1. However, there is a big change on the offensive line. Jason Kelce is gone, and he was a key part of the cog of the Tush Push.
It will be interesting to see if the Philadelphia Eagles struggle more on third down this year. If Kelce was the reason the Tush Push worked, the team will have to figure out new ways to convert their 3rd and 1s. It’s something to keep an eye on early in the season. If the new center picks up right where Kelce left off, the Eagles should be one of the top teams on 3rd down again.
Jalen Hurts Number: 15
Interceptions by Hurts in 2023
Jalen Hurts has taken care of the ball during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. He hasn’t had double-digit interceptions until last year. His previous high was nine, and this was in his first year as a starter. While the defense shoulders plenty of the blame, Hurts through at least one interception in four straight games to end the regular season. Turnovers are not a recipe for success. Even though the Eagles have an ultra-talented roster, Hurts has to take care of the ball.
The question going into 2024 is whether this is a sign of things to come for Jalen Hurts or an outlier due to a bad season. Every player has them. Also, interceptions aren’t always a quarterback’s fault. Many factors are at play. However, in general, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has to protect the ball better in 2024.
The Philadelphia Eagles want to show that the back half of the season was an anomaly. They have the roster to compete with the Dallas Cowboys and the rest of the NFC.
