Eagles

Injuries, Regression, or Both, the Eagles’ Typically-Elite Offensive Line Hasn’t Been a Strength

By Nick Piccone

Published: Nov 17th, 2025 · 2:11 PM EST

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The Eagles might be 8-2, but until the offense shows signs of improving, the fan mindset will stew on the negative from each game instead of the positive. I still don’t understand how this fan base (and sports in general) shifted from an “only wins matter” mindset to discourse focused more on how a team looks in a win or loss.

In some ways, when teams become elite enough, that shift is predictable. The Eagles made their fans spoiled, so the “a win is a win” mantra doesn’t work anymore. I’m not so sure I’m a fan of that mindset, but I do understand it.

Usually, when coaches and players identify an issue and talk about improving said issue in games, we see an improvement. It may last a game or two for some teams, but the point is that we can see with the naked eye the adjustments that teams are trying to make in real time. 

As far as the Eagles, the only improvement we’ve seen is on the defensive side. Special teams has been very good, too, but the defense has had back-to-back elite games after giving up 16 points collectively to the Packers and Lions. It’s like the team is only allowed to have one elite facet at a time.

But why is that? Is it Jalen Hurts? Saquon Barkley? A.J. Brown? DeVonta Smith? Or is it the collective offensive line? The unit that continues to struggle not only on the field, but staying on the field, once again could not open up the running game nor the passing game Sunday night during another nail-biting win.

Again, I’ll always say getting a win is the most important result. The next story to look at would be how they’ve won. The similarities from the 2023 collapse weren’t as glaring on offense as they are this season – it was mostly all on the defense then. Kevin wrote exactly one month ago about the offensive line struggles, and they haven’t improved. They’re still last in the league in stuffed rushing yards with -125 total, and they have 34 negative rush attempts on the season, which is tied with the Seahawks for most in the league. Add in the passing offense and the Eagles have a 9.2% negative play percentage, which means they’re gaining 0 yards or going backwards on almost one out of every ten plays. It’s a huge reason why they’re facing the longest third downs on average and have the highest three and out percentage in the NFL.

Additionally, the Sportradar data notes that the Eagles are running into heavy boxes 31.5% of the time this year. That’s fifth-most in the NFL, but last year the number was 36%, the highest in the league, and Saquon Barkley smashed records while the offensive line smashed defenses. In 2024, Saquon was getting 3.8 yards before contact on average, which is incredible, while this year the number is down to 2.5 and matches his career averages.

We hear it a lot from players and coaches around the league that the trenches are where games are won. The Eagles have been known to have a great offensive line, so much so that a lot of losers and haters will still call them an elite line that carries Hurts in 2025.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Because of an aversion to risk, outside of taking some sideline shots to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Hurts has protected the ball. He’s not fumbling and not throwing picks, which we’d probably agree was part of a conscious shift stemming from past turnover issues. That’s why the defense has been able to work with longer fields in general, and why the Eagles are winning games.

That also doesn’t mean it’s a repeatable recipe for success. Each new season is a chance to re-invent the type of offense a team wants to be. As of now, it’s still the conservative approach for the Eagles, and it’s hard to knock it entirely because of the record. But questions are starting to mount week after week if that’s sustainable for an entire season. I can’t blame people at this point for looking back to 2023 and being worried about history repeating itself. Even though the defense was shredded cheese, the offense eventually couldn’t overcome that weakness. Will the defense be able to continue overcoming the offense’s ineptitude week after week as we get into the final month and change of the season? 

That’s where the anxiety comes from.

And the offensive line is a huge reason why the offense is struggling. Timing is off. The guys can’t stay healthy. The holes aren’t there. The play-calling isn’t there. It’s a mess, and we’re not seeing an improvement against teams that aren’t the New York Football Giants.

Is Jeff Stoutland U maxed out? He hasn’t had the golden touch with his crop this year. Injuries to Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens, and Landon Dickerson aren’t his fault, but the bench shouldn’t be this bad, and neither should the stats. And if the line can’t improve, isn’t it on Kevin Patullo, Hurts, and co. to adjust what they’re doing before a loss costs them a chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC? Usually, by mid-November, we’ve seen the strengths and weaknesses of every team. But with the Eagles, their weakness is what they think their strength is.