Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Glass Half Full

Posted October 1st, 2026 | No Comments »

Monday night’s butt-kicking has most people down on the Eagles. It is absolutely fair to be down on them after such a horrid performance. Still, it feels like some people have gone overboard. I’ve questioned where this season is going and I have concerns with this team, but I also acknowledge that it won’t shock me for them to end up in the Super Bowl. This team still has a lot of potential. Let’s talk about some positives.

First, I still think this is one of the best rosters in the NFL. Their level of play so far hasn’t reflected that, but it is only October 1. Go back to Jimmy Bama’s NFC Hierarchy piece from late October. He had Seattle as the #6 team in the conference. Detroit was #1. The Seahawks won the Super bowl, while the Lions missed the playoffs. You don’t want to peak in October.

It is frustrating to see such a talented roster playing such sloppy football. Be patient. You never know if a player is dealing with an injury issue (Cooper DeJean?) or if someone is still working through some things or a young player just having youthful issues (Drew Mukuba, Jihaad Campbell). You give players with good track records a long leash to figure things out. Younger guys just need to show progress. The coaches can see some of that in meetings and practices. Viv Fangio told everyone to be patient with Kelee Ringo and those words proved to be wise. Ringo played better as the summer wore on.

The OL showed real progress in Chicago. They got good movement in the run game. We hadn’t seen that with any consistency this season. We saw their potential against the Bears. And the more time Cam Jurgens gets at LG and Drew Kendall at C, the better this group can play.

I still believe in Jalen Hurts. He struggled in the second half of the Bears game, but we’ve seen far more good than bad so far this season.

The defense is wildly erratic right now, but Vic Fangio has a great track record. He’s shown the ability to get the most out of his players with various teams in various decades. I don’t think he suddenly forgot how to coach. Remember that his defenses didn’t really peak until the second half of the last two seasons. It can take time for players to all be on the same page. The defense should also benefit from the offense being able to sustain drives better as they improve. Adding Jonathan Greenard to the mix certainly helps. He flashed at times on MNF.

The Eagles are a bit dinged up, but are pretty healthy compared to some teams. The healthier you are, the more success you’re likely to have. Keep your fingers crossed on this one.

The Eagles schedule is reasonable. You never want to look too far down the line because things can change so quickly in the NFL, but there isn’t an insane gauntlet that the Eagles have to go through. The Rams and Jags the next two weeks will be challenging. Then there is Seattle, Houston and SF in December. That could be a tough stretch.

The NFC East isn’t loaded right now. Dallas has a terrific offense, but their defense remains a work in progress. Trading for CB Joey Porte Jr should help, but it won’t solve all their problems. Jameis Winston has struggled since taking over for Jaxson Dart in NY. Injuries are hurting that team. Washington has played better than anyone expected, but they lack talent and you just can’t trust them.

This season can get turned around if Nick Sirianni has the right messaging and can push the right buttons. I believe the biggest problems are intangibles and those can usually be fixed. I’m not ignoring the tangible issues (poor safety play for instnace), but all 32 teams have weak spots. The Eagles can turn things around quickly if Sirianni can get this team to play smarter and tougher.

The Eagles don’t have to win on Sunday to give me hope. I need to see them play good football. If the Rams happen to make an extra play or two and win, so be it. I just need to see major improvement from the Birds. That would help me to believe in them going forward.

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