How can the Eagles win the NFC East again? A Philly reporter knows how.
The Philadelphia Eagles have won the NFC East two years in a row.
To three-peat, Eagles reporter Tim McManus of ESPN believes Philly needs to rely on its defense and running attack.
The Eagles' defense is led by Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Quinyon Mitchell and newcomer Jonathan Greenard. Vic Fangio is one of the best DCs in the NFL, so Philly's defense should be elite again in 2026.
Meanwhile, Sean Mannion is the Eagles' new OC. The ground game is led by Saquon Barkley, although Jalen Hurts will run a lot as well.
"It will be on the strength of the defense and the ground game," McManus wrote. "The key to Philly's success over the years has been in the trenches. The offensive line took a step back last season but enters this year generally healthy. That's good news for Saquon Barkley, who showed in 2024 that he can be downright dominant when working in tandem with a sound front.
"The defense is in Year 3 under Vic Fangio and has a chance to be a top-three unit in the NFL. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter looks healthy and ready to wreck games, and the secondary boasts arguably the best cornerback trio in the league in Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Riq Woolen. This group is capable of carrying the team early as the offense finds its way."
After winning the Super Bowl during the 2024 season, the Eagles lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of the 2025 playoffs. A.J. Brown was traded to the New England Patriots this offseason and the Eagles acquired Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings.
The Eagles knew they needed a reboot after the highest-salaried offense in the NFL finished 23rd in passing yards (194.3), 19thin Total QBR (52.9) and points per game (22.3) and first in three-and-outs last season. Mannion is a former NFL QB, so he's bonded well with Hurts.
"Jalen's been awesome," Mannion said. "I really think he can do anything we ask of him. He's accurate. He's a great athlete. He really attacks the fundamentals. That's what's been really fun to watch these last two weeks of Phase 2. He's always wanting more things to work on, wanting more things regarding fundamentals, timing, understanding the scheme. He's hungry for more. Those are the guys that are really fun to work with."
If Hurts plays well in 2026, the Eagles will make the playoffs again and contend for a Super Bowl. However, if the QB struggles in Mannion's system, Philadelphia will crumble and Hurts may get traded next offseason.
Hurts enters this season with 17,891 passing yards, 110 passing touchdowns, 3,554 rushing yards and 63 rushing touchdowns in his career. He's made the Pro Bowl three times and won Super Bowl LIX MVP against the Kansas City Chiefs.
