By Carey Iona (The Flyin Hawaiian)
PHILADELPHIA – The undefeated streak is over, and the Eagles now sit at a tenuous 4-1. While the 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos will be quickly filed away as the team’s first loss of the season, the manner in which it happened confirms what has been an uncomfortable truth all season: the Eagles’ offense is actively holding itself back.
A team loaded with Pro Bowl talent—from Jalen Hurts to Saquon Barkley to the elite receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith—should be operating with unstoppable efficiency. Instead, the unit looks like a high-performance engine running on the wrong fuel, plagued by confusing inconsistency and a stunning lack of faith in its foundational strength.
The most glaring example of this self-sabotage came in the stunning fourth-quarter collapse against the Broncos.
The Abandonment of the Beast
The Philadelphia Eagles spent significant resources this offseason to acquire Saquon Barkley, creating what should have been the most punishing rushing attack in football. Against Denver, that strength was shelved in the most crucial moments.
Despite holding a commanding 17-3 lead in the third quarter, the Eagles offense went ice cold, ultimately allowing the Broncos to score 18 unanswered points. The primary culprit? A bafflingly light workload for their star running back.
Barkley, who entered the game needing to be a consistent threat to chew clock and demoralize the Denver defense, finished the entire game with only six rushing attempts for 30 yards.
- The Inexplicable Choice: With a two-score lead, every principle of game management dictates running the ball, wearing down the opposing defense, and bleeding the clock. Instead, first-year Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo’s play-calling became pass-heavy and predictable.
- A Weapon Unused: Barkley’s 47-yard touchdown reception on a wheel route proved his explosive talent is still there. But by refusing to consistently utilize him in the running game, the Eagles kept Denver’s defense fresh, allowing them to focus entirely on bottling up the passing attack when it mattered most. It wasn’t until the final, desperate minutes that the team truly realized their error, but by then, it was too late.
The Jalen Hurts Conundrum
Quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the game with a decent statistical line, passing for 280 yards, but the offense’s inconsistency has been the story of his 2025 campaign. While Hurts has kept the turnover numbers down (zero interceptions through Week 5), the offense lacks the swagger and explosive play-making that defined their Super Bowl run.
The issues are rooted in a clear lack of cohesion and design:
- Forcing the Issue: The first half of the season has been characterized by moments where the offense is either “conservative” or “stuck.” While the passing game finally showed life with Hurts connecting on deep shots to DeVonta Smith, the overall design feels forced.
- Unhappy Stars: The constant rumors surrounding A.J. Brown’s rumored dissatisfaction with his usage are a byproduct of a system that isn’t maximizing its elite personnel. The Eagles have two top-tier receivers, a world-class tight end in Dallas Goedert, and a top-three offensive line, yet are struggling to consistently move the ball. When a 17-3 lead feels precarious, the play-calling, not the talent, is to blame.
The Eagles are too talented to look this messy. The loss to the Broncos wasn’t a case of being outclassed; it was a case of self-sabotage through overthinking and underutilizing the most punishing weapon on the roster.
Head coach Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo must decide who they are: a powerful, ground-based bully that controls the clock, or a finesse passing team that struggles to close out games. Until they commit to their identity—one built around running the ball—the offensive woes will continue to undermine their Super Bowl aspirations. The talent is there; the proper execution and philosophical commitment are not.
