Ben Solak, ESPNDec 10, 2024, 08:35 AM ET
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Well, I will always remember Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season as that one time the Rams and Bills played a perfect game and then some other stuff also happened. Forty-plus points apiece with no turnovers for the first time in NFL history! Remember when passing was down early this season and folks were convinced it would never recover so long as two-high defenses continued? It turns out all we needed was Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen.
Every Tuesday, I'll spin the previous week of NFL games forward, looking at what the biggest storylines mean and what comes next. We'll take a first look at the consequences of "Monday Night Football," break down a major trend or two and highlight some key individual players and plays. There will be film. There will be stats (a whole section of them). And there will be fun.
This week, we take a deep dive on the Eagles after they won their ninth game in a row. How good is that defense? Can the passing attack get going? Are they legitimate Super Bowl threats? We also take a skeptical look at whether the Rams can repeat their Week 14 performance and whether they are NFC contenders. Let's jump in.
Jump to a section:
The Big Thing: Are the Eagles legit?
Second Take: Can the Rams keep doing this?
Mailbag: Answering questions from ... you
Next Ben Stats: Wild Week 14 stats
"Monday Night Football" spin
The Big Thing: Can the Eagles' defense hold up their passing game?
Every week, this column will kick off with one wide look at a key game, player or trend from the previous slate of NFL action. What does it mean for the rest of the season?
The Eagles are serious Super Bowl contenders. And in a rather rare occurrence for this era of football, the reason doesn't start with the offense. It starts with the defense.
Philadelphia's defense is so good. OK, yes, the Eagles almost gave up a winning drive to Bryce Young's Panthers on Sunday. But they were pressuring him a ton, and Young just kept making superhero throws. But the Eagles' defense won the game for them in the end, just as it has done several times in the past couple of months.