Jaelan Phillips has shined in his short time with the Eagles: The former Dolphin boasts top-10 grades against both the pass and run among qualified edge defenders.
The Eagles' defense stood tall against two great NFC teams: Despite playing the Packers and Lions, Philadelphia ranks second in EPA per play since Week 10.
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Although the Philadelphia Eagles entered a marquee Monday night showdown at 6-2, the team’s Super Bowl-caliber luster had started to fade. Questions pervaded both sides of the ball, from A.J.Brown’s mounting displeasure to Jalen Hurts’ consistency to safety play to Saquon Barkley’s efficacy and more. Also chief among the team’s worries: A defensive line that wasn’t as stout as a season ago.
Growing pains should have been anticipated for a unit that lost MiltonWilliams, Josh Sweat and others in one fell swoop, even if Philadelphia did have internal replacement candidates. But if the last two weeks are representative, that group looks just as stingy as ever — with the acquisition of JaelanPhillips being the missing piece.
In two games as an Eagle — against two potent offenses in the Packers and Lions — Phillips has played above the third-round price tag surrendered to add him. Among the 47 edge defenders to see 75 or more snaps over Weeks 10-11, Phillips’ 73.7 overall PFF grade (pending final review) ranks 11th, placing in the top 10 in both PFF run-defense mark (74.5) and pass-rushing grade (68.3).
The former Dolphin has been particularly tremendous against the run. In his two contests with Philadelphia, Phillips has produced four run stops — tied for the second-most among any edge defender — while netting a positive grade on 24.1% of his run plays.
Phillips made his presence felt again on Sunday night in a victory against Detroit, registering four pressures to stymie Jared Goff and the elite Lions offense. Indeed, Philadelphia held the Lions to -0.410 EPA per play, the team’s worst mark since Week 5, 2022. Detroit was limited to a 26.7% success rate, staying behind the sticks all evening while flatlining on late downs — converting just three of 18 tries (16.7%).
Indeed, the Eagles’ defensive line proved the biggest difference in a clash between two NFC titans. Philly’s front four was strong against a premier Lions offensive line, procuring a 70.6 PFF pass-rushing grade with a 25.6% pressure rate. Against the run, the unit was even more tremendous, recording an initial 82.6 PFF run-defense mark with a 2.2-yard average depth of tackle — halting Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery with a 1.3-yard average mark at first contact. Even when the Eagles couldn’t get home, they were still disruptive, as evidenced by a combined five batted passes between Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
Being able to watch two primetime Eagles games in a seven-day span underscores the team’s defensive line improvement, but so too does the statistical comparison of Philly’s group before and after adding Phillips.
Metric (Rank) Weeks 1-9 Weeks 10-11*
Overall Grade 71.3 (10th) 80.9 (3rd)
Pass-Rushing Grade 69.2 (16th) 70.3 (6th)
Run-Defense Grade 65.3 (3rd) 82.1 (1st)
Dl Pressure Rate 34.9% (8th) 37.5% (6th)
Positive Run-Defense Grade Rate 49.7% (13th) 63.6% (1st)
*Week 11 grades on first review
In essence, Phillips has turned the Eagles’ solid defensive line into one of the best in football — a trend much more in line with what propelled the team’s Lombardi Trophy run a year ago.
It is relevant to note that it hasn’t just been a one-man show fueling this transformation. The return of Nolan Smith (68.3 PFF run-defense grade since Week 10) and strong performances from Carter, Davis and Moro Ojomo have also been contributing factors. At the same time, the Eagles were in need of an impactful, every-down edge defender, and Phillips has proven to be exactly that so far.
Now 8-2, Philadelphia is nearly a lock to win the NFC East and has tested its mettle against two vaunted NFC North foes. While their offense still has kinks to work out through both the air and ground, the Eagles’ revamped defense — which is second in EPA per play since Phillips’ arrival — yet again looks like the foundational piece of a deep playoff run.
While many other contenders didn't make enormous swings at the trade deadline, general manager Howie Roseman went big-game hunting as usual, and his maneuvering has paid immediate dividends. With Phillips alone, the Eagles may have elevated themselves from solidified playoff team to short-list Super Bowl favorites.