When Tony Brady prepared to break down his top-5 teams in the NFL going into Thanksgiving for Fox Sports, fans had to assume the Philadelphia Eagles would have a spot on the list.
Their offense is on fire, their defense is among the best individual units in the entire NFL, and they have an MVP-caliber engine running the show in Saquon Barkley, who has revolutionized what offenses can look like in 2024 due to his incredible ability to make plays on inside runs, outside runs, and as a receiver out of the backfield.
Surely Brady, despite losing to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl half a decade ago, would acknowledge the Eagles’ success, right? Well, yes, he did, placing the team fourth in his personal power rankings, and he even noted one of the studs who is helping to power that success along: Vic Fangio.
“Next up, one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now: the Philadelphia Eagles. They’re riding a seven-game win streak. Saquon Barkley, you’re on fire. He set all kinds of franchise records in LA on Sunday night,” Brady told fans online. “But it’s not just about the offense; that defense has been lights out since the bye week. They lead the league in almost every category. Vic Fangio, way to go my man, you are a stud coordinator; you’ve been that way for a long time. But they’ve got a huge test coming up this week when they take on Lamar Jackson.”
Do you know what? Good on Brady for taking the high road; he could be bitter with the Eagles for eating his lunch in Minnesota a few years back, with Brandon Graham making the definitive play to send Philly parading down Broad Street, but he decided to keep it classy, even if both of the people he talked about weren’t actually with the team at the time. Though he may still not like Nick Foles, his appreciation for the Eagles is a welcomed change for the better.
Vic Fangio is looking forward to Eagles-Ravens in Week 13
Speaking of the challenge of the Eagles going head-to-head with the Ravens in Week 13 in what is widely being called the “MVP Bowl” for the implications it could have on the award, Fangio told reporters on Wednesday that it’s a good challenge, as both teams are among the best in the NFL.
“I’d rather play Swarthmore. Nah, I mean, you look forward to it. It’s a test, it’s a challenge, you get all that,” Fangio told reporters via CBS Sports. “Their whole offense is dynamite. They run it great, they throw it great, they got good receivers. They have the best group of receivers they’ve had there in a long time. Two really good tight ends. Their line is blocking good. It’s no accident they have the No. 1 offense in the league.”
Whether you rank it based on yards per game or points scored overall, the Ravens really have among the best units in the NFL on the offensive side of the ball, with the Lions, the Bills, and yes, the Eagles following close behind. If the Eagles’ defense can hold up against the Ravens in Week 13, they might truly have a Super Bowl-caliber unit of their own to complement Barkley’s mastery on the ground and Jalen Hurts’ opportunistic shots through the air.
