The Eagles are the lone undefeated team remaining in the NFL, moving to 4–0 with a rain-soaked victory over the Jaguars. They have one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL, one of the most efficient offenses in football and one of its best defenses.
Since the midway point of the 2021 season, they have been boiling the best parts of their system on both sides of the ball to a powerful concentrate, then dressing that raw pulp a million different ways to convince their opponent that they are not about to knife it in the way it fears—and, ultimately, anticipate—it will get knifed. Like any talented chef, in their palms are the remnants of Friday’s seafood delivery. On the plates that they serve is Michelin Star ceviche. It’s something that happens only when a team understands itself in the most intimate ways.
This is difficult to do, though it is only part of the Eagles’ narrative. The other component of their emergence is broader in scope and, while nebulous, essential to their ability to both survive and flourish in their unique ecosystem. It’s even harder to do than scheme up consistently devastating football plays.
