The Philadelphia Eagles fell flat in primetime, losing to the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football. Philadelphia dropped its second-straight game after opening the season 4-0. The embarrassing 34-17 Week 6 defeat raised questions about the team’s chemistry and leadership.
Following the deflating loss to the Giants, NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo described the Eagles’ locker room as “very lost and defeated,” adding that the team’s “vibe, body language, everything is off at this point.”
The Eagles entered the season eyeing another deep playoff run behind Jalen Hurts and a stacked roster that – on paper – resembles the NFC powerhouse that won Super Bowl LIX. But after Thursday’s loss, Philadelphia’s aura of control feels cracked. The offense has struggled in key moments, the defense hasn’t played like a shutdown unit and leadership on both sides of the ball is being tested.
Eagles need reset after rough patch
Week 6’s matchup underscored the Eagles’ imbalance. Hurts and the passing game struggled as the quarterback failed to get top wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith involved. Philadelphia has the league’s 29th-ranked overall offense after six weeks, averaging 274.5 yards per game. Last season the Eagles boasted the NFL’s 8th-best offense (367.2 yards per contest).
Even more telling is the drama surrounding a meeting between Hurts, Brown and Saquon Barkley as the three stars tried to get on the same page. Brown initially denied any such meeting took place before admitting the meeting sort of happened.
The offensive line, which had long been a staple of the team, wasn’t able to create consistent protection or push in short-yardage situations against New York. Philadelphia went just 1-9 on third downs, continuing a troubling trend of stalled drives. All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson called the offense predictable. But the issue could be deeper than play calling.
Garafolo’s report painted a picture of a locker room running on fumes. “They go to a 10-day bye, or mini-bye… after a Thursday game. Which is good. That’s what they need. They have their real bye coming up in a couple weeks. That’s good. They need that as well.”
That rest can’t come soon enough. Multiple veterans reportedly appeared visibly frustrated after the loss, with some players declining to speak to the media. For a team built on accountability and composure, that’s an uncharacteristic tone – and one that head coach Nick Sirianni will need to address head-on before the skid becomes something more systemic.
