The Philadelphia Eagles have their issues, but they also have a legend running the defense. And coordinator Vic Fangio praised newly acquired Jaelan Phillips after his great Eagles debut.
Fangio said the Eagles got a gem before the trade deadline, according to a post on X by Eliot Shorr-Parks.
“When you shop at Nordstrom, you get good stuff” — Vic Fangio on the acquisition of Jaelan Phillips (who they paid a 3rd-round pick for)”
Fangio added, “He plays hard. He’s strong at the point. Good pass rusher.”
LB Jaelan Phillips fitting well with the Eagles
His debut turned heads. Playing 52 snaps against the Packers, Phillips totaled seven pressures, six tackles, two quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery. He also made the stuff on 4th-and-1 with 1:30 left in the game, hitting Josh Jacobs and putting the Eagles in position to wrap it up.
The Eagles expected big things, according to ESPN.
“This whole week, we've been telling him we trust him,” Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter said. “When we get out there, we're all as one. He came out, showed out. He got the fumble, he got some pressures, and he had a h*ll of a game.”
Phillips said the first game with the Eagles meant a lot to him.
“This is the first time in a while that I got a little emotional before a game,” Phillips said. “This stage — it's my first time in Lambeau — and walking out of that tunnel, it doesn't get better than that. I felt amazing energy from the guys. There is just an air of confidence, and everybody played together. We had a great game, obviously, super gritty.”
With Brandon Graham coming out of retirement and Nolan Smith Jr. back from a triceps injury, things are looking up for the Eagles’ front seven.
“We need him,” Graham said. “And I'm happy that he's on our team.”
The Eagles stand at 7-2 as they head into a big game against the Lions. Both teams might win their divisions, but this could be the game that decides the No. 1 seed. Or, at the least, a very high seed.
