2025 Philadelphia Eagles’ Collapse Starting to Look a Lot Like 2023 Collapse
The Philadelphia Eagles’ collapse in the 2023 season was unlike anything ever seen in the NFL. Coming off a Super Bowl berth, the team started out 10-1 before losing five of its last six games in the regular season. Their season mercilessly ended with an embarrassing blowout loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round. The team started out strong, but ultimately fell apart due to glaring weaknesses. The biggest weakness was on one side of the ball, the defense, which was one of the league’s worst units. If all of that sounds familiar, it’s because the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles are following the same script.
Eagles’ Collapse Imminent?
Dec 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) embraces Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
This Eagles season is following an eerily similar structure to the 2023 season. The team started out hot, winning a lot of games in spite of some glaring weaknesses. Now, it’s following the same ending that Eagles fans everywhere dreaded.
Offensive Failures
As opposed to the Eagles’ defense being the unit letting the team down, it is now the offense at fault. For one reason or another, the offense just has not been able to consistently put together complete performances.
Everyone has been at fault at times throughout the season. Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo have not done a good enough job designing an offense and calling plays. Jalen Hurts has fallen apart lately. The offensive line has been wildly inconsistent. Saquon Barkley doesn’t look as explosive as he previously did. Even the pass catchers like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have had disappointing moments. This is an offense with many problems, and no simple fix is in sight. Just like the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles defense.
Poor Situational Football
The most recent game against the Los Angeles Chargers was a perfect encapsulation of the offense as a whole. They were able to generate a consistent, explosive run game with Barkley looking as strong as he has at any point in the season. The passing game was even generating explosive plays. For the most part, the offense was marching the ball against a very good defense.
So what held them back from a strong overall performance? Poor situational football, as has been the case with the previous Philadelphia Eagles collapse. Hurts had one of the most uncharacteristic performances of his career. Hurts protects the football as well as anyone, and five turnovers were not something anyone had on their bingo card. Three of which came in Charger territory, robbing the Eagles of opportunities for points. Play like this from their franchise quarterback is unacceptable. When an offense is already struggling, and its quarterback starts playing poorly on top of that, it’s impossible for a team to overcome.
Hurts was not the only one with unacceptable plays in key moments. Many of the Eagles’ star players let the team down.
The Eagles had a touchdown pass come off the board due to a holding penalty on Jordan Mailata. They were basically gifted three points before halftime, but Jake Elliott missed a field goal. A.J. Brown was also very disappointing. One of Hurts’ interceptions hit him in the hands for a drop before being intercepted. Brown also dropped a touchdown on one of Hurts’ lone great throws of the night that, in all likelihood, would have won the Eagles the game.
The Eagles’ offense as a whole has issues everywhere. Everyone is to blame, and if it doesn’t turn around quickly, it has the makings of a collapse written all over it.
Similar Opponents
Many of the opponents during the Eagles’ 2023 and 2025 collapses share similarities as well. In 2023, the team headed out west for a Monday Night Football game that they lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Seahawks. Shortly after, they hosted one of the worst teams in the league as 11.5-point favorites. A game that they lost straight up to the Arizona Cardinals, one of the final nails in the coffin of the 2023 Eagles.
Fast forward to 2025. The Philadelphia Eagles just lost a heartbreaking game out west on Monday Night Football. Now, they host one of the worst teams in the league, the Las Vegas Raiders. The Eagles are currently 11.5-point favorites.
History is starting to repeat itself in Philadelphia.
Can the Season be Saved From Disaster?
The Eagles are not playing well as a team right now. They are teetering on the verge of disaster. They do have some positives, though, even through their struggles.
The defense is playing like one of the league’s best. That is a unit that has kept the Eagles in games, even winning some single-handedly, as the offense struggles. The defensive personnel is excellent, has one of footballs all time best defensive minds in Vic Fangio, and will add Jalen Carter back to the lineup in the coming weeks. For as poor as the offense has played, the defense has been excellent and can be counted on to continue its strong play.
The Eagles’ season is in the hands of the offense. If they are able to just be a mediocre unit, it will be a major step up and have them in contention with the league’s best teams. The recipe needs to be a stout defense and an offense that does just enough. The encouraging sign for the Eagles is that they have the personnel to be an excellent offense. We have seen this core operate like one of the league’s best offenses in years past. They need to rebound, and do it quickly.
Also, they have a relatively easy schedule for the rest of the season. They play the previously mentioned Raiders and the struggling Washington Commanders twice. They do have a tough matchup with the Buffalo Bills, which will be a test, but they will have every opportunity to turn this season around before it turns into a second Philadelphia Eagles collapse in three seasons.
Eric is a sports writer and lifelong fan for the Philadelphia Eagles. From analysis to news, he seeks to provide you with an honest and unique perspective on all things Eagles.
