Philadelphia Eagles: They are what their record says they are

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 2-2 start to their season. Many people had high hopes for this team, but thus far they are just average at best.

Believe it or not we are already a quarter of the way through the 2018 NFL season. For the Philadelphia Eagles, they are sitting with a 2-2 record and still have a long way to go. This team has many of the same players as last year’s Super Bowl winning team. However, they aren’t acting like the defending Super Bowl champions. What they do look like is a 2-2 team with a lot to work on.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of this Eagles team is Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells’ quote: “You are what your record says you are.” And for the Eagles, that is 2-2, which would make this team average, not great.

Fans and players alike weren’t expecting an average season. Coming off the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory, the hopes were high — even with Carson Wentz injured on the sidelines. Looking back at the Eagles’ start to the season, they’ve had a pretty favorable schedule through four games. The teams they have faced are a combined 7-9.

All four games the Eagles have played were winnable. They were exactly the type of games last year that the Eagles would have won, especially Week 4 in Tennessee. Leading 17-3 halfway through the third quarter, the Eagles weren’t able to hold on and lost in overtime. Last year’s team would have taken that 14-point lead and added to it.

MUST READ: 20 Bold predictions for Week 5

But 2018 clearly isn’t the same as 2017 for the Eagles. Through four games, the Eagles are 18th in total offense and near the bottom of the standings at 26th in points per game. Last week’s 23 points against the Titans was the highest total they’ve had all season, a far cry from the team who finished second in the NFL in scoring last season.

Things are worse on the defensive side as well. They are 11th in total defense and ninth in point allowed per game. Last season, they were fourth in both of those areas.

When you look at a team that’s 2-2 and is 18th in total offense and 11th in total defense, it screams that they are an average team. The stats just confirm the eye-test. The Eagles look sloppy and like they haven’t found a rhythm all season. They also have the second most penalties in the NFL and Carson Wentz has been sacked nine times in just two games.

If things don’t turn around fast the season could get away from them. With a tough six-game stretch ahead featuring games against Minnesota, Carolina, Jacksonville and New Orleans, we’ll find out what this 2018 version of the Eagles is made of.

If the Eagles can avoid any further injuries and get that chip back on their should then the season can be saved. But if things continue the way they are, the fans in Philly won’t have much to cheer about this season.