NFL 2025 Week 15: Philadelphia Eagles Will Fight to Fly Again Against the Las Vegas Raiders
The “Super Bowl hangover” is a common trope among NFL teams that show signs of decline after winning the Lombardi Trophy the previous season. For the Philadelphia Eagles, however, the trope has started to show scary signs of becoming reality.
While they still sit atop the NFC East at 8-5, their Monday Night Football loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was a concerning performance, particularly by their sputtering offense. For a team that dominated the Chiefs on offense in last season’s Super Bowl, Monday Night was an embarrassing showing. The Eagles’ third straight loss was primarily due to Jalen Hurts having no TDs, four INTs, including an interception in OT to seal the Eagles’ fate, and losing a fumble. His five turnovers were an ugly mark against a team that otherwise played well enough to win. The Madden curse left Saquon Barkley alone for one game, as Barkley had a 122-yard game on the ground with a rushing TD, something that seemed like a common statline for him last year but has been a struggle for him this season. And even with Hurts’ turnovers in regulation, the Chargers played poorly enough to allow the Eagles a chance to win. Instead, Hurts blew that too with his final INT. Now, there’s talk of a collapse for the reigning Super Bowl champs that would be no less dramatic than the fall of the Roman Empire (yes, we do still think about the Roman Empire every day).
Sunday gives the Eagles a chance to put all that talk to rest by getting a dominant win over the struggling Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders are a perfect tune-up game for a team that’s hoping to regain its spark and get its hands on another Lombardi trophy. Here’s what to watch for as the Eagles seek to soar high above the Raiders.
Keys to the Game:
Can Hurts Throw a Good Pass?
The whispers are hard to ignore that, for all his success getting his tush pushed for first downs, Hurts can’t throw an accurate pass downfield. The Raiders’ secondary doesn’t have any stellar threats that can prevent Hurt’s all-star receiving cast from finding openings. Can he prove the haters wrong and dice up the silver and black? Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo might as well let Hurts try and give him plenty of chances to sling the rock, especially over the middle of the field, which was the cause of several of Hurts’ INTs against the Chargers. Handing the ball to Barkley is never a bad idea, but he should serve as a compliment in this game to Hurts’ dynamic downfield throws so Hurts can rebuild his confidence before the playoffs. If Hurts is still a shaky passer before their Super Bowl push, he’ll be a weakness in the Eagles’ offense that teams will be quick to expose.
Who Will be Healthy Up Front?
The Eagles have had injuries affect their lineups on the offensive line all season, but their most glaring hole right now is missing All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who hasn’t played since November 16. If he returns on Sunday, the highly effective starting offensive line will have the chance to reunite and rehash last season’s dominance before the playoffs come. If he doesn’t, the Eagles might have limited chances to get him back into the flow of a full NFL game before he’s asked to be perfect for the playoffs.
Eagles Must Reset and Roll Over the Raiders
The Eagles can’t give the Raiders a chance to have any hope in this game. They must bury the Raiders quickly with explosive downfield passes and backbreaking runs from Saquon Barkley. The defense should have a field day with this limited Raiders offense. I think the Eagles will right their wrongs and get back on track with a 24-10 trouncing of the Raiders. Eagles fans should expect their offense to fly high once again.