PHILADELPHIA — For three quarters, the Eagles looked like world beaters against Denver on Sunday, and then they went dark. A 17-3 lead vanished, and the Broncos snatched a 21-17 victory. It was a defeat marked by penalties, missed opportunities and another uneven offensive showing.
Here’s how each unit graded out.
Quarterback: C+
Jalen Hurts’ line reads well enough: 23 of 38, 280 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. But the offense shrank when it needed one more drive. He was sacked six times and took two late pressures as Denver flipped the script.
Hurts owned the operational issues: “I can take accountability for everything … the lack of execution and maybe lack of a sense of urgency in how our operation is.” He also called the missed deep shot to A.J. Brown a would-be “dagger” they failed to land. The production was there; the situational finish wasn’t.
Running back: B-
This was an imbalance either by design or drift. Saquon Barkley was handed just six carries for 30 yards; team rushing was 11 for 45. That’s an absurd pass-run split in a one-score game, especially with an historic running back.
Barkley did salvage explosive value through the air on a 47-yard wheel TD, but the ground game never became a closer. Nick Sirianni admitted the Eagles “got behind the sticks” with penalties and pre-snap sloppiness, adding that those are “things that require no talent” and are on him.
Hurts echoed the theme: Philadelphia “has to be able to establish the run in some regard.”
Wide receiver/tight end: B
The group drove most of the yardage. DeVonta Smith posted 8 for 114 and repeatedly won at the break point, while Brown’s gravity created windows elsewhere. Dallas Goedert’s touches were modest, and timing miscues resurfaced.
Sirianni said he needed to review the reroute on the Brown overshot, and Hurts flatly labeled the unit’s late-game issues “lack of execution.” Volume wasn’t the problem; precision in money moments was.
Offensive line: C
The Eagles allowed six sacks and fell into long-yardage too often, a tough combination against a Denver defense that heated up in the fourth quarter. Pre-snap penalties undercut two late first downs and a clock-sensitive sequence.
Sirianni refused to pin anything on officiating: “You just don’t want to put yourself in those situations where it’s coming down to a decision made by somebody else.” The line flashed in early play-action and on Barkley’s wheel, but protection and discipline frayed as the game tightened.
Defensive line: B
For three quarters, the front smothered Denver. Then tempo changed the geometry. The Broncos scored 18 fourth-quarter points and out-snapped the Eagles down the stretch; Philadelphia finished with just 55 offensive plays to Denver’s 70, magnifying defensive fatigue as Philly’s offense stalled.
The pass rush produced early sacks and compressed Bo Nix’s reads, but couldn’t close it out once the Broncos layered in play-action and hurry-up.
“We kind of were hoping it would be a game to unfold with a lower score,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “In the end, I think we got the better of them in the trenches and we finished.”
Linebacker: B-
Range and tackling were solid through the first 45 minutes; fits were clean, and Denver sat on 3.6–4.5 yards per carry territory until late. The leaks came in coverage against play-action and tempo — especially on the tight end involvement during the comeback.
Bo Nix’s fourth-quarter rhythm (9 for 10) reflected stress on underneath zones and hook-curl landmarks more than blown coverages. But an unnecessary roughness call on Zack Baun was crucial.
Cornerbacks: B-
The corners lost their edge late. Quinyon Mitchell shadowed Courtland Sutton most of the day, but Sutton finished with 99 yards and the clutch third-down grab. Rookie Kelee Ringo was targeted repeatedly on the opposite side, and Denver exploited cushion on quick outs and crossers.
No takeaways and multiple third-and-long conversions added up. What had been a strength through September faltered in the clutch.
Safety: B
Reed Blankenship and Andrew Mukuba provided strong early support on runs, but pursuit angles wavered in the fourth. Evan Engram’s burst up the seam and JK Dobbins’ second-effort rushes both exposed soft tackling.
The group mostly kept the lid on deep shots — Nix’s longest completion was 34 yards — yet the lack of turnovers and late breakdowns kept Denver’s offense on the field when it needed to be off.
Special teams: A-
Braden Mann repeatedly flipped the field (seven punts, 51.3 average), and coverage generally settled after early leaks. Kicker Jake Elliott was steady, and Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby performed well fielding returns.
Coaching: C
The opening script on offense worked but, once again, play calling stagnated as the game wore on. So did adjustments when Denver started to rally.
The in-game answers lagged. The Eagles were dinged for nine penalties and lost situational football late and no counterpunch to the Broncos. Sirianni: “They made more plays and coached better than us.”
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
Source: Berkshire mont