The Philadelphia Eagles absolutely cratered in the fourth quarter last season, and that brutal collapse is the single biggest thing looming over their 2026 season. After their Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign, where they were totally dominant when it mattered most, 2025 saw a shocking drop-off. You can talk about preseason games and training camp darlings all you want right now, but the hard truth is, the Eagles stopped closing out games.
The 2025 Numbers Don’t Lie: A Fourth Quarter Freefall
Let’s be real, the stats from 2025’s fourth quarters are just plain ugly. Offensively, the Eagles averaged a paltry 5.1 points, ranking 30th in the entire league. Think about that: only Tampa Bay (4.8) and Cleveland (4.1) were worse. That’s a precipitous drop from 2024, when this squad was averaging 9.1 points in the fourth, which was NUMBER ONE in the NFL! And defensively? They were giving up an average of 7.6 points, ranking 24th overall. It got even worse in their last three games, where they were bleeding 13.0 points a game in the fourth, even with backups in. Vic Fangio’s vaunted defense gave up 1,439 yards in the fourth quarter last season, more than any other quarter, and opposing teams ran off 296 plays against them. Compare that to 2024, when the defense only faced 267 plays. The offense just wasn’t keeping them off the field. In 2024, the Eagles’ offense ran 300 plays in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 touchdowns and gaining 1,605 yards. Last season, that dropped to 249 plays, 11 touchdowns, and just 1,325 yards. The run game, which was so vital in 2024 with Saquon Barkley smashing defenses for 832 yards at 4.3 yards a carry, completely collapsed.
What Went Wrong, and Can They Fix It?
So, what happened? Was it Kevin Patullo learning on the job as offensive coordinator, maybe getting too conservative at times? The article mentions that no one was immune from the struggles, and it goes beyond Patullo. Was it conditioning? Scheme? This offense and defense really do intertwine, and the numbers scream it. In 2024, the offense kept the defense fresh, gouging opposing defenses and dominating the clock. In 2025, that just vanished. The defense was on the field for way too long. It’s a fundamental issue Head Coach Nick Sirianni and his staff absolutely have to address in 2026 on both sides of the ball.
Look, there’s a preseason game this Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens. We’ll see what small portion of Sean Mannion’s offense gets shown, and it’ll get scrutinized. But the real reality check for the Eagles’ 2026 season hits around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, at Lincoln Financial Field. That’s when they’ll be in the thick of their first fourth quarter, opening up against the Washington Commanders. Winning that battle will be a huge key to their success this year. Can they regain that Super Bowl-winning fourth quarter grit? They just have to.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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