Zack Baun, linebacker for the Eagles, was an absolute beast in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. This guy isn’t just one of the best players at his position, he’s straight up one of the best overall defenders in the entire NFL. Think about that for a second! After years of struggling to find competent linebackers, the Eagles have a genuine stud on their hands.
Baun’s Dominance Is No Fluke
Vic Fangio, when asked about Baun’s performance, just said, “All of it.” He went on to tell reporters that Baun “played really good” and credited it to him playing and practicing “all camp.” This is key, especially since Baun missed most of camp last year with a back injury. As Fangio put it, “When you practice, you play better.” You saw it last season when Baun had a very good year and earned a Pro Bowl nod. But now, fully healthy, he looks exactly like the guy who finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting back in 2024. Talk about hitting the ground running! After Week 1, Zack Baun leads all NFL defenders with seven “stops,” which are tackles that make the offense fail. Seven! That’s just ridiculous.
Offense Needs to Find Its Rhythm Fast
While Baun was out there making life miserable for the Commanders, the Eagles offense definitely showed some worrying cracks. Yeah, they scored 24 points and averaged six yards per play, which sounds decent on paper. But dig a little deeper, and it’s clear they are still figuring things out. Out of their 318 total yards, a whopping 180 came on just four plays. That’s elite players making elite plays, not consistent team execution. They finished with only 10 first downs, punted seven times, and had six possessions where they didn’t even get one first down. Plus, they went three-and-out on three consecutive drives in the third quarter. We saw glimpses of this last season, where the team won despite the offense struggling to establish any rhythm, and the final score often disguised the actual performance. That’s just not sustainable long term. It’s Week 1, and Sean Mannion is a brand-new offensive coordinator, so the Eagles are still working on the offense’s identity. Nobody is panicking yet, but the important thing is whether Mannion recognizes these problems and adapts going forward.
What’s Next for the Birds
Looking ahead, we’ll be watching Mannion and the offense closely. Can they find some consistency and stop relying on a few explosive plays to bail them out? On defense, keep your eyes on Moro Ojomo. He’s sharing a position group with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, who both got huge contract extensions this offseason. Ojomo was once all about “potential,” but the Eagles are seeing something much bigger now. But honestly, the biggest thing to look forward to is watching Zack Baun continue to dominate. If he keeps putting up numbers like this, the league is gonna have a real problem on its hands.
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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