From dominant 10–1 starts to a shocking late-season collapse
In short: The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2023 season as defending NFC champions, looking invincible after starting 10–1 for the second straight year. Yet, a sudden descent into losing streaks and defensive struggles turned a potential historic run into one of the most shocking collapses in NFL history.
The 2023 season began with immense promise for the Philadelphia Eagles. Under head coach Nick Sirianni, the team matched their previous year's dominance by starting with a 10–1 record. In Week 11, a pivotal victory occurred when they beat the defending and future back-to-back Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, 21–17 at Arrowhead Stadium during a primetime slot. This victory was significant as it marked the Eagles' first win against former longtime head coach Andy Reid and their first win against the Chiefs since 2009.
Nevertheless, the season's second half saw a sudden shift in momentum. The Eagles dropped five of their final six matches, notably a crushing Week 17 home defeat to the Arizona Cardinals that cost them the NFC East division title. By Week 18, following a loss to the Giants and a Cowboys victory, the Eagles were relegated to the #5 seed. This collapse extended into the playoffs, where they were eliminated 32–9 in the Wild Card round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The season was defined by a stark contrast between offensive brilliance and defensive struggle. Despite their high win rate early on, the Eagles' defense was ranked 26th out of 32 teams and allowed the third most points in the league, totaling over 428 points. The fallout from the season was swift; only seven days following their playoff exit, the team sacked offensive coordinator Brian Johnson alongside defensive coordinators Matt Patricia and Sean Desai. The offseason also saw the departure of franchise pillars, as center Jason Kelce retired on March 4, 2024, after 13 years, followed by defensive tackle Fletcher Cox on March 10 after 12 seasons.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2023 Philadelphia Eagles season
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