The NFL enters its sixth week, and the Philadelphia Eagles have given us much to discuss. They're 2-3 and don't resemble a contender. Some might even state they don't look like a playoff team, but it's early.
At 2-0, it seemed they could build on their championship expectations. Three consecutive losses later, they're facing a very different reality.
Injuries have depleted the roster, the offense keeps struggling, andquestionable late-game decisionshave turned close contests into painful defeats. The latest NFL power rankings reflect that slide, with several major outlets losing confidence in Philadelphia ahead of Week 6.
While the Eagles remain relatively high on some lists, others have dropped them toward the bottom of the league. Here's where
four prominent platforms rank Philadelphia after its 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
USA TODAY
USA TODAY's Nate Davis hasn't been excited about the Eagles all season, but let's be honest. They haven't offered enough evidence to prove him wrong. Among the four platforms on this list, his ranking is the lowest. They're 27th, one spot above the Washington Commanders.
FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the lone platform on this list that still has Philadelphia among the NFL's top half, but they're barely there. Last week, they were ranked 13th. This week, they're 15th.
"The Eagles are a puzzle wrapped inside an enigma. Even with all their injuries, they probably should have beaten the Rams and the Jaguars over the last two weeks. Yet they didn’t. This time they can blame their coach for his terrible late-game management. But this team still has a lot of problems. One is their offense, which is even more dysfunctional than it was last year. The other is injuries that are tearing apart their roster, particularly on the offensive line."
CBS Sports
The Eagles are firmly in the bottom half of the league's teams now. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco drops them eight spots from their Week 5 ranking (13) to 21st entering Week 6.
"The Eagles have lost three straight and injuries have decimated this team. But coach Nick Sirianni blew the game to the Jaguars on Sunday."
ESPN
NFL Nation drops the Eagles from 13th to 16th after their London loss. Tim McManus offers the following explanation.
"There have been stretches in games, including Sunday, when coordinator Vic Fangio's unit looks as dominant as advertised. But the closing quarter has not been kind. Philly is last in opponent yards (648), 31st in touchdowns allowed (six) and 30th in opponent success rate (52.5%) in the final frame. The struggle is almost certainly linked to how much the defense is on the field, working opposite an Eagles offense that leads the league in three-and-outs (20). This defense is tied for the second-most snaps (332) in the NFL and will continue to wear down if that amount of usage continues."
The Eagles are running out of excuses
The four rankings paint a picture of a team losing ground nationally, even if the outlets disagree on just how far Philadelphia has fallen. FOX Sports still sees enough talent to keep the team in the top half, while USA TODAY's No. 27 ranking reflects a far more pessimistic view. CBS Sports and ESPN land somewhere in between, but neither offers much reassurance.
Injuries are a legitimate factor, and Philadelphia's depleted offensive line has made an already difficult stretch even tougher. Still, the Eagles have also struggled with late-game execution, offensive consistency, and the decisions needed to close out tight contests. Until those problems improve, their power-rankings standing is unlikely to recover.
The Eagles entered the season expected to compete among the NFL's best. Entering Week 6, they're instead trying to prove they belong there. Another loss would only make that argument harder to win.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Power Rankings Roundup: Where do the Eagles stand entering Week 6?
