Two weeks into the season, the Philadelphia Eagles have done the one thing that ultimately matters most:They have won both of their games. What they haven't done is convince everyone watching that they are playing like a team that should be 2-0.
That tension is reflected in this week's power rankings. Some national analysts see a talented team finding ways to win while its offense continues to develop. Others remain skeptical, pointing to the same issues that have followed Philadelphia through the opening two weeks.
One week after splitting the masses, the debate continues. The Eagles landed anywhere from No. 6 to No. 16 in the rankings we examined. That makes for an interesting snapshot of how the football world views them at 2-0. Here's what
some of the major platforms are saying.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports' Pete Prisco ranks the Eagles No. 7 after the NFL's second week of action. Philadelphia sits behind three other NFC teams: the Seattle Seahawks (ranked 1st), San Francisco 49ers (3rd), and Minnesota Vikings (6th).
7. EAGLES: It wasn't always pretty against the Titans, but they found a way. The Saquon Barkley injury is one to watch closely.
Prisco's ranking reflects a familiar theme around Philadelphia: The Eagles are winning, but questions remain that keep them from being viewed as one of the league's clear-cut top teams. Barkley's health is now another significant part of that conversation.
USA TODAY
USA TODAY's Nate Davis remains significantly less enthusiastic, ranking Philadelphia No. 16. That puts the Eagles four spots behind the Dallas Cowboys, who sit at No. 12.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (18): It's hardly been pretty, QB Jalen Hurts under relentless fire from a seemingly inferior opponent Sunday. But give him credit − Philly is 2-0 nevertheless and in its customary perch atop the NFC East.
Davis moved Philadelphia up only two spots despite the perfect record, suggesting the Eagles still have plenty to prove before they receive the kind of national respect associated with a contender. The ranking also reinforces how much weight some analysts still place on how Philadelphia is winning rather than simply how often.
ESPN
ESPN ranks the Eagles No. 6, one of the highest positions in this week's group.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)
One thing we know about the QB1: Jalen Hurts is carrying this team.
The thought heading into the season was Hurts and the passing offense would need time to acclimate to coordinator Sean Mannion's system, meaning the Eagles would have to rely on their defense and ground game early. The defense did not dominate as expected against Washington and Tennessee, while the running game has been spotty behind an offensive line still trying to find its footing. Meanwhile, Hurts led the team to a Week 1 win with three touchdowns and another victory Sunday via a go-ahead touchdown drive in the closing seconds. He is tied for second in touchdown passes (five) and ahead of schedule in this new scheme. -- Tim McManus
ESPN's assessment is considerably more favorable because it places greater emphasis on what Hurts has done to keep Philadelphia undefeated while other parts of the team continue to develop. The Eagles haven't needed to wait for their quarterback to settle into the new system, at least not so far.
FOX Sports
Ralph Vacchiano agrees with CBS Sports, placing Philadelphia at No. 7 after the Eagles climbed two spots from their previous No. 9 ranking.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
Record: 2-0Previous ranking: 9 ↑Super Bowl odds: +1600
This team still worries me, but quarterback Jalen Hurts showed he still has the "clutch" gene after throwing two interceptions against the Titans. He also has a good receiving corps and a fantastic No. 1 receiver in DeVonta Smith.
Like Prisco, Vacchiano remains cautious despite Philadelphia's undefeated record. Still, his comments highlight a quality that has become difficult to ignore over two weeks: Hurts has repeatedly made his biggest plays when the Eagles have needed them most.
The rankings may not agree on exactly where Philadelphia belongs, but they do reveal something interesting. Nobody is overlooking a 2-0 team led by Jalen Hurts, and nobody appears completely comfortable declaring the Eagles a finished product, either.
That leaves Philadelphia in a familiar but potentially useful position. The Eagles don't need to win over power-rankings voters. They need to keep winning while answering the questions those rankings keep raising. Two weeks are in the books, and Philadelphia still hasn't delivered the kind of performance that ends the debate. For now, the debate itself is the story.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Power Rankings Roundup: Where do the Eagles stand after Week 2?
