NFL power rankings: Eagles among biggest risers after Week 1

Week 1 of the NFL is always a bit of a jumble: good teams lose to bad teams, lofty expectations are turned upside down, and all you can hope for is survival.

The Eagles managed to survive by outlasting a feisty Lions team in Detroit and taking the first game of the season, no small feat when preseason darlings like the Packers, Broncos, Bengals, and Rams were all felled.

And while there are plenty of things to be cleaned up, that win and the fair number of highlights from Sunday’s victory are enough to have football analysts around the country infatuated with the Eagles heading into a primetime Week 2 showdown.

MORE: Why Eagles used A.J. Brown all over the field in opener

Let’s scour seven different national outlets to find out what they’re saying about the Birds after one game:

Last week: 15

This week: 10 (+5)

“This offense is going to be a problem for teams. The Eagles rolled up 455 yards on 10 possessions against the Lions in a 38-35 win, taking it to the Hard Knocks darlings through the air and on the ground in an entertaining shootout at Ford Field. New No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Brown was an immediate-impact playmaker (10 catches for 155 yards on 13 targets) while the tandem of Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders rushing behind a stout offensive line has the potential to turn Philly into a matchup nightmare for any opponent — not just a young and inexperienced defense like Detroit’s. Talent > Grit.”

Last week: 10

This week: 6 (+4)

“Philadelphia averaged a league-high 159.7 rushing yards per game in 2021, but no player totaled more than 800. Sunday, the Eagles ground out 216 more, with four players galloping for TDs, including RB Miles Sanders’ first since 2020.”

Last week: 15

This week: 9 (+6)

“Jordan Davis, the No. 13 overall pick out of Georgia, played 22 defensive snaps (32%) against the Lions and made the most of his opportunities — recording a pair of tackles, including a stuff. The Eagles were gashed on the ground to the tune of 181 yards on 28 carries (6.5 average) but did not appear as vulnerable when Davis was on the field controlling blockers and reshaping the line of scrimmage. He earned more playing time going forward, starting Monday night against the Vikings.”

Last week: 11

This week: 10 (+1)

“The Eagles integrated AJ Brown and schemed their ground game well. While the defense—middle of the road in down-by-down success rate—left a little to be desired, the Lions are tougher than we’re giving them credit for.”

*We’re swapping PFF out for The Athletic for the rest of the season

Last week: 10

This week: 6 (+4)

“What’s more important? Putting up the second-best offensive performance of the week by EPA per drive against a defense that finished 29th in defensive DVOA in 2021, or surrendering the third-best offensive performance of the week against an offense that finished 29th in offensive DVOA in 2021? Offense matters more, so credit Jalen Hurts for scrambling the Eagles to victory against a Lions defense that blitzed him on 45.5% of his dropbacks and continuing the connection with Brown he showcased over the summer.

“But there are very real early concerns about a defense that was upgraded on paper in the offseason at every level, from first-round pick Jordan Davis (who played the fifth-most snaps of the Eagles’ defensive tackles) and high-priced pass rusher Haason Reddick to defensive backs James Bradberry (who had an interception return for a touchdown) and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. With Jefferson and the Vikings coming to Philadelphia for Monday Night Football, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has his work cut out for him.”

Last week: 8

This week: 6 (+2)

“Don’t pay attention to the 38-35 score. The Eagles were up 38-21 against an underrated Lions team in the fourth quarter before they took their foot off the gas. I’m confident in saying that Philadelphia is the best team in the NFC.”

Last week: 12

This week: 6 (+6)

“Jalen Hurts looked off early passing but once he got running and throwing to new go-to weapon A.J. Brown, the Eagles’ offense looked balanced and unstoppable in Detroit. Philadelphia will need to keep scoring big because there are obvious new holes in its defense.”

JEEZ. That’s a whole lot of Top 8 respect for the Birds after just one week. And a “best team in the NFC” shoutout? I wrote last week that the Eagles’ hype train was rolling. Now it might be a full blown hype shinkansen.

There are, of course, 17 more weeks of this stuff and then the postseason. No team’s story is written in one week. I don’t think the Eagles are currently the best team in the NFC, and I’m fairly concerned that the Vikings could expose the Eagles’ deficiencies on a national stage. But we’ll save the hand-wringing for later.

For now, the Eagles are undefeated and apparently everyone loves them. Wild.

I’ll be tracking the Eagles’ average power rankings across these seven outlets all season long at the bottom of these posts.