How Eagles rebounded from concerning start en route to Super Bowl 2025

The Eagles are in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, but it’s hard to envision a more circuitous route for a team to have so much success in a short period of time. Philadelphia followed up its loss to Kansas City two years ago by starting last season 10-1, only to lose six of its last seven games — including a wild-card loss to Tampa Bay.Then, they started this year 2-2, with head coach Nick Sirianni’s job believed to be in jeopardy — and things hardly got better following a narrow home win over hapless Cleveland that was immediately followed by Sirianni arguing with a fan near the team’s bench late in the game.

But that win turned out to be the first of 10 consecutive victories for the Eagles, who have won 15 of their last 16 games heading into next weekend’s Super Bowl rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Here’s a look at what changed in Philadelphia to bring them back from the abyss and instead on their way to New Orleans: —  Jalen Hurts went from average to excellent.Through the team’s first four games, Hurts threw for 930 yards, but had just four touchdown passes to go along with four interceptions.

He also had been sacked 13 times and had rushed 42 times for 163 yards (3.8 yards per carry), two TDs and three lost fumbles.It added up to a QB rating of 85.7. In each of the first four games, Hurts threw at least 30 passes. After the Eagles came back from their bye week, he’s done so just once. Hurts started the next 10 games after the bye, and though he didn’t throw for the same amount of yardage, just about everything else improved. In those 10 games — all wins — Hurts threw for 14 TDs and just one interception.

He was sacked just 25 times and he ran for 4.06 yards per carry, as well as a dozen touchdowns, to go along with only a pair of lost fumbles for a rating of 114. Hurts’ streak ended when he was knocked out of Philadelphia’s loss to Washington in Week 15 with a concussion, an injury th...