It felt like a fever dream for most of September. If you were watching the Birds early on, you probably felt that familiar pit in your stomach. The Eagles schedule 2024 season started in a soccer stadium in Brazil, and honestly, it looked like we were in for a long, painful winter. But then something shifted.
What looked like a shaky 2-2 start turned into one of the most dominant runs in the history of Philadelphia sports. 14 wins. A record-breaking rushing season. A defense that finally stopped leaking yards like a rusty pipe. By the time February rolled around and the confetti was falling in New Orleans, the early-season panic felt like a lifetime ago.
The Weird, Wild Start in São Paulo
The NFL decided to kick things off in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the first time they’d ever played in South America, and of course, the Eagles had to be the guinea pigs. They played the Packers on a Friday night—another weird first since 1970.
Philly won that game 34-29, but it was ugly. Jalen Hurts looked a little rusty, throwing two picks. Saquon Barkley, however, showed exactly why Howie Roseman paid him. Three touchdowns in his debut. If there were any doubts about a former Giant being the face of the Philly backfield, they evaporated that night.
But then came the Falcons.
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Week 2 was a disaster. Monday Night Football at the Linc, and Kirk Cousins basically marched down the field with zero resistance to steal a 22-21 win. Then a Week 4 drubbing by the Bucs (33-16) left everyone asking if Nick Sirianni had lost his touch. At 2-2, the vibes were, frankly, terrible.
Turning the Corner: The Ten-Game Streak
The bye week in Week 5 was the best thing that could've happened to this team. Whatever Vic Fangio and Kellen Moore talked about during that break worked. They came out of the bye and didn't lose again for three months.
It wasn't just that they won; they bullied people. They went to MetLife in Week 7 and embarrassed the Giants 28-3. Saquon ran for 176 yards in his "homecoming." It was beautiful. Then they went to Cincinnati and dropped 37. Then they went to Dallas and absolutely dismantled the Cowboys 34-6.
Key Victories That Changed Everything
- Week 10 @ Dallas: A 34-6 blowout that effectively ended the Cowboys' season.
- Week 12 @ LA Rams: A 37-20 win where the offense looked unstoppable.
- Week 13 @ Baltimore: This was the real test. Beating the Ravens 24-19 on the road proved the Eagles were legitimate contenders, not just divisional bullies.
By Week 15, after beating the Steelers 27-13, the Eagles had secured 10 straight wins. It was a franchise record. The defense was ranked first in the league. Zack Baun, a guy most people barely knew in August, was playing like an All-Pro linebacker.
Saquon Barkley and the 2,000-Yard Club
We have to talk about Saquon. What he did during the Eagles schedule 2024 season was historic. He didn't just lead the league in rushing; he became the ninth player in NFL history to hit the 2,000-yard mark.
He finished the regular season with 2,005 yards on the ground. Think about that. Behind an offensive line that lost Jason Kelce to retirement, Saquon still averaged nearly 6 yards a carry. He was the engine. When the passing game got stagnant or Hurts was under pressure, they just gave it to 26 and watched him disappear into the secondary.
The Postseason Run to Glory
Philly finished 14-3, clinching the NFC East and the top seed. The road to the Super Bowl went through South Philly.
- Wild Card: They handled the Packers again, 22-10.
- Divisional: A tighter 28-22 win over the Rams.
- NFC Championship: This was the peak. They played the Commanders—who had surprisingly made a deep run—and hung 55 points on them. 55-23. It was a party at the Linc.
Then came Super Bowl LIX. A rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nobody wanted to see Patrick Mahomes again after what happened two years prior. But this time, the Eagles' defense was different. Vic Fangio’s unit held the Chiefs' high-powered offense in check. Jalen Hurts was nearly perfect, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. The final score, 40-22, wasn't even as close as it looked.
Actionable Insights for Eagles Fans
If you're looking back at the 2024 season to understand what's next for this team, keep these factors in mind for the upcoming year:
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- The Fangio Effect: The defense finished #1 in total yards allowed. As long as Vic Fangio is calling the plays and Jalen Carter is interior-wrecking, this unit is the gold standard.
- Barkley’s Workload: Saquon had 345 carries. That’s a massive amount of tread off the tires. Watch how they manage his snaps in 2025 to keep him fresh for January.
- Secondary Youth: Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean emerged as elite starters in their rookie years. The "old" Eagles secondary is a thing of the past; they are now younger and faster than almost anyone in the NFC.
- Offensive Balance: Kellen Moore found a way to marry the "Tush Push" with a modern vertical passing game. The balance between A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Saquon is the blueprint for 2025.
The 2024 season proved that the "collapse" of 2023 was a fluke, not a trend. This team is built for a sustained window of dominance.