The Eagles struggled to maintain the stability and success their fanbase has enjoyed over the last 3 years. What went wrong in 2020?
2020 record: 4-11-1
- Division record: 2-4
- Record against teams with winning records: 1-6
Just three years prior to this season, the Eagles had enjoyed their greatest season in franchise history. They had first Super Bowl trophy, a fierce defense, great offensive line, and a franchise Quarterback that could be relied on for the next 15 years.
That was all until a nightmare 2020 season unfolded for the city of Philadelphia. They kicked off the season with two losses by 10+ points and a tie against Cincinnati. After that rough start, the Eagles never found any sense of consistent play.
With the losses piling up, Doug Peterson would eventually make the switch from Carson Wentz to Jalen Hurts.
This late switch did not affect much for the rest of the season, but it did impact the future of the organization for this season and beyond.
Team Ranks:
| Total Offense | 24th (5354 yards) |
| Passing Offense | 28th (3327 yards) |
| Rushing Offense | 9th (2027 yards) |
| Total Defense | 19th (5810 yards allowed) |
| Passing Defense | 15th (3798 yards allowed) |
| Rushing Defense | 23rd (2012 yards allowed) |
| PPG | 26th (20.9) |
| PPG Allowed | 20th (26.1) |
| Offensive Line Ranks | |
| PFF | 19th |
| Football Outsiders (Run Block) | 23rd (4.19) |
| Football Outsiders (Pass Block) | 31st (9.4%) |
| 2020 Offense Play Selection |
| Pass – 62.2% |
| Rush – 37.8% |
| PFF Top 5 Graded Players in 2020 |
| 1. Richard Rodgers TE (88.6) |
| 2. Brandon Graham DE (81.5) |
| 3. Dallas Goedert TE (79.6) |
| 4. Marcus Epps S (75.1) |
| 5. Fletcher Cox DT (74.1) |
Leading Passer: Carson Wentz
- 57.4 completion percentage
- 2,620 passing yards
- 16 touchdowns
- 15 interceptions
Leading Rusher: Miles Sanders
- 867 rushing yards
- 6 touchdowns
- 5.3 YPC
Leading Receiver: Travis Fulgham
- 539 receiving yards
- 4 touchdowns
- 14.2 yards per reception
Defensive MVP: Brandon Graham
- 8 sacks
- 29 pressures
- 2 forced fumbles
How long did they hang in the playoff race until?
Week 16. Thanks to the struggles of the NFC East, the worst team in the division was able to hang out for a longer period of time. The Eagles were 4-9-1 with a road game in Dallas that would decide their fate.
They would get a nice game from Miles Sanders and a vintage Desean Jackson touchdown, but that was about the only bright spots for Philly on this day. The Cowboys ran away with a 37-17 victory that featured three turnovers from the Eagles.
With the season on the line, the defense struggled in a big way to contain this Dallas offense. The Cowboys scored on six of their first seven possessions, led by Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup who both had 100+ yards on the day.
Story of the season: Turnovers, injuries, and struggles away from home
This is a story that no team ever wants to define its season. Unfortunately for Eagle fans, this does summarize what happened to their team in 2020.
The Eagles had the 2nd highest turnover percentage in the NFL, led by Carson Wentz who had 18 turnovers. Jalen Hurts also contributed 6 turnovers during his time on the field.
Another major issue was losing too many key playmakers due to injury. Miles Sanders, Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Alshon Jeffery, Jalen Reagor, and Desean Jackson all missed significant time with injuries at some point on the year.
Philly also finished tied for the 2nd worse road record in the league, finishing 1-7 away from home.
After making the playoffs three years in a row, the Eagles unraveled in 2020. They struggled in each phase of the game, and significant changes were made to the organization structure as a result.
