NFL power rankings: Eagles get snubbed despite win vs. Washington

The Eagles have climbed back to .500! For the first time since they were entering Week 3, the Birds do not have a losing record. They're actually rolling, playing their best football of the season at the right time.

Perfect time for another leap in the power rankings, right?

Well... the weird COVID-skewed week turned everything upside down in the NFL power rankings industry, as did the Eagles' level of competition. Washington was missing a ton of players and the Eagles were punished for it.

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It's an extremely mixed bag out there.

So let's scour seven different national outlets to find out what they're saying about the Birds:

ESPN*

*Note: ESPN acknowledged it wasn't taking the Eagles' game into account this week. Weak sauce.

NFL

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Last week: 20

This week: 23 (-3)

"There were some shaky moments early in the season, but Sirianni has since found his footing in his first year. He shifted his approach on offense to more of a ground-based attack starting in Week 8. Since then, the Eagles are second in points per game (29.7), first in third-down efficiency (51.2%) and first in rushes of 10 or more yards (40). Philadelphia (6-7) has won four of six games over that span and is now right in the thick of the playoff race. Sirianni has shown growth and a willingness to adapt, and he managed to keep his players on board despite a rocky 2-5 start. He has earned another year at the helm."

NFL.com

Last week: 19

This week: 22 (-3)

"Jalen Hurts returned to the lineup and took care of business on Tuesday night, running for two scores and throwing for another in a 27-17 win that keeps the Eagles relevant in the NFC playoff picture. Philadelphia was able to take advantage of a Washington team missing five starters – including quarterback Taylor Heinicke – due to COVID-19. Philly’s run game is no joke: The Eagles are the first team with 175-plus yards on the ground in seven straight games since the 1985 Chicago Bears. Philly doesn’t have that legendary team’s defense – but it plays a style of ball that translates well to December and January. The schedule stays extremely soft next week with a home matchup against the broken Giants."

CBS Sports

Last week: 22

This week: 21 (+1)

"Their running game is going wild right now and it has them back in the playoff race. Jalen Hurts played well against Washington."

Sporting News

Last week: 19

This week: 19 (+0)

"The Eagles didn't like the extra break after their bye before hosting Washington, but it did also ensure that both Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders would be at the forefront of their run-heavy offense in trying to save their NFC wild-card chances against a fading division foe. The defense will be key to a good closing stretch."

Pro Football Network

Last week: 19

This week: 20 (-1)

"Philadelphia should have dominated their game against Washington. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ passing attack averaged nearly 12 yards per attempt against a depleted Washington secondary. It was a poor red-zone effort that kept this game as close as it was throughout."

Bleacher Report

Last week: 19

This week: 19 (+0)

"So far this season, there have been exactly zero reasons to compare the 2021 Philadelphia Eagles to the greatest single-season team in NFL history.

"But after downing a depleted Washington team in a delayed game Tuesday to get back to .500 and stay in the postseason hunt in the NFC, the Eagles have done something that no team has since the meat-grinder that was the 1985 Bears.

"The Eagles gashed Washington for a staggering 238 yards on the ground—the seventh straight game Philly had at least 175 rushing yards.

"The Eagles are 5-2 over that span. And at least one of our analysts believe this team has a real shot to make the postseason."

Sports Illustrated

Last week: 22

This week: 16 (+6)

"Tuesday night was a double-digit-point victory that was not as close as the final score indicated. Because they still get Washington and the Giants one more time—and might wrap against a Cowboys team with nothing to play for—this team has the inside track at a playoff spot. That’s a testament to Nick Sirianni and his staff, and especially to Jalen Hurts, the quarterback his own front office never seemed to believe in."

That's... a bunch of rankings that are truly all over the place. Not even waiting until the week's over to submit your power rankings is lame! As is putting the Eagles at No. 22, behind Washington, after they show they have the league's best running attack while generally handling the Football Team with ease, shorthanded or not.

On average the Eagles didn't move at all, kind of a frustrating result for a team that has four wins in its last five games and is squarely in the playoff race.

But it was a weird week, so the Birds will just have to win again to remind everyone what they're about.

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