NFL power rankings: Eagles jump into new tier after big win

Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni caught basically the entire NFL by surprise with a largely flawless 32-6 destruction of a very bad Falcons team down in Atlanta. 

The Eagles are 1-0, unlike the rest of the NFC East, and professional football watchers are officially taking note in this week's always-plentiful power rankings from across the Internet.

Let's scour seven different national outlets to find out what they're saying about the Birds after the blowout win:

ESPN

This week: 21st 

Last week: 27th (+6)

"[DeVonta Smith] caught a touchdown on his first NFL reception and paced the Eagles with six catches for 71 yards in a convincing win over Atlanta. His six catches are tied for the most by an Eagles rookie in a debut since DeSean Jackson in 2000. Smith led all Eagles receivers in snaps (58), further evidence he is viewed as their lead receiver. Smith's elite footwork allows him to gain separation off the line of scrimmage, and he knows how to find an open pocket in the defense. He should have big-time production this year so long as he stays healthy."

NFL.com

This week: 17th

Last week: 25th (+8)

"Have we all been sleeping on the Eagles? Nick Sirianni's debut went off like gangbusters, as Philly took it to the host Falcons on both sides of the ball in a 32-6 laugher. Jalen Hurts looked very much like a starter the Eagles can put their faith in, throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns while adding 62 yards on the ground. DeVonta Smith caught a touchdown in his NFL debut, and the defense limited the Falcons to just 4.1 yards per play. A greater challenge lies ahead against the 49ers in Week 2, but the Eagles look like a confident team ready for the fight."

CBS Sports

This week: 22nd

Last week: 26th (+4)

"The Jalen Hurts era is off to a great start. He was impressive in beating the Falcons. If that continues, this team will be a playoff threat."

Sporting News

This week: 18th

Last week: 24th (+6)

"How about Jalen Hurts? The Eagles looked organized and methodical in Atlanta with new offensive-minded coach Nick Sirianni. How about the defense? The pass rush revved up again and the much maligned back seven held its own in coverage. Don't sleep on them pushing the Cowboys in the NFC East."

Pro Football Network

This week: 26th

Last week: 29th (+3)

"The Eagles dominated the Falcons in Week 1, leading to a rise in the NFL power rankings heading into Week 2. Jalen Hurts was practically flawless, going 27/35 for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 7 times for 62 yards. They’ll have a massive test in Week 2 when they face the San Francisco 49ers."

Bleacher Report

This week: 22nd

Last week: 27th (+5)

"There were quite a few questions facing the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. The biggest wasn't hard to pinpoint: Could Jalen Hurts improve as a passer in his second season and take full control of the offense?

"It's just one game against a bad team, but early returns are encouraging. Hurts chewed up the Falcons both on the ground and through the air to the tune of 326 total yards and three touchdowns. After completing just 52.0 percent of his throws as a rookie, Hurts was good on 77.1 percent of his throws against the Falcons.

"Philly's defense stepped up big as well. The Falcons managed just 260 yards of offense, converted just three of 14 third downs and were held out of the end zone."

Sports Illustrated

This week: 18th

Last week: 27th (+9)

"A spirited debut from Nick Sirianni & Co. Jalen Hurts, who, for one week, looked nothing like a soon-to-be-replaced bridge quarterback on a tanking football team. While the Falcons are, perhaps, more of a mess than we initially thought, Hurts was smooth and worked middle distance throws to all thirds like a seasoned professional. Philadelphia’s defensive front can still be a great equalizer for this club, which, thanks to a Ryan Fitzpatrick injury and a painfully milquetoast offering from Jason Garrett in New York, will end up being a bigger factor in the NFC East than initially expected."

If you're an Eagles fan, it's hard to be mad about any of those - except maybe Pro Football Network keeping them at 26th, which feels a little harsh. Lower than the Giants after a shellacking against Denver in which Joe Judge's team looked every bit the amateur clown show we all suspected they were running? If you say so!

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

Season-long tracker

Average before Week 1: 26.42

Average after Week 1: 20.57 (+5.85)

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