Heading into the 2026 NFL season, there was a lot of hype about the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. Some pundits even predicted that the Eagles would have the best defense in the entire league.
But, through three weeks of action, that hasn’t been the case, at all. Philadelphia’s defense has struggled mightily, especially in Week 3 on Monday Night Football when the unit allowed third-string QB Case Keenum to walk all over it to the tune of 27 points.
It’s still very early in the season, but Vic Fangio’s unit needs to shape up, quickly, if they want to become the dominant defensive unit they were predicted to be. Here’s a look at three very concerning stats for Philadelphia’s defense through three weeks of action.
Zero Turnovers Forced
Probably the most glaring issue with Philadelphia’s defense, so far, has been the unit’s inability to force turnovers. Through three weeks, Philadelphia’s defense hasn’t forced a single turnover. They are the only team in the entire league that hasn’t forced one turnover through 12 quarters.
Philadelphia’s offense has five turnovers through three games, so as a team the Eagles have a turnover differential of -5, which is tied for the second-worst mark in the league, behind only the Atlanta Falcons.
Only Three Sacks Recorded
Philadelphia’s defense has had a very tough time generating pressure on opposing QBs so far this season. The Eagles have recorded just three sacks on the season so far, which equates to one per game. Only four teams have fewer sacks than the Eagles this season: Miami Dolphins, New York Giants Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams.
The ability to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable has been a strength for the Eagles for the past couple seasons under Fangio. They have to find a way to get back to that at to put more pressure on opposing signal-callers. Philadelphia’s defensive front is simply too talented to not be making a bigger impact in games.
Moving forward, the Eagles need to do a [much] better job of pressuring quarterbacks and forcing turnovers. Those are the things that make a defensive unit feared across the league, and it’s safe to say that right now, no one is fearing Philly’s defense. If anything, upcoming opponents are probably licking their lips.
