NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Eagles on the Rise After Week 1 Win

Before the season began, the Eagles were mostly expected to finish in the middle of the pack of the 32 NFL teams.

A 30-17 victory over the Redskins in the season opener on Sunday was the Eagles' first victory against the NFC East foe since Dec. 2014. The defense applied a good amount of pressure to Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was sacked four times. 

Now the Eagles turn their sights to former head coach Andy Reid and his 1-0 Kansas City Chiefs for Sunday's matchup at Arrowhead Stadium.

Before that battle, here's a roundup of where the Eagles landed in this week's national power rankings:​

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio: Starting the regular season at No. 10
"Carson Wentz, better than Kirk Cousins."

NFL.com's Elliot Harrison: Up nine spots to No. 10
"Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's defense showed a glimpse of why I think the Eagles are a sneaky playoff team. The front seven made life miserable for Washington QB Kirk Cousins, even when Philly didn't get him on the ground," Harrison wrote. "Maybe the fumble call at the end should have been overturned -- but don't overlook the fact that Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox were meeting at the quarterback yet again. Downside from Sunday: recently acquired cornerback Ronald Darby's gruesome looking injury. Oh, and then there was the running game. Even with all the treadmill work, yoga and barre, it doesn't look any sexier than it did in the preseason."

USA Today: Up three spots to No. 16
"LeGarrette Blount caught a TD pass Sunday. Why is that noteworthy? He'd only done that one other time in his eight-year NFL career."

Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab: Up five spots to No. 17
"I was very impressed with Carson Wentz. He threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns on the road and generally looked more comfortable than he did during his rookie slump last year," Schwab wrote. "And he'll be even better when Alshon Jeffery (three catches, 38 yards) warms up. This is a team that was better than its record last season and looked pretty strong in Week 1."

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco: Up five spots to No. 13
"Carson Wentz got off to a good start," Prisco wrote. "But the most impressive thing from their road victory over the Redskins was how well the front seven played."

The Washington Post's Mark Maske: Up four spots to No. 10
"QB Carson Wentz began his second NFL season with a mixed bag of brilliant improvisational plays and rookielike gaffes Sunday at FedEx Field," Maske wrote. "He did not get his big-name newcomers, RB LeGarrette Blount and WRs Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, consistently involved in the offense. But it was good enough for a season-opening win over the Redskins, thanks in large part to a defense that generated four turnovers."

ESPN: Up six spots to No. 9
"Carson Wentz made a big play under duress on Sunday, matching his total of passing touchdowns when pressured all of last season. Possible overreaction: Hop on the Wentz Wagon while there's still room. The young quarterback should continue to improve, and he'll have a lot of help from FPI's second-ranked defense."

Copyright CSNPhily
Contact Us