
What to Know
- It wasn't as easy as it should've been but the Eagles improved to 11-2 with a 22-16 win over the Panthers. They've now won nine in a row.
- The Eagles still have a chance to clinch a playoff berth later today, but they'll need some help.
- Jalen Hurts is now tied with Ravens' Derrick Henry for the most rushing touchdowns this season (13).
- Saquon Barkley officially passed LeSean McCoy on Sunday and now owns the Eagles' franchise record for single-season rushing yards.
Follow along for live updates as the Eagles host the Panthers in the Week 14 matchup.
Roob's Observations: Eagles hang on vs. Panthers, tie franchise record in the process
By Reuben Frank

Had ‘em all the way.
Yikes.
The Eagles improved to 11-2 and tied the longest winning streak in franchise history Sunday with their ninth straight win, but they sure put you through hell for three hours, didn’t they?
The Eagles hung on to beat the Panthers 22-16 at the Linc, but it wasn’t over until Darius Slay knocked down a Bryce Young pass intended for Adam Thielen at the 19-yard-line with 37 seconds left.

The Eagles came into Sunday as heavy favorites against the Panthers and while they were able to escape with a win, it was a little too close for comfort.
No blowout in this one.
But the Eagles were able to get a 22-16 win to improve to 11-2 on the season.
Here are our grades by position:

There are still four games left in the 2024 regular season but the Eagles officially clinched a playoff berth on Sunday.
The Eagles had to win and then needed some help this weekend to punch their ticket into the postseason and they got the last domino to fall when the Cardinals lost to the Seahawks in the late afternoon game.
Entering the weekend, there were a few different scenarios that would give the Eagles a playoff berth. The one that ended up hitting was an Eagles win + a Lions win + losses from the Falcons and Cardinals.
Nick Sirianni has now led the Eagles to four consecutive playoff appearances in his four years as head coach. He is the second coach in franchise history to have three straight 11+ win teams.

Their job was done for the day but the wins kept rolling in Sunday for the Eagles.
The clock ran out for Seahawks at Cardinals, resulting in a 30-18 win for Seattle. It was the last piece of one of today's possible puzzles to send the Eagles back to the playoffs for the fourth-straight season.

Instant reactions after Eagles eke out win over Panthers for 9th straight victory


PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 08: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on December 08, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Saquon Barkley moved past LeSean McCoy on Sunday and now owns the Eagles’ franchise record for single-season rushing yards.
And he did it in 13 games.
Coming into today, Barkley needed 109 rushing yards to surpass Shady’s record and he did it in the fourth quarter against the Panthers.
Barkley knew he was approaching the record.
Grant Calcaterra has his first-career NFL touchdown and it came Sunday in the fourth quarter in a tight game against the Panthers.
Calcaterra with his first-career NFL TD 👏
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 8, 2024
(🎥 @NFL)pic.twitter.com/Og5IoEMJRl
The Eagles had a successful two-point conversion and are up 22-16.
The Eagles had a chance to add some distance, and quick, having the ball at the end of the first half and opening up the third quarter with possession.
While they were able to take the lead before going into halftime, they couldn't tack on a few more points when Jake Elliott missed a 52-yard field goal.
Elliott is now 0-for-5 on field goal attempts of 50-plus this season.

Jalen Hurts found DeVonta Smith as time was winding down to give the Eagles a 14-10 lead going into the half.
WELCOME BACK SMITTY 😤
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 8, 2024
(🎥: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/mNnLSsG1AX
The Eagles will get the ball to start the second half.
Bryce Young and Tommy Tremble deliver on 4th & Goal!
— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024
📺: #CARvsPHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/xE75i4uPHa
Saquon Barkley was just shy of giving the Eagles their first lead of the day — but not to worry — a tush push later and they're on the board.
If everybody could do it, THEY WOULD DO IT.
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 8, 2024
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(🎥: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/Sc5QU8po1A
Eagles' C.J. Garner-Johnson returns after being evaluated for concussion
By Dave Zangaro

Jalen Hurts, Cooper DeJean, Nolan Smith and A.J. Brown spoke to reporters this week and were all asked about facing the Panthers who rank last in the NFL in point differential.
Eagles starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has returned against the Panthers after being evaluated for a concussion.
The play happened in the first quarter when Gardner-Johnson took some friendly fire from Tristin McCollum, who started in place of Reed Blankenship. Gardner-Johnson went inside after a trip to the medical tent but returned early in the second quarter.
Blankenship suffered a concussion last week in Baltimore and the Eagles are also without Sydney Brown (knee) in this game. So they really couldn't afford more injuries.
Gardner-Johnson was briefly replaced by Avonte Maddox, who has struggled some this year. Maddox began the season as the Eagles’ starting nickel corner but Cooper DeJean took over that role in Week 6. Since then, Maddox has been an extra defender in the dime package. He did get reps at safety in training camp.
Well, that's one way to wake someone up.
Eagles' C.J. Gardner-Johnson laid a huge hit on Xavier Legette during the Panthers' first drive of the day.
BOOM. 💥
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 8, 2024
(🎥 @Eagles)pic.twitter.com/bsV2H55sx1
Quinyon Mitchell plays up epic nickname before Eagles-Panthers
By Brooke Destra

In his rookie season, Quinyon Mitchell is emerging as a fan favorite in Philadelphia and has already earned one of the coolest nicknames on the Eagles.
Quinyonamo Bay
In November, Mitchell shared that he appreciates the effort.
“I like it,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s cool. I think it’s cool.”
Get set for Eagles-Panthers with Eagles Pregame Live at 12:00 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus and the NBC Sports app.
Watch Eagles Pregame Live


Jalen Hurts, Cooper DeJean, Nolan Smith and A.J. Brown spoke to reporters this week and were all asked about facing the Panthers who rank last in the NFL in point differential.
Eagles backup safety Tristin McCollum is expected to make his first NFL start on Sunday as the Eagles host the Carolina Panthers.
Starter Reed Blankenship suffered a concussion last week in Baltimore and was ruled out Friday. McCollum, 25, stepped in last Sunday after the concussion and played well. McCollum has played in 12 career games but today will be his first start.
Here’s the full list of inactives for the Eagles:
S Reed Blankenship (concussion)
S Sydney Brown (knee)
WR Britain Covey (neck)
QB Tanner McKee
OL Trevor Keegan
OL Darian Kinnard
OL Nick Gates
A busy day of Philly sports — here's where you can find game coverage for Eagles, Sixers, Flyers on NBCSP
By Brooke Destra

Sunday marks a busy day on the Philly sports calendar as the Eagles, Sixers and Flyers are all slated to play.
NBC Sports Philadelphia has you covered with wall-to-wall action for all of your favorite teams across multiple stations and the NBC Sports app.
A look at the schedule and where you can watch:
Eagles

Former NFL running back and 2005 MVP Shaun Alexander explains why Saquon Barkley winning MVP could be a shock to the league.
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert, who missed three games earlier this year with a hamstring injury, is headed for Injured Reserve with a knee injury and will miss at least four more games.
The news was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Goedert got hurt in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ win over the Ravens last weekend. He’ll be eligible to return for the Eagles’ final regular-season game against the Giants on Jan. 5.
It’s the latest in a series of injury setbacks for Goedert, who will have missed 22 games because of injuries since 2020 by the time he’s eligible to return.
In Roob's Eagles Observations: What makes Eagles' defense unique
By Reuben Frank

Jalen Hurts, Cooper DeJean, Nolan Smith and A.J. Brown spoke to reporters this week and were all asked about facing the Panthers who rank last in the NFL in point differential.
A unique aspect of the Eagles’ top-ranked defense, Dallas Goedert’s future and Jalen Hurts’ remarkable record on the road.
Can you believe it’s Week 14? The Eagles are getting into crunch time and so is Roob’s 10 Random Observations!
Let’s get after it!
1. One of the most amazing things about the Eagles owning the No. 1 defense in the NFL through Week 13 is that this isn’t a star-studded unit. There are only two guys on the defense who’ve ever been to a Pro Bowl – Darius Slay has been to a bunch and Josh Sweat went in 2021. And Slay hasn’t even been playing that much lately because of various injuries. And honestly as good as this defense is, probably only Jalen Carter and Zack Baun will be Pro Bowlers this year. We’ve seen mediocre Eagles defenses send four or five players to the Pro Bowl, but what really sets this group apart is that they play so well together and get contributions from so many people and they’re so unselfish and team-oriented. No cornerback has an interception this year. Nobody is in the top 19 in the NFL in sacks. But what this group does remarkably well is play together as a unit, with guys working together, communicating, setting each other up to make plays and making the guys around them better. And it’s added up to one of the best defenses in Eagles history, which is saying a lot. The Eagles are No. 1 in defense with five games to go, with a good chance to finish No. 1 for the first time since 1991 and only the third time since 1954. And there are certainly stars in this group. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been unreal as rookies. Nakobe Dean has been consistently productive. Baun and Carter have been dominating. Milton Williams has been terrific. Reed Blankenship is having his best year. Nolan Smith has come a long way. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has been very good since the bye. Role players are doing their thing and every backup who’s been asked to play has held his own. There’s no weak link in this group. But the real beauty of this defense is the whole. The unit. The group. And that’s much more valuable and much more meaningful than sending a bunch of guys to the Pro Bowl.

Cooper DeJean started moving his hands wildly as he methodically went through all the different ways a punted ball can spin.
“It can spin this way. It can spin that way. It can go end over end, it can do the opposite… ”
There are a ton of different ways the ball can spin and NFL punters are really good at making it difficult to field punts. So it’s imperative that the Eagles’ punt returners get a chance to practice with all those weird spins.
That’s where Braden Mann comes in.
Why LeSean McCoy is rooting for Saquon Barkley to break his record
By Dave Zangaro

If Saquon Barkley can manage to pick up 109 yards on the ground on Sunday afternoon, he would break LeSean McCoy’s franchise record for rushing yards in a season.
No one is rooting for him harder than Shady.
“Yeah, man, records are meant to be broken,” McCoy said to NBC Sports Philadelphia this week. “And it’s a tribute to the respect we have for each other. I love competitors, man. I love what he’s doing for my team.
“The cool thing is when he broke my single-game rushing record, I was in the building, I was with Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie watching the game. That was kind of cool. If you seen the mic’d up, he said, ‘We broke the record, we broke Shady’s record.’ We’re competing. I love people that push the position forward so I’m all for it.”
Eagles vs. Panthers predictions for Week 14 of the NFL season
By NBC Sports Philadelphia Staff

The Eagles (10-2) host the Carolina Panthers (3-9) at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon.
Let’s get to the predictions:
Reuben Frank (6-6)
Normally, yeah, I'd be concerned about the Panthers. Classic trap game, Eagles coming off a tough win in Baltimore and looking forward to a home game against the 9-3 Steelers. But this team isn’t wired that way. They really do focus on the next play, the next practice rep, the next meeting in a way that forces them to approach every game exactly the same, regardless of opponent or their record. The Eagles have taken care of business. They’re 6-0 this year against teams under .500 and 25-5 under Nick Sirianni against losing teams. The Panthers are 3-9, haven’t had a winning season since 2017, have lost 25 of their last 28 against winning teams and haven’t beaten a winning team on the road in two years. They have played better over the last month. They’re 3-9, but their last four games have been wins over the Saints and Giants, then three-point losses to the Chiefs and Buccaneers. Bryce Young, the first pick last year, has played better lately and Chuba Hubbard is a solid back. But this is a team ranked 30th in offense and 32nd in defense and going nowhere facing an Eagles team that’s locked in right now in every phase, hasn’t lost since Week 4 and is playing at home. I don’t know how it’s not a blowout.

Vic Fangio discusses rookie Jalyx Hunt following his career high in snaps. Dave Zangaro and Reuben Frank weigh in on the rookie’s role in the defense.
They were at home. It was late in the season. They still had everything to play for. They were 12-point favorites. A three-win opponent was up next.
Sound familiar?
It should.
Because that’s not just Eagles-Panthers Sunday. It’s Eagles-Cardinals in 2023.

Former NFL running back and 2005 MVP Shaun Alexander explains why Saquon Barkley winning MVP could be a shock to the league.
Twelve games and 246 carries into the season, Saquon Barkley looks just as fast, just as fresh, just as explosive as he did back in Week 1.
More, actually.
And that’s huge because if the Eagles are going to make a deep run in the playoffs, they need their MVP to be a force 18, 19, 20 or even 21 games into the season.
One of the big challenges for the Eagles’ coaches and training staff is keeping Barkley in peak form through a long season, a huge number of touches and countless tackles.

The Eagles don’t have a Haason Reddick in 2024. They don’t have that one player who is going to get 15 sacks to lead the way. And that’s OK.
Because this pass rush is still getting home.
That’s not surprising inside the NovaCare Complex. The Eagles knew if they were going to get after quarterbacks in 2024, it would have to be a full-team effort.
“I think it’s going to be the group rush mentality,” outside linebackers coach Jeremiah Washburn said way back on Aug. 6. “That’s really our focus this year … That’s where our production is going to come, is just through the group. And I think the selflessness of that. That’s been a real point of emphasis for our group, just Clint (Hurtt) and I and Vic (Fangio).”
