Meet the Philadelphia Eagles' Unsung Heroes Fueling Playoff Push

These Eagles Look to Be On a Mission to Prove 2023 Collapse Was an Outlier

This is part of an ongoing series profiling the unsung heroes of each team as they clinch a berth in the NFL Playoffs. Each feature includes insight gleaned from conversations with sources across the league. To ensure you don’t miss out on any of the in-depth analysis, be sure to become a subscriber to Between The Hashmarks Today!

The Philadelphia Eagles’ formula this season is simple.

Backed by the NFL’s top-rated defense, featuring a relentless pass rush and playmakers with a propensity for creating timely turnovers week after week, the Eagles dictate to opponents with a dominant running game that sets quarterback Jalen Hurts up to pick secondaries apart in the vertical passing game.

Saquon Barkley has made a valiant run at Josh Allen for this season’s NFL MVP award, and very well might break Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, in his first season behind Philadelphia’s elite and road-grading offensive line.

Meanwhile, Hurts is seemingly rounding into peak form, which helped him finish as an MVP runner-up in 2002, the last time the Eagles advanced to Super Bowl Sunday.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has strung together multiple offseasons worthy of being taught as masterclasses in recent years. However, few have made such a tangible impact as this season’s haul which included pilfering Barkley from the NFC East rival New York Giants, signing unheralded inside linebacker Zack Baun — who is playing at an All-Pro level in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme, and adding the top two cornerbacks in an elite draft class at the position to fix the most glaring deficiency on the roster.

This is one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, yet there are still unsung heroes playing vital roles in the Eagles’ push not just for the postseason but now a potential No. 1 seed and homefield advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs.

Here’s a look at those unsung heroes, including the selection from an AFC Scouting Director: