unCovering: Week 2 vs. Falcons

In this week’s episode of unCovering the Birds, Jeff McLane analyzes the Eagles’ heartbreaking 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in their home opener.

by Jeff McLane Sept. 18, 2024, 5:58 p.m. ET

The Eagles’ home opener on Monday Night Football was there for the taking, and the Atlanta Falcons obliged, pulling off a stunning upset in the final minutes. There were multiple factors that resulted in the 22-21 loss, which dropped the Eagles to 1-1. But two weeks into the season, one problem has proven more glaring and costly than the rest: the Eagles’ defensive line, a group loaded with blue-chip talent that seemed poised to take a crucial step forward this year. Why has the Eagles’ D-line underperformed? Can practice reps and continued development alone fix their issues? Or, did Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman and his talent evaluators make some missteps in constructing the unit? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane examines these questions in the aftermath of the Eagles’ agonizing defeat.

Plus, with Nick Foles in town for his retirement ceremony at Lincoln Financial Field, Jeff revisits an overlooked “what if” moment from the Super Bowl MVP’s career that could have propelled his legacy to even higher heights.

Follow Jeff McLane on X. You can read his work at Inquirer.com.

unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. New for this season, look for fresh episodes to drop weekly in the days following every Eagles’ game.