PHILADELPHIA -- They are one of two undefeated teams remaining in the NFL, yet the Philadelphia Eagles are well aware they haven't played their best football. The record says 4-0, finding different ways to win each game as the Eagles remain unblemished.
Perfect? Far from it.
"The record right now, of course, we want to put our best foot forward and be heading in the right direction. But that 4-0 stuff that means nothing," said A.J. Brown after Sunday's win over the Commanders. "Nobody's walking around, 'Woohoo, we're 4-0.' That's not it."
The Eagles have certainly gotten their best from all four opponents, which have a combined record of 7-9. There's an impressive victory in Tampa Bay that is the Buccaneers lone blemish and a comeback win against Washington that Philadelphia could have lost on several occasions.
They played two games in five days to start the season and came away unscathed, even though the wins weren't pretty. The Eagles found different ways to win each game, one by defense and Jake Elliott, another by D'Andre Swift, one by controlling the trenches and the last by Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown.
It all leads to a 4-0 record, yet something is missing from this Eagles team compared to last year. They aren't beating teams to a pulp and dominating their opponents. They aren't flexing their muscle each and every week, as their offense is still finding its identity and the defense has been getting by in spite of all the injuries on that side of the ball.
"That's how we do. We're built different," said Fletcher Cox, one of the captains on the team. "We don't point fingers or call one person out. We're already there, we're all one. That's the thing we always talk about."
The Eagles are fifth in the NFL in points per game and yards per game. They're 12th in the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while ranking second in rushing yards and third in yards per carry. On defense, the Eagles are 16th in points and yards allowed, with eight takeaways in four games. Philadelphia is second in the NFL in rushing yards allowed and fifth in yards per carry allowed, which skews the pass defense (27th in pass yards allowed and 30th in pass touchdowns allowed).
So what's the problem?
"Just thing in general. We need to put a complete game together for all of us," said Darius Slay, another captain on the Eagles. "From special teams and to offense and defense. That's just all it is. We all gotta play together because we know what we're capable of doing, and we have to do it consistently.
"We got sparks, we make plays (on defense). We come out strong in the second half, getting them to three-and-out and making plays (on defense), holding them to 17 (points) for a long time. We was doing what we had to do in getting off the field, so he have to (find a way) to start like that. Fast like that -- like we did in the second half (Sunday).
The problem may have been diagnosed, at least for Sunday. The Eagles aren't starting fast like they did last year, even if they've had a halftime lead in three of the four games. Again, part of the overall inconsistency the team faces week to week.
Philadelphia's problems certainly aren't as bad as the pundits are making it out to be, even if there is some cause of concern with a gauntlet of a schedule incoming. The same championship mindset is still there, and the wins are proof.
"Guys are still going out there and being relentless, no matter the situation at all," said Haason Reddick. "That's our identity, to continue to go out there and attack and be dogs, and no matter how it looks, I could see and I could feel it that guys are still going out there, under any type of situation, and attacking and attacking and attacking.
"As long as we keep with that, I know all the other stuff will fix itself and get better."
