The 2024 Super Bowl run felt like magic, but the 2025 season was a total heartbreak. We saw a team that could dominate for three quarters and then just vanish when the clock got low. If the Eagles want to compete for another ring in 2026, they have to find a way to win the fourth quarter again. You can’t win in this league if you’re letting games slip away in the final fifteen minutes.
The massive drop in late game production
The numbers from last year are honestly scary. According to Bleeding Green Nation, the Eagles’ offense averaged only 5.1 points in the fourth quarter during 2025. That ranking was 30th in the entire NFL. Only Cleveland and Tampa Bay performed worse. It is a massive fall from the 2024 season when the team averaged 9.1 points in that same period and ranked number one in the league. The defense struggled just as much. Per Bleeding Green Nation, the unit allowed an average of 7.6 points in the fourth quarter last season, which sat at 24th overall.
Fixing the offensive mistakes
It isn’t just about tired players. The offense needs to play better on early downs to avoid disaster. During a preseason game against the Ravens, offensive coordinator Sean Mannion noted that the team had too many long second and first downs due to penalties and bad runs. Mannion stated that better adherence to the schedule and the removal of specific early-down miscues would result in more manageable third-down scenarios and a superior outcome. If the offense can’t stay on track, the defense stays on the field too long. Last year, the defense played 296 snaps in the fourth quarter, which was much higher than the 267 plays they faced in 2024.
The importance of staying on schedule
The difference between a champion and a middle-of-the-pack team is how they handle pressure. In 2024, the Eagles’ offense stayed on the field by gaining 1,605 yards in the fourth quarter. They also scored 16 touchdowns during those late stages. That efficiency dropped in 2025 when they only managed 11 touchdowns and 1,325 yards. The running game was a huge part of that decline. While Saquon Barkley and the line smashed for 832 yards in 2024, the production simply wasn’t there when it mattered most last season.
