Eagles first since 1987 Patriots with multiple games of zero second-half completions

Lead: On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles secured the NFC East with an 11th win in 16 games, beating the Buffalo Bills 13-12. Yet an unusual offensive quirk emerged: ESPN research shows the Eagles are the first team since the 1987 New England Patriots to have multiple games with zero completed passes in an entire second half. Quarterback Jalen Hurts also set an unwanted statistical mark: he recorded 0-of-7 passing in the second half against Buffalo and was 0-of-8 in the second half of Week 4 at Tampa Bay, making him the first quarterback since play-by-play records began in 1978 to go 0-for-7 or worse in the second half of multiple games in one season. Despite those second-half droughts, the Eagles won both games, and coach Nick Sirianni said after the Buffalo game he regretted not doing more to support the offense between drives.

Key Takeaways

• The Eagles clinched the NFC East after improving to 11 wins in 16 games with a 13-12 victory at Buffalo on Sunday.
• ESPN research identifies Philadelphia as the first team since the 1987 Patriots to register multiple games with zero second-half completions.
• Jalen Hurts was 0-for-7 passing in the second half vs. Buffalo and 0-for-8 in the second half in Week 4 at Tampa Bay.
• Play-by-play records kept since 1978 show no other QB has gone 0-for-7 or worse in the second half of multiple games within a single season.
• Both drought games ended in Eagles wins, underscoring defensive and special-teams contributions in those contests.
• Coach Nick Sirianni publicly acknowledged a lapse in helping the offense between drives and said he would change his approach.
• Coaching adjustments and second-half execution are identified as the primary concerns for Philadelphia entering the postseason.

Background

The Eagles entered the final stretch of the regular season with 11 victories in 16 starts and had already clinched the NFC East by the time they faced Buffalo. Philadelphia’s 2025 campaign has been notable for a high ceiling on offense and intermittent stretches of sluggishness, a pattern visible in offensive output across quarters. The convergence of strong overall record and episodic second-half stalls has generated scrutiny because it juxtaposes team success with a repeatable flaw that opponents could exploit in high-stakes playoff games.

Statistical record-keeping in the NFL has been formalized for decades: play-by-play logs have been maintained since 1978, which permits season-to-season historical comparisons for fine-grained patterns like second-half completion droughts. The last team flagged for comparable second-half passing blanks in multiple games was the 1987 Patriots, per ESPN’s compilation. That historical parallel is notable because the league’s style and scheduling have changed substantially since the late 1980s, making repeated modern-era occurrences rare.

Main Event

Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium ended 13-12 in Philadelphia’s favor, but the scoreboard masked a striking detail: the Eagles did not complete a pass in the second half. Jalen Hurts went 0-for-7 in that period, as Buffalo’s defense tightened and the Eagles relied on the running game and field-position battles. Earlier in Week 4 at Tampa Bay, Hurts was 0-for-8 in the second half, another game where Philadelphia managed to win despite the passing stagnation.

The two games followed a similar arc: strong or adequate first-half offense, followed by extended sequences in the second half with few or no completions. In both contests the Eagles’ defense and special teams limited opponents’ scoring, and conservative offensive play-calling in some stretches preserved leads. After the Buffalo game, Sirianni acknowledged he had not been active enough between drives to help the offense correct course and signaled an intent to change his sideline management.

Those second-half lapses were not isolated to a single play type. They combined short-yardage incompletions, conservative shot selection, and periods where pass protection and route timing were off rhythm. Opponents capitalized on tightened coverage and pressure packages that disrupted the timing of Philadelphia’s passing game in late-game stretches. Despite limited passing productivity, the Eagles’ overall game management and defensive stops produced victories in both instances.

Analysis & Implications

At face value, zero second-half completions in multiple games is an outlier statistic that demonstrates a team can still win while hitting extended passing droughts. However, reliance on defense and special teams to offset offensive stagnation is risky, especially in playoff environments where opponents exploit any repeatable weakness. If the Eagles enter postseason play with the same second-half tendencies, they may face teams able to sustain drives and force Philadelphia’s offense into more difficult third-and-long situations.

Coach-level adjustments matter. Sirianni’s postgame admission about not assisting the offense between drives highlights a procedural and communication gap rather than a single technical flaw. Improved on-field coaching between series could shorten the time needed to diagnose mismatches or protection issues and restore the offense’s rhythm. The team’s staff must balance in-game intervention with allowing players to operate, an equilibrium that will be tested under playoff pressure.

From a personnel standpoint, Hurts’ second-half stat lines are a mixed signal: the quarterback produced enough through the season to help the team reach 11 wins, yet the abrupt second-half dropoffs raise questions about play-calling predictability, opponent adjustments and situational quarterback decision-making. Opposing defenses adjusting at halftime could be exposing tendencies—whether route combinations, protection slides, or personnel groupings—worth correcting ahead of postseason matchups.

Comparison & Data

The table isolates the two games cited by ESPN research where Hurts completed zero passes in the second half. Both contests produced wins for Philadelphia, underlining that the team has offset second-half passing failure through defense and special teams. Still, the raw numbers—0-of-8 and 0-of-7—are historically unusual given play-by-play records since 1978. Teams preparing for the Eagles in the postseason can study film of these late-game sequences to replicate successful coverage and pressure concepts.

Reactions & Quotes

After the Buffalo game, coach Nick Sirianni reflected on his sideline approach and what he might change to help the offense reset between series. His remarks were framed as an ownership of responsibility and a promise to be more proactive during breaks in play.

“I should have done more to help the offense between drives.”

Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles (paraphrased)

ESPN’s statistical review that flagged Philadelphia alongside the 1987 Patriots drew attention to how rare multiple second-half completion shutouts are in modern play-by-play history. That research places the trend in a historical context and prompted public discussion about whether the pattern reflects scheme issues or situational variance.

“ESPN research shows this is the first team since 1987 with multiple games of zero second-half completions.”

ESPN research (analysis, paraphrased)

Media analysts pointed out that wins despite those droughts demonstrate the Eagles’ complementary strengths, but they also warned that the margin for error narrows sharply in postseason games. The consensus view is that Philadelphia must address in-game adaptability to avoid being outmaneuvered by playoff defenses.

“A recurring second-half offensive dormancy is the team’s chief concern heading into the postseason.”

NBC Sports analysis (paraphrased)

Unconfirmed

• It is unconfirmed whether Sirianni’s stated intention to intervene more between drives will produce measurable improvement in second-half passing efficiency.
• It is not yet established if opposing teams intentionally targeted a specific schematic weakness that will persist into the postseason.
• Longer-term trends (beyond the two cited games) connecting Hurts’ second-half lines to playoff outcomes remain uncertain and require more sample games for robust conclusions.

Bottom Line

The Eagles’ ability to win while posting multiple second-half zero-completion games is evidence of complementary football: defense and special teams have carried the team through stretches when the passing game stalled. Nevertheless, the statistic is a clear warning sign. Repeating those late-game pass droughts in the playoffs would likely hand the initiative to opponents who can sustain drives and score consistently.

Coach-level fixes and in-game communication are the most direct levers Philadelphia can pull between now and the postseason. If Sirianni and his staff implement targeted halftime adjustments and clearer between-series guidance, the Eagles can preserve their advantages while reducing the risk of second-half offensive shutdowns. For now, the team remains a division winner with a vulnerability that opponents will study closely.

Sources

• NBC Sports — sports news report summarizing the statistic and postgame comments
• ESPN — research/analysis referenced for historical play-by-play comparison
• Philadelphia Eagles — official team site for roster and team releases (official)