No Pack No: Recapping the Eagles Win, plus Jonathan Taylor’s MVP chances

Summary of No Pack No: Recapping the Eagles Win, plus Jonathan Taylor’s MVP chances

by ESPN, Omaha Productions, Mina Kimes

53m•November 11, 2025
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Overview of No Pack No: Recapping the Eagles Win, plus Jonathan Taylor’s MVP chances

Hosts Mina Kimes and Dominique Foxworth break down Monday night’s Eagles–Packers game, debate Nick Sirianni and Matt LaFleur’s playcalling, highlight the Eagles’ suddenly potent pass rush after the Jalen Phillips trade (and Nolan Smith’s return), and re‑ignite the Jonathan Taylor MVP conversation after an historic performance. They also review other weekly winners/woofs (Rams, Bills, Steelers, Giants coaching shakeups) and preview matchups that could decide awards and seeding.

Game recap — Eagles vs. Packers (main themes)

  • Final impression: a contest of great defenses and conservative offenses. Both play callers erred toward fear of the pass rush; result felt like “great defense > horrible offense,” but more accurately conservative offense meeting elite pressure.
  • Eagles defense:
    • Biggest takeaway: Philadelphia’s pass rush looked significantly better — the best their four‑man rush has looked this season.
    • Jalen Phillips (newly acquired) made an immediate, game‑changing impact: pressure, run‑defense, and influence on sacks/plays not always reflected on the stat sheet.
    • Nolan Smith’s return helped the edge rotation; the Eagles’ coverage (Quinn/Quinn‑type play) was disruptive.
  • Key controversial decision: late in the game Sirianni elected to go for it on a fourth‑and‑short rather than punt (analytics and most models favored punting). The play call (a high‑variance AJ Brown go route on a short fourth‑and) was widely questioned; had the opponent had a reliable kicker and timeouts, this had risk.
  • Eagles offense: stagnant at times — their worst offensive success rate of the Jalen Hurts / Sirianni era in this game. Explosive plays still present (Devonta Smith deep shot), but play‑action/under‑center stuff and the run game weren’t consistently effective.
  • Packers offense:
    • Matt LaFleur criticized for extreme conservatism and overreliance on short throws/runs despite a struggling offensive line.
    • Jordan Love rarely produced explosive plays; drops and penalties hurt moments of success.
    • Packers defense performed well against the run and principles (coverages and tackling were sound), making it a tougher matchup for the Eagles than expected.

Jonathan Taylor and the MVP conversation

  • The hosts made Jonathan Taylor the week’s “winner” after a dominating standalone primetime performance.
    • Stat highlights cited: 228 rushing yards after contact (NGS claimed it was the most by a rusher in a game in nine years), and 1,139 rushing yards through Week 10 (compared to Saquon’s 991 at the same point last year).
    • Advanced metrics: Taylor tied or led in some expected‑rush metrics vs. Saquon and had higher EPA per carry and success rate — evidence the performance was both spectacular and efficient.
  • MVP debate context:
    • Taylor’s case is strengthened by elite production + historic single‑game dominance, but positional/value framing complicates voting (running backs historically are disadvantaged for MVP because of “value” debates).
    • Other strong MVP candidates mentioned: Matthew Stafford (hot season and high offensive output) and the rookie/young QB referenced as “Drake/Maye” (hosts noted he’s over‑achieved; games vs. Bills/Ravens remain key). The consensus: the race likely goes down to the wire with several showcase matchups remaining.

Other notable team takeaways

  • Rams
    • Sean McVay’s three‑tight‑end approach and personnel usage (Puka Nacua, big receivers/tight ends) are giving defenses matchup problems; hosts called the Rams’ offense among the best in the NFL right now.
  • Bills
    • Buffalo’s offense looked exposed when teams successfully stopped the run and jammed receivers — Josh Allen’s timing and reads suffered when no reliable deep threats or separation appeared.
    • The front office/roster construction (receiving help) was criticized as an ongoing issue.
  • Steelers
    • Concerns about sustainability: previous wins had big turnover margins; recent loss showed the offense could struggle when the edge rush and fundamentals aren’t there.
  • Giants
    • Brian Daboll was fired after another blown late lead; hosts argued New York needs broader organizational realignment rather than partial fixes.

Weekly winners & woofs (short list)

  • Winners
    • Jonathan Taylor — dominant game, strong MVP case revival.
    • Los Angeles Rams — offense extremely efficient; McVay’s matchups/three‑TE usage working.
  • Woofs / disappointments
    • Packers offense / Matt LaFleur — conservative playcalling, offensive line problems, lack of explosive production.
    • Bills offense — struggles getting receivers open vs teams that stop the run.
    • Giants — coaching change (Brian Daboll out) signals deeper organizational problems.

Key takeaways / What to watch next

  • Eagles: defense trending up — Jalen Phillips + Nolan Smith make them more dangerous in pass rush and run defense. Monitor how the offense adjusts and whether Hurts can get better balance without forcing conservative, short‑only sequences.
  • Packers: need clearer answers on offensive identity — fix protection, target mix, and aggressiveness on early downs; LaFleur’s playcalling will be scrutinized.
  • Jonathan Taylor: remaining schedule (including a date with the Chiefs) includes showcase opportunities that could push MVP momentum; other candidates (Stafford and the young QB mentioned) have big games ahead as well.
  • Rams vs Seahawks matchup: a must‑watch that will say a lot about the top of the NFC West and the strength of the Rams’ offense outside of weaker defenses.

Notable lines / quotable takes

  • “They were calling the game like they were terrified of the opposing defensive line.”
  • “Classic Sirianni shenanigan” — on the late fourth‑and‑short decision to go for it instead of punting.
  • “When you acquire a pass rusher and he shows up and is immediately impactful, that’s really nice to see” — on Jalen Phillips.

Actionable summary: If you want quick priorities from the episode — watch Jonathan Taylor’s upcoming games for MVP clarity, watch the Rams‑Seahawks matchup, and keep an eye on how the Packers and Eagles adjust schematically (Packers’ protection/playcalling; Eagles’ ability to generate consistent offense beyond explosive plays).