Stephen A. Smith’s comments on Lane Johnson’s mental health, and more of what pundits are saying about the Eagles

Four weeks into the season, the national perception of the Eagles has changed quickly.

The Birds were considered Super Bowl contenders. After losses to the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams, an offense struggling to find consistency, mounting injuries, Lane Johnson’s abrupt retirement Tuesday, and Cam Jurgens being traded to Baltimore on Wednesday, the conversation surrounding the Eagles has become much less optimistic.

And their next opponent isn’t offering much relief.

The Eagles travel to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (9:30 a.m., NFL Network). Jacksonville is 3-1 and increasingly being discussed as one of the AFC’s best teams.

Here’s what the national media is saying about the Eagles entering Week 5:

Johnson’s retirement also sparked a much different national conversation on Wednesday.

On ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith questioned the timing of Johnson’s decision after the veteran tackle said he needed to prioritize his mental health.

Smith, a former Inquirer staffer, questioned why Johnson would retire four games into the season rather than during the offseason, drawing immediate pushback from fellow panelist Kimberley A. Martin.

The criticism continued outside ESPN.

Former Sixers play-by-play announcer Marc Zumoff responded directly to Smith on X.

Johnson has spoken publicly throughout his career about his struggles with anxiety and depression, making Smith’s comments a point of contention across sports media.

Johnson leaving, and Jurgens’ subsequent departure midday on Wednesday, leaves the Eagles’ offense with significant holes. Rookie Markel Bell is in line for an expanded role as an already struggling offense attempts to adjust without two starters.

The Eagles were shut out in the second half Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Rams and failed to convert any of its 12 third-down attempts.

Smith later apologized for the “misunderstanding” over his comments on First Take.

» READ MORE: Why Lane Johnson called it a career four games into the 2026 season, and what's next for the Eagles

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and Conor Orr looked beyond the Eagles’ recent injuries when discussing what has gone wrong.

The Eagles have spent years picking late in drafts, losing contributors in free agency, and replacing coordinators while remaining a contender. Breer wondered whether the effect is finally beginning to show.

“I mean, it’s still a good team,” Breer said. “But I don’t think it’s what it has been the last few years.”

Breer specifically pointed toward two areas that have traditionally driven the Eagles’ success — the offensive line and pass rush — as units that are no longer as dominant as they once were.

“At some point, the totality of that just has to catch up with you,” Breer said.

Johnson’s retirement only amplifies that concern. The six-time All-Pro had been one of the constants on an offensive line that has defined much of the Eagles’ success over the last decade.

If there was any doubt about how differently the two teams are being viewed nationally, NFL.com’s latest power rankings provide a stark comparison.

Nick Shook ranked Jacksonville sixth entering Week 5.

Shook credited the Jaguars for establishing an identity built around a credible rushing attack, their quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and a defense capable of creating extra possessions.

The Jaguars’ rise has accompanied the Birds’ slide in the national conversation, and Fox Sports also placed Jacksonville among the league’s top teams entering Sunday.

Fox’s Ralph Vacchiano opened his assessment of Philadelphia with an ominous warning.

“Those alarms you hear in South Philly today are for the Eagles,” Vacchiano wrote.

He pointed toward an offense that has struggled to find a rhythm, a defense that faltered late against Los Angeles, and an injury list that continues to grow.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, enters the matchup having won 11 of its last 12 regular-season games. The Jaguars also lead the league with a plus-six turnover differential and have yet to allow an opponent to score more than 20 points this season.

CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan offered one of the more pessimistic assessments of Philadelphia’s chances.

“The vibes around the Eagles are either at or near an all-time low,” Sullivan wrote.

Sullivan picked Jacksonville to win and pointed toward one particularly ugly number for the Eagles: Philadelphia has failed to convert its last 17 third-down attempts, dating to Week 3.

Jacksonville has been almost the exact opposite.

The Jaguars enter Sunday converting 51.1% of their third downs, third best in the NFL, while scoring touchdowns on 81.8% of their red-zone possessions, second best. Sullivan also described Lawrence as quietly playing like an MVP candidate and called Jacksonville the best team in the AFC at the moment.

CBS colleague Pete Prisco sees a similar outcome.

Prisco picked the Jaguars to beat the Eagles, 28-16, citing the Eagles’ injuries, Johnson’s retirement, and a Jacksonville defense that ranks second in scoring defense and has been difficult to run against.

It represents a dramatic shift from where the Eagles stood entering the season.

Four games ago, the Eagles was viewed nationally as a team capable of another deep postseason run. Now they head overseas trying to prevent a two-game skid from turning into something much larger — against a Jaguars team much of the national media believes is moving in the opposite direction.

Staff writer Kerith Gabriel contributed to this article.

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Different year, different offensive coordinator, yet still, it feels like Déjà vu all over again. The Eagles had little margin for error Sunday vs. the Rams because of injuries. They played hard despite being shorthanded, but in the end, couldn’t put the Rams away, mainly because of poor execution on offense. Why hasn’t Sean Mannion's scheme clicked? How culpable are head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts in the offensive rut the Eagles find themselves in? The Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy analyze the fallout from the 24-20 loss to L.A. Listen here.

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