Nick Sirianni’s Eagles are wobbling into Week 14 with the fanbase on edge and the offense looking like a shell of what it’s supposed to be.
Two straight losses have cranked up the heat in Philadelphia. And the calls to fire offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo aren’t coming from fringe corners anymore. The Eagles’ locker room, and especially the offensive unit, has been inconsistent.
But as the Eagles prepare for the Chargers in Week 14, head coach Nick Sirianni’s focus isn’t just inward. He’s already sounding the alarm about one of the most dangerous defenders on the opposing sideline, veteran safety Derwin James Jr. And his message to the offense? “Tighten up the chinstraps.”
Per Eagles beat reporter Anthony DiBona, “Nick Sirianni was blunt when asked about the challenge of facing James.” The Eagles must be aware of where the Chargers’ star is lined up on every snap, and they’d better “tighten their chinstraps” because of his physicality.
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James remains one of the NFL’s most explosive downhill hitters, who is capable of wrecking drives with a single read-and-trigger play. For an Eagles offense, which is already fighting confidence issues and operational miscues, he’s the last player you want to lose track of.
Derwin James #3 of the Los Angeles Chargers looks on during the 2nd quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on November 02, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
He has racked up over 657 total tackles, 19 sacks, five forced fumbles, and more than 40 passes defended since entering the league in 2018. This is the production you do not get from a normal safety. Derwin James Jr. is one of the few players in the NFL who can line up at deep safety, slide into the slot, or play like a linebacker, and still dominate.
His résumé has real receipts, too. As a rookie, he picked off 13 passes, posted 3.5 sacks, and became a First-Team All-Pro. In 2022, he made one of the most viral defensive plays of the year when he body-slammed the Chiefs’ star tight end, Travis Kelce. And that is why Nick Sirianni’s message is a stern warning to his own locker room.
Philadelphia can’t afford more mental lapses, stalled drives, or sloppy communication. If they don’t protect the ball, win their matchups, and account for James at all times, Week 14 could easily become another chapter in a skid that’s already shaken the season.
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