Back then, there were major question marks about this 2025 Eagles defense. Back then, there were significant holes to fill from a 2024 unit that ranked No. 1 in the NFL and led the way as Philadelphia won 16 of its last 17 games, the final one a victory in Super Bowl LIX.

Back then, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio answered questions about his 2025 defense with his trademark honesty and legendary-coach perspective.

"I look at this year very similar to last year," Fangio said at a press conference in early June, "in that this time last year, you know, we had a lot of turnover in personnel from the previous year. You had (Zack) Baun, nobody knew what he was at this point last year. You had Nakobe (Dean), who hadn't played any meaningful NFL football in his first two years. You had (linebacker) Oren Burks, who we had just signed. You had Isaiah Rodgers, who we had just signed. You had (Moro) Ojomo, who didn't play hardly at all in his rookie year. You had Nolan (Smith), who didn't play hardly at all in his rookie year. We got Chauncey (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) back. We drafted Q (Quinyon Mitchell), Cooper (DeJean), Jalyx (Hunt). We had a lot of question marks at that time.

"This year, those names are replaced. (Kelee) Ringo, Adoree' (Jackson), Sydney (Brown), (Tristin) McCollum, (Azeez) Ojulari, (Joshua) Uche, Byron Young, Gabe Hall, (Thomas) Booker, Jihaad (Campbell), all the draft picks – (Andrew) Mukuba, (Ty) Robinson, Smael (Mondon), and the rest of the rookies.

"Some of those guys on the second list have to become like those guys on the first list and I don't know how that's going to turn out, but I look at it like it's basically the same one year to the next. The names have changed; hopefully we'll get the same results from these new guys like we got from a lot of the new guys last year."

A lot of things have changed since June, that's for sure. But the lens through which Fangio peered back then has largely come to fruition: The Eagles' defense has gotten better and better and better throughout this 2025 campaign and heads into the final two regular-season games and the playoffs with a great deal of confidence and the performances to back up that feeling.

The Eagles are allowing 19.3 points per game, third-best in the NFL (14.9 points per game since Week 10, best in the NFL). The pass defense is ranked seventh in the league, with an NFL-low 13 touchdown passes allowed and an NFL-worst (best in the Eagles' case) 55.9 completion percentage by opposing quarterbacks. Four players – tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun, and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean – were selected to the Pro Bowl Games.

This defense has been so good that it has almost brought a smile to Fangio's face.

Almost.

"I think it's good; they have improved," he said on Tuesday. "Some of that is (we do) have some young players that are gonna take time to improve, and we still have some guys in their second year that are gonna keep improving. These guys have worked at it. They're very coachable and we all enjoy coaching them."

How have the Eagles done it? Well, there is always a line of succession in the organization, so while defensive tackle Milton Williams was moving on to New England in free agency, players like Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young were preparing to take advantage of more opportunities. Josh Sweat moving on to Arizona gave Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith a chance to grow. As Fangio hoped, Mitchell and DeJean made major strides in the second season of their careers.

The roster-building process also helped: Linebacker Jihaad Campbell and safety Andrew Mukuba became immediate contributors as first- and second-round draft picks, respectively. Nakobe Dean's knee injury from the 2024 playoffs healed and he was an instant force when healthy. Adoree' Jackson solidified an outside cornerback spot with Darius Slay off to Pittsburgh via free agency. Veteran Marcus Epps was promoted to help fill the void when Mukuba suffered an injury. Another big one: Brandon Graham unretired and returned to the playing field in November and he has added to the pass-rush punch.

Then there was the acquisition of outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips from Miami, a difference-making player who has been dynamic in this system and in the locker room.

"It took us some time to get things together, build our chemistry, and just, you know, work with each other the way we wanted," defensive tackle Jordan Davis said. "For me, I came into the season as the veteran in the (defensive tackle) room and I wondered how that would go, and so I learned a lot early on. It's been a positive having us all grow together. We have a lot of young guys here and we have taken steps to success together."

Said Baun: "We all said from the very start that this was a new season and a new team. You don't just pick up where you left off from the previous season. So, it took a little bit of time for us to jell, but I think we're getting there. We have a lot of room to improve, but we're getting there."

Where the defense goes from here remains to be seen. But there is no doubt that Fangio's group appears to be headed in the right direction with the understanding that the hard work is far, far, far from done.

"You're only as good as your last game, your last rep," Mitchell said. "You have short-term memory in this game. So the work never ends until you have played your last game."