The Philadelphia Eagles might have escaped with a Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders, but they certainly got some big plays from linebacker Zack Baun.
Baun made plenty of clutch plays in pass coverage and in run support. His biggest contribution came on the final drive; he tipped a pass that could have been a touchdown. While the Commanders did end up scoring, that felt like a momentum-shifting play for Philly.
After the game, the focus has quickly shifted to getting ready for the Tennessee Titans game in Week 2. That doesn’t mean the celebration of Baun’s performance needs to stop.
Philadelphia Eagles LB Zack Baun Gets Recognized for His Performance
The NFL announced on Wednesday that Baun has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. This is the second time he has won the award in his career. He finished the game with a team-high 12 tackles, 2 pass deflections, and 1 tackle for loss.
Zack Baun is your NFC Defensive Player of the Week!
In his 70 snaps, Baun’s coverage skills were on full display. He allowed three receptions, but those went for -2 yards.
Pro Football Focus gave Baun an overall grade of 90.6, ranking fourth out of 72 eligible linebackers in the NFL. He also earned a coverage grade of 92.3, ranking second among 72 qualified linebackers, and a run-defense grade of 53.0, ranking 43rd at the position.
Zack Baun More Than Earned Award With Eagles
The Eagles needed Baun throughout that game to help them in pass coverage. He came up big time, as he has over the previous two seasons.
Baun has made the Pro Bowl in both seasons he’s been with the Eagles. He was also an All-Pro in 2024 and was a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. That was the same year the Eagles won their second Super Bowl in franchise history.
After that 2024 year, Baun got a massive contract extension. At the time, it surprised many, since Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wasn’t known for giving extensions to linebackers.
Baun may not be focused on celebrating the weekly award he got since he’s got to focus on the Titans. Tennessee is coming off a rough loss to the New York Jets, making this game an easy one for the Eagles. At the same time, it could be a trap game for Philly.
With Cam Ward as the Titans’ mobile quarterback, the Eagles will lean on Baun to step up. They may have him in as a QB Spy and follow Ward around to make sure he doesn’t break containment. This is a job that only Baun can do as one of the top linebackers in the league.
NFL Announces Eagles’ Zack Baun News Ahead of Week 2 vs. Titans