Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni needs to make one significant adjustment.
Once upon a time, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated teams that would eventually make the playoffs, including Miami, Dallas, Kansas City, and Buffalo, to run their record to an NFL-best 10-1.
However, the Eagles’ losses to Dallas and San Francisco at the beginning of December totaled 75-32. Even though these two defeats were unpleasant, Philadelphia was still 10-3. There was no cause for alarm.
Unless you were Nick Sirianni, the head coach.
Desperate, Sirianni fired defensive coordinator Sean Desai, a first-year, and gave play-calling responsibilities to senior assistant Matt Patricia.
Since then, Patricia has only made matters worse in four games. The Eagles concluded the regular season 11-6 and with losses in five of their final six games after falling to the New York Giants 27-10 on Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East and the accompanying home playoff game as a result of their collapse. As a wild card, Philadelphia will now have to travel to Tampa.
Sirianni needs to return the defensive play sheet to Desai in order to get things in order before Monday night’s playoff game versus the Buccaneers.
What specifically did Desai commit? Being outscored by two of the NFL’s top three scoring offenses, the 49ers and Cowboys? What about everything the defense had done up to that point?
Miami is the second-best scoring offense in the league, sandwiched behind San Francisco and Dallas. In Week 7, the Eagles limited the Dolphins to 17 points. In Week 5, Philadelphia limited the Los Angeles Rams, who are ranked seventh in terms of offensive output, to only 14 points. And the Eagles exacted revenge for their Super Bowl LVII defeat in Kansas City by defeating the Chiefs 21-17 in Week 11.
Patricia called the defensive plays in four games. In Week 15, Philadelphia gave up a 92-yard winning drive to Seattle backup quarterback Drew Lock. In Week 17, Philadelphia gave up 29 second-half points to Arizona’s 24th-ranked offense. In two games, the Giants offense, which finished 30th in points, scored 52 points against Philadelphia.
Desai’s defense limited the Buccaneers to one garbage-time touchdown and 41 rushing yards in the Eagles’ 25-11 victory during their first visit to Tampa this season. Sirianni cannot have such a short memory. He should keep in mind the defensive effort that first advanced Philadelphia to the postseason.
Before Raymond James Stadium hosts Monday night’s return to the pirate ship, Patricia has to climb the plank and Desai has to take back control of defense.
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