Though the Eagles devastating collapse to Atlanta can be boiled down to one play, there are two significant issues sheltering behind Saquon Barkley’s crucial drop.

Before I get to that incredibly lame tease, let’s address that controversial play call on 3rd down in the final two minutes of the 4th quarter. After some deliberation I’ve determined it was the right call. It was. Whether it was the best call could be up for debate but it was the right call. Here’s why…

First, Nick Sirianni or Kellen Moore or whomever made that call was going for the win. A first down ends the game. I’d rather have a coach that goes for the win than the one who just does what he’s “supposed” to do in any given situation. Second, the play worked. Barkley was open and had the first down easily had he held on. The throw was perfect. If Barkley makes a relatively easy catch, we’re praising the onions of Sirianni or Moore today instead of firing them two games into the season. Third, the Eagles defense folded and collapsed like a plastic chair under Jelly Roll. The Philadelphia defense made it painfully clear, in order to win, the Eagles needed the first down and throwing it gave them the best chance.

Now here’s why it may not have been the “best” call… Saquon Barkley more often than not moves a pile forward. It was 3rd and 3. Yes, Atlanta knew the Eagles would try to run there, but getting two yards isn’t an outlandish expectation. Two yards puts the Eagles in Push Tush territory and they executed that play with success all night. Like I said, I prefer an aggressive coach to a conservative one even though aggressiveness can bite you real quick, as we witnessed Monday night.

Now for two issues that will continue to haunt the Eagles until addressed or the season is over (which will happen earlier than expected if not corrected).

The defensive line generates no pressure. Howie Roseman knows the line is where contenders are made. How he thought this group of edge rushers were up to the task was a major miss that will scuttle any chance the Eagles have at contending in the NFC. There are three first rounders on the defensive line from the last three drafts. Two of them are zeros right now. The Eagles prized free agent acquisition still isn’t on the field for more than half of the defensive plays and when he is in, you have no idea because he simply does not impact the game.  While we’re here, please stop pretending Haason Reddick is the answer. The Eagles couldn’t pressure the quarterback the last two months of the 2023 season with Reddick there. Additionally, the cost to acquire Reddick and then commit big money to an aging pass rusher isn’t worth the investment. It’s fun to say and sounds like an easy fix but it’s not a solution and only muddies the future. The Eagles success this season will boil down to Nolan Smith and Bryce Huff living up to their high prices (and to a lesser extent Jordan Davis, too), or Roseman finding a way to bring in a long-term solution at an affordable cost.

Speaking of Roseman, the Jahan Dotson trade is looking like a flop. It took a bit for me to get the math correct, but Dotson is currently on pace for 17 targets, 8.5 receptions and 51 yards. For the season. Not great production when you flip a 3rd round pick for a receiver that was supposed to be an overqualified two. AJ Brown was out last night, which probably should have been Dotson’s time to shine. Nope. Despite being on the field for 80% of the offensive snaps, he was targeted only once. Is he that bad? Was Washington right and fleeced Roseman? Is he struggling to pick up the offense? Does Jalen Hurts not trust him? These answers need to be answered and fast, because reports indicate Brown won’t be back anytime soon.

Those are the biggest concerns but I have plenty more. Let’s bullet point them:

• Britain Covey is a fine football player. He’s proven himself to be an excellent returner. Giving Covey the ball in the flat and expecting him to break tackles or run through contact is unwise. The plan was probably to get him the football in space but that didn’t happen and Covey was tackled at first contact each and every time. One Falcon defensive back even arm-tackled Covey and sent him flying backward. Again, where is Dotson? Or, if you want to get Covey in space, you need someone out there to take the top off and stretch the defense.

• Remember when the Eagles had a good tight end? What was his name? Dallas Goedert? Can we maybe get the football in his hands some more?

• Speaking of disappearing tight ends… Grant Calcaterra disappears whenever he has a blocking assignment. I don’t have an exact count, but the amount of times I’ve seen number 81 trailing the guy crushing Barkley in the backfield is at four or five. Calcaterra cannot block. Please remove him from the playing surface.

• I watch a lot of football. A LOT of football. I don’t see any team get called for the illegal man downfield penalty like the Eagles. I can’t imagine the Eagles coaching staff is that incompetent, and there’s no way Jeff Stoutland’s crew is incapable of learning, so it has to be Hurts, right? Is he not decisive enough? Can we simplify this for him or just eliminate the RPO’s altogether until the issue is no longer an issue?

• Jalen Hurts still had ~20 seconds, a timeout and one of the NFL’s most clutch kickers. Why is he forcing the ball downfield there? He only needed another 20ish yards to give Jake Elliott a shot. There was no reason to force it at that point. Furthermore, where was the underneath drag route that is always available for seven yards in those situations? It seems every team in the NFL can move the ball in chunks in the closing seconds except for the Eagles. Regardless, the main issue is Hurts not understanding the situation and getting antsy. He did the same in Seattle last season. There’s not a lot of time but there’s also plenty of time. Hurts has to be better in those frantic, closing situations and not panic like he’s done too often.

In conclusion, the Eagles have issues. You’re welcome for this analysis.

(On a positive note: that was the most fun Hurts game we’ve had since the Super Bowl. If that’s the Hurts we get for the rest of the season [minus the aforementioned interception] the Eagles will at the very least be an exciting watch.)