Sunday’s victory was a win for everyone but the Eagles coaching staff. Allow me to explain…
First, Matt Pryor substituting for the injured Lane Johnson. As soon as Pryor entered the game, Eagles beat writers expressed confusion on social media. Every single one of those writers commented about how bad Pryor was all preseason and how shocked they were that Pryor was the first guy off the bench. Boy, were they right. Pryor was atrocious. The Eagles couldn’t claw their way to a 1st down on six consecutive drives. What’s worse, Pryor allowed multiple sacks including an unabated hit on Jalen Hurts that resulted in a fumble inside the Eagles own 15. The Eagles offensive line has long been this teams greatest strength. For Pryor to be the first guy off the bench was a terrible misjudgment and nearly cost the Eagles.
Second, Fred Johnson excelling after replacing Matt Pryor was the second part of a double whammy against the coaching staff. You may not see it this way, but I sure do. Pryor being awful was one strike against the coaches. Johnson holding down the left side almost flawlessly was the second. You missed on two evaluations. The excuses poured in after about how Fred Johnson didn’t rep the right side and blah blah blah. Come on. Your all pro right tackle is aging. Lane Johnson leaving the game isn’t new, as he has battled injuries often the last few years (and played through them). To not see Fred Johnson as the solution at practices over Pryor was a failure in scheme or talent evaluation or both.
Third, the crowd and Eagle fans everywhere understand football more than Nick Sirianni’s cronies. AJ Brown is one of the best receivers in the NFL and an unquestionable playmaker with the football in his hands. Football doesn’t always have to be complicated. Get the football in your best player’s hands and let them work. The crowd knew this and sarcastically erupted when Brown got his first reception on the Eagles second drive of the 3RD QUARTER! Brown finished with over 100 yards and a touchdown on just 6 receptions. All came in the 2nd half. It seems as if the Eagles forget this simple lesson every season. We don’t have to suffer through anemic offense. There is too much talent on this squad. Brown needs the ball more. Dallas Goedert is often open and unnoticed by this offense over the middle. Challenge the defense and throw this vanilla offense in the garbage.
Is calling Sirianni and his staff “cronies” months removed from a Super Bowl title a little too harsh? Maybe, but even Sirianni said last year was last year and this year is now. I’m going to approach my intense disgust at ineptitude in the same manner. Whenever Sirianni is gone is when I will cherish what he brought to this city, but on a year-to-year basis his past accomplishments will not impact current assessments.
To conclude, the Eagles were forced to figure some things out in the 2nd half last week. It’s embarrassing that they had to get pushed so far into a corner for that to occur. My fear is that the stubbornness of an offensive coordinator will implement more of the uninspiring offense we saw for the first ten quarters of the season instead of the offense that excelled in the last two. Hurts can throw. Brown is always a weapon. Establish an aerial attack and those big home run scampers from Saquon Barkley will return in a hurry.
If you throw it, he will run.
*****
Thursday Night Pick; Seahawks -2