New coordinators are always a point of focus for an NFL team and for their fan base early on in a season. As important as players and head coaches are, offensive and defensive coordinators play a huge role in the success or failure of a football team over the course of the season. Part of the drawback of a successful season, like the Eagles had last year, is that other organizations will seek to poach coordinators from winning teams to elevate to a head coaching position, which can leave you in a search for replacements for pretty good coaches. Well, the Eagles lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason with Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon moving into head coaching roles with other teams. Enter (OC) Brian Johnson and (DC) Sean Desai. Though both came in as well spoken of coaches, there were questions all offseason about their ability to step into their new roles with the Birds. Well, on Sunday in New England, neither of the Eagles’ new hires had an outstanding start to their tenure.
Of course, the Eagles still won the game, so we’re not talking worst case scenario. Both Johnson and Desai did enough to emerge with a road victory, and that deserves complimenting. The process of getting there, though, was not pretty. Let’s start with the offensive side of the ball. Brian Johnson’s play calling seemed far too conservative at times, with minimal opportunities for big plays, something that was a huge asset for the Eagles last season. He also underutilized two major parts of the offense in new running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Dallas Goedert, who both were nearly invisible in the game. Maybe the most dangerous trend in Johnson’s play calling, though, was the usage of Jalen Hurts in the running game. Hurts took some hard hits during designed QB runs, including one that resulted in a costly fumble late in the game that gave the Patriots a chance to steal victory. The most important thing to the Eagles besides winning football games is the health of their newly paid quarterback, and it’s hard to see his health sustaining a season’s worth of hits like he took on Sunday. Of the two new coordinators, Johnson has the most to work on to improve his impact on the team.
Sean Desai was better, but there were still some major defensive struggles. Can you really be critical of a defense that had a pick 6 and a forced fumble to start off the game? Well, yeah. Welcome to Philadelphia Mr. Desai. When Mac Jones throws for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns, that’s not a good day at the office. In fairness to Desai, the linebackers and safeties he has at his disposal are not of the same quality as the ones Jonathan Gannon had last year, but the pass rush might be more talented. 2 sacks in the game, and both coming late in the contest, is not acceptable though. Say what you want about the condition of the field in Foxborough, but getting to the QB is going to be the saving grace of this Eagles defense. Desai needs to find a way to scheme pressure better in the coming weeks, or a lot of pressure is going to be placed on the Birds’ offense to outgun teams.
Again, at the end of the day it was a victory, and on the road. That’s not easy to do in the NFL. These complaints are coming from a much better place considering that, but corrections still need to be made. The Minnesota Vikings come to the Linc on a short week for a Thursday Night Football showdown, and both coordinators will have to show a step in the right direction in order to inspire confidence from the fan base. If this team is truly going to be a Super Bowl contender this season, both Johnson and Desai will have to be a big part of the positives going forward.
Philadelphia Eagles Projected 2023 Week 2 Starters
Jalen Hurts
Quarterback, #1
Oklahoma University/University of Alabama
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (53rd overall) in 2020D'Andre Swift
Running Back, #0
University of Georgia
4th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Detroit Lions (April 2023)A.J. Brown
Wide Receiver, #11
Ole Miss
5th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Tennessee Titans (April 2022)DeVonta Smith
Wide Receiver, #6
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (10th overall) in 2021Quez Watkins
Wide Receiver, #16
Southern Miss
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (200th overall) in 2020Dallas Goedert
Tight End, #88
South Dakota State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (48th overall) in 2018Jordan Mailata
Left Tackle, #68
Jeff Stoutland University
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 7th Round (233rd overall) in 2018Landon Dickerson
Left Guard, #69
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (37th overall) in 2021Jason Kelce
Center, #62
University of Cincinnati
13th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (191st overall) in 2011Cam Jurgens
Right Guard, #51
University of Nebraska
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (51st overall) in 2022Lane Johnson
Right Tackle, #65
Oklahoma University
11th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (4th overall) in 2013Brandon Graham
Defensive End, #55
University of Michigan
14th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2010Fletcher Cox
Defensive Tackle, #91
Mississippi State
12th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (12th overall) in 2012Jordan Davis
Defensive Tackle, #90
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2022Josh Sweat
Defensive End, #94
Florida State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 4th Round (130th overall) in 2018Haason Reddick
Edge Rusher/Linebacker, #7
Temple University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2022)Zach Cunningham
Linebacker, #52
Vanderbilt University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (August 2023)Christian Elliss
Linebacker, #53
University of Idaho
2nd NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (September 2021)Darius Slay
Cornerback, #2
Mississippi State University
11th NFL Season- Acquired in trade from Detroit Lions (March 2020)Josh Jobe
Cornerback, #28
University of Alabama
2nd NFL Season- Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2022)Justin Evans
Safety, #30
Mississippi Gulf Coast
4th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2023)Terrell Edmunds
Safety, #26
Virginia Tech
6th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2023)
