5 Key Issues the Spiraling Philadelphia Eagles Must Solve
The Philadelphia Eagles are 10-3. Unfortunately, that isn’t the local headline. What could be a reason to celebrate instead has turned into a series of questions that the Eagles apparently can’t answer after a 33-13 loss on Sunday Night Football. Where is this all heading? Let’s review the top issues.
Inexperienced Coordinators Exposed
This isn’t 20/20 hindsight here. When the Eagles lost Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching jobs this offseason, Nick Sirianni made the decision to hire two relatively new coordinators.
The decision to go with Brian Johnson and Sean Desai as your coordinators was a choice that I criticized. It was nothing against either candidate, but tossing the keys to two newbies when you are the defending NFC Champions was risky at best.
You can draw a few logical conclusions based on the declining performances of both units. They don’t come out of the gates fast, and adjustments are shaky at best. Could it be that top candidates were not wanting to work with Nick Sirianni? Did he have to settle on unproven candidates? All these questions are now relevant.
Has Jalen Hurts declined? Is it something else?
Is he awful? No. Is he not a top 10 quarterback in the NFL? No. Jalen has just failed to deliver the smooth performance we saw last season.
Is it the knee? I’m sorry, enough excuses. If you aren’t on the injury report, I don’t want to hear about mystery injuries. Is it the offensive coordinator? He most certainly is not being put in the best position to succeed.
The playcalling is troublesome. Brian Johnson clearly isn’t ready for matchups against veteran defensive coaches.
Re-Signing Slay and Bradberry wasn’t smart.
I didn’t like the decision to go with the oldest starting corner tandem in the NFL. Sometimes, you don’t try to be smarter than the room. It’s clear both players have struggled this season. To suspect that they’ve lost a step is not blasphemy.
Howie Roseman went with the “run it back” philosophy. He ignored what has long been an Eagles staple of roster building: move on before age becomes an issue.
Nick Sirianni looks lost.
Stop telling me about the “standard” that you can’t define. Your team never reached it. It was obvious watching the Eagles in a brutal 33-13 loss on Sunday Night Football. Don’t spin the September/October tale that you don’t want to play your best football early.
You are playing at less than whatever standard you believe exists. It’s not good to play this way in December!
You will learn nothing about this team the next four weeks.
The Eagles will be the NFC East Champions and the second seed in the conference if they win their last four games. They need the 49ers to lose one game AND a 4-0 record in order to regain the top seed. It’s still a possibility, but dreams of a trip to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII seem a little hard to believe this morning.
"Adversity can do a couple of things to you. It can break you or it can make you way better. And I know that everybody that's in that locker room has been through shit in their lives and has made it to this point."
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) December 11, 2023
-- Eagles HC Nick Sirianni
Watch The John Kincade Show on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.
The Philadelphia Eagles Lost: Here Are Some Coping Strategies
Go On A Walk
Exercise is always a good way to get any icky and unwanted emotions out. If the weather is okay, take the time to go out for a walk. Fresh air will always do you a world of good.
Hang Out With Friends
Try not to talk about the loss, of course. Or do, it may be cathartic to get it out. Being in the company of others helps you work out your emotions about the disappointing loss.
Focus Another Team This Week
The 76ers season is going on. The Flyers have hit the ice. Express your fandom for another team! It’s not the same, I know. And you may fear yet another disappointment. But it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Sixers and Flyers play multiple games a week. Life goes on.
Unplug
I personally shut the TV off as soon as the final second ticks off the clock. You don’t want to see another team celebrate your team’s loss, so don’t. Avoid social media. There are far too many trolls who love to argue. Avoid national sports analysis TV shows. They’re never on our side, anyway. Don’t go looking for Eagles content on social media. Don’t wallow in the bad vibes.
Eat Your Favorite Foods
Make today your cheat day. Who cares? Food is yummy. Food makes things better. Fill that Eagles-loss-sized hole in your heart with a cheeseburger or some pasta. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to something that makes you happy. Go ahead. Get the milkshake after dinner.
Remember Good Times
It’s hard, right? But this is how we’ve felt before and will feel again. Losses happen! There will always be good times to balance out the bad. They have always happened and there are always more to come. They are a good team. We can’t help but love them. They have amazing personalities and are dang good at what they do. Don’t forget Super Bowl LII.
