EAGLEMANIACAL.com

S Kenny Moore beaten for a TD

OUR sixth loss in a row.

EAGLES 10 – Commanders 27

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Tanner McKee (23/34 – 67.6% – 212 – 0 – 1)

Rushing: RB Elijah Mitchell (11 – 34 – 3.0 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR Makai Lemon (9 – 6 – 57 – 9.5 – 0)

Drive Killer: LB Zack Baun (1FR)

Sack Leader: DT Jalen Carter (1.0 sack, 5 tackles)

Special Teams Ace: N/A

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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: COMMANDERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Kerrigan Plan: We had one great play hitting RB Saquon Barkley (13 – 30 – 2.3 – 1 – 0) for his only reception, on a 24 yard Wheel route, which set up his eventual touchdown run. After that, it seemed like every pass was either a short one right over the middle, or another one of those bullshit Screens, that do nothing but lose yardage.

With all the blitzing through our interior o-line that Washington did, the Flats were wide open all night. We simply didn’t run routes there. This constant failure to adjust, has reached the point where I’m concerned that stupidity might be an actual member of the Eagles coaching staff. Complete with a keycard and parking space! (NOT DONE)

2) Force Passes Deeper: Washington wanted to throw the ball short, but it wasn’t working out for them. So, playing right into our hands, they began throwing the ball deeper, and it was absolutely killing us. Instead of giving our pass rush more time to get home, four different Commanders receivers had a catch of 20 yards or more. We did manage two second half sacks, but the lack of coverage, made it an easy day at the office for the Washington offense. (NOT DONE)

3) Defensive Ends Must Deliver: OLB (DE) Nolan Smith (3 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) grabbed another sack today, but OLB Jalyx Hunt (no stats) and OLB Jonathan Greenard (1 tackle) were, yet again, practically invisible during the game. (Through eight starts Hunt has zero sacks.) They also didn’t manage to hold the edge against the run game. The only thing they seem to do well, is stay blocked. (NOT DONE)

4) Balance the Play-calling: We had 25 called runs, to 42 called passes (34 attempts, 4 scrambles, and 4 sacks). That’s 62% pass and 37% run. That isn’t what balance looks like. Especially when starting a back-up QB. (NOT DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 0 of 4. This is how a team achieves a sixth loss in a row. Congratulations, fellas! Next week we’re back home to take on the division leading New York giants.

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Game Hero: Saquon Barkley – Yet again, he was out there showing grit and trying to lead by example. He was clearly the best offensive player for the Eagles, during the first quarter.

Game goat: The Coaching Staff – We couldn’t stop a bad offense from marching up and down the field, to the tune of 27 points. Our offensive unit was blanked for three quarters of this game, and yet no adjustments were made.

That said, calling for Head Coach Nick Sirianni to be fired, is premature at best, and downright foolish at worst. Clearly, this is not his best year, but there are a lot of extenuating circumstances here, and they aren’t all injury related.

On The Whole: We had a guy off the street (RB Jaydon Blue 1 catch 9 yards); a guy who was teaching 8^th grade less than a month ago (S Kenny Moore 3 tackles); and a guy who’s been bouncing from Practice Squad to Practice Squad (Mitchell), out here either starting, or playing significant roles for us this week.

As a result, miscues and miscommunication ran rampant in this game. Sadly, both of those are going to keep showing up, because these players haven’t built chemistry or trust between each other yet. That takes playing together over time, and injuries are robbing us of any sense of continuity.

I don’t subscribe to bailing on the season. Not, while we still have a mathematical possibility of winning the division. Quitting because something is difficult or seems impossible, is cowardly. It’s anti-Philadelphian, and I cannot get behind that.

That said, I just don’t see what the Eagles have to lean on, in order to start the kind turnaround that it would take. We are still mathematically alive to win the East, but for the kind of turnaround we’d need, a whole lot of people, would have to get real good, at a whole lot of shit, real quick.