Eagles Face Struggles After Strong Start

In Week 3, the Philadelphia Eagles were comfortably ahead of the Los Angeles Rams at halftime, leading 19-7, and even extended that to 26-7 early in the third quarter. From there, though, the Eagles fell into a rut, allowing 26 unanswered points, ultimately squeezing out a nail-biting 33-26 win, highlighted by Jordan Davis blocking a field goal and returning it for a touchdown on the final play.

This victory seemed to mark an impressive comeback, perhaps setting the stage for something remarkable for the Eagles. But now, one has to wonder: was it just a fleeting illusion?

Since that win, Philadelphia has faced tough times, losing two of three games against the Denver Broncos and New York Giants following their Week 4 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the past three games, they’ve managed to score only 14 points in the second half, including a shutout against the Giants in the last 30 minutes last night.

Understandably, fans in the Philadelphia area might be starting to panic.

But is it really the right time for such concern? The Eagles’ supporters might point out several issues that have troubled the team this season, especially as it was evident during their match against New York.

Defensively, Philadelphia missed key player Jalen Carter against the Giants and lost cornerback Kunyon Mitchell to an injury. Yet their struggles were clear as the Giants rushed for 172 yards, with Cam Scatterbo contributing 98 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Eagles managed to sack rookie quarterback Jackson Dart just twice and failed to force a turnover for the second consecutive game.

A particularly telling moment came late in the second quarter when Philadelphia scored to take a 17-13 lead. The Giants responded with a lengthy 15-play, 67-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock and finished with a touchdown from Skatebo. Despite the Eagles’ strong showing, New York’s offense consistently gained yards, only stumbling once with an incompletion.

After snatching the momentum, Philadelphia’s defense allowed the Giants to regain control. Following a three-and-out for both teams at the end of the first half, the Eagles then watched as the Giants engineered another touchdown drive, again capped off by a Skatebo score, extending their lead to ten.

By the end of the match, the Giants averaged 0.30 expected points per play, while the Eagles languished at -0.07.

Through six games, the Eagles are putting up 23.8 points per game, which places them somewhere in the middle of the pack. But that’s just part of the story.

Much of the spotlight has been on the offense, which has appeared inconsistent throughout the season. In their latest outing, Philly attempted to establish a running game early on, giving Saquon Barkley a couple of solid gains, but as the game progressed, they had to shift to a passing strategy to keep pace.

The passing game, regrettably, didn’t find its rhythm either. Jalen Hurts missed a wide-open DeVonta Smith early in the third quarter, and moments later, he had a costly interception. With the Giants leading by ten points early in the fourth quarter, Philly had a chance to close the gap in the red zone.

However, after that, the defense was back on the field with some brutal stats to show. The Eagles converted only one of their nine third-down opportunities, and as noted, their EPA per play stood at -0.07. Over the course of the season, the Eagles have gained 1,647 yards, while their opponents tallied 2,057—a yardage deficit of 407.

Last year, the situation was quite the opposite, with the Eagles finishing the regular season with a +1,501 yard differential. Currently, they sit at -1 heading into the mini-bye, with only the Pittsburgh Steelers among division leaders showing a worse point differential.

After the game, Nick Sirianni aimed to rally his team amidst the chaos, stating, “Wake up. I’m going to get some rest and get back at it. There are things I need to fix.” Several players noted the “predictability” of their offense, with right tackle Lane Johnson suggesting they need to diversify their approach.

“I think we should mix things up a bit,” Johnson remarked, emphasizing the need to be less predictable. While he stopped short of calling for a change in offensive coordinator Kevin Pattullo, who took over after Kellen Moore moved to the Saints, Pattullo has certainly faced his share of criticism.

“I’m sticking with Kevin until the end. A lot relies on execution,” Johnson added. “We’ll review the tape to identify issues but aim for more unpredictability and effective plays moving forward.”

Barkley, however, pointed out the necessity of regaining that previous mindset from last season when the team didn’t worry so much about what others would do. “That’s what I’m missing,” he said, referring to their past running game effectiveness.

Sirianni maintained a positive outlook, mentioning that the run game had its moments and recognizing the importance of adjusting their strategy to maximize their players’ talents.

“We’ll examine everything during this mini-bye,” he stated, “and we need to find a way to make things work out.”

That said, Eagles fans are growing increasingly anxious, especially since they’ve seen a similar storyline play out before. Last year, they entered the bye week at 2-2, but came back to dominate the remainder of the season. Philadelphia fans are hoping for a repeat of that turnaround.

In the previous season, they emerged from the bye after an 8-1 start, beat the Kansas City Chiefs, and looked poised to clinch the division before ultimately stumbling in the playoffs. Will this year’s Eagles find their footing once again, or are they on the verge of a downward spiral reminiscent of two seasons ago?

There’s still time to straighten things out. They need to enhance their offense, particularly the passing game, to complement their run game. Missing opportunities like that open pass could hinder their progress. Finding more creativity in both running and passing could bring them closer to success.

Otherwise, fans might find themselves in the same position as last year.

And that’s why some are already reaching for that panic button.