The Philadelphia Eagles have chosen to replace defensive coordinator Sean Desai on the sidelines for their Monday night game against the Seattle Seahawks with senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia.
Patricia, 49, arrived in Philadelphia this spring after serving as head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020. He spent 15 years as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots before and after his time with the Lions, winning the Super Bowl three times.
Patricia was a part of two Patriots victories as defensive coordinator, including one in 2016 when the team led the league in fewest points allowed. Before joining the Eagles, he also served as their offensive coordinator last season.
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Sean Desai, who replaced Jonathan Gannon, who departed for the Arizona Cardinals, joined the Eagles less than two months before Patricia. Desai held the same job with the Chicago Bears for one season in 2021 before joining the Seahawks as an associate head coach and defensive assistant last year.
According to sources, Desai will not be on the field in Seattle. According to NFL Network, he is instead returning to the coaching booth, where he called plays for the Bears two years ago. The Eagles, on the other hand, have taken the decision secretly and have not made it public.
This shift comes after the Eagles allowed an unprecedented number of points in their last three games. The last time they allowed 33 points or more in three straight games was in 1967.
The defensive slump began at home against the Buffalo Bills, when they required a last-second 59-yard field goal to force OT and win 37-34. However, their fortunes altered when the San Francisco 49ers defeated them 42-19 in Philadelphia.
Last week, they were defeated by division rivals the Dallas Cowboys, losing 33-13. Both clubs finish the season with a 10-3 record, claiming the top two slots in the NFC East.
Their defensive troubles, however, date back far deeper. Only the Washington Commanders have allowed more than their average of 30 points per game since Week 8, and no one has allowed more than the Eagles’ average of 428.2 yards per game.
Despite these low numbers, Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni publicly backed Desai earlier this week during a press conference. He responded “no” when asked if “any coaching responsibility changes” were being explored.
He went on to say: “I feel good with the people we have in this building,” as well as “We’re going to keep rolling and finding answers with the people we have” . He also expressed “complete trust” in the DC to handle the defense, saying, “That’s why we hired him for the job.”
“I think where (the problem) is, when you give up some third downs, the yards pile up on you.” Again, isn’t the problem everywhere? We need to better coach them, put them in better positions, detail it out for them, and execute better.”]
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