The Philadelphia Eagles were humiliated in week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals. After leading 21-6 at halftime, the defense gave up 29 points in the second half. The offense sputtered, and the Eagles lost. Because the defense has been a problem all season, the club changed their defensive playcalling. Matt Patricia would now be in charge of calling the plays. Following the game, head coach Nick Sirianni revealed his decision on Patricia’s future.
The Philadelphia Eagles have made a decision on Matt Patricia.
Sirianni reiterated his decision to elevate Patricia in his postgame interview.
“Everything I do, every decision I make is with the team and what is best for the team in mind.” I made the changes a few of weeks ago in an attempt to do what was best for the squad. That is still my belief.”
Sirianni is sticking with it, but the results haven’t been promising. They allowed 449 total yards, 221 running yards, and 32 first downs on Sunday. When you have to stop some of the league’s finest offenses, this is not going to translate into playoff success.
Can the Eagles bounce back?
The bones of last year’s Super Bowl club remain, but there are some significant gaps. Their linebackers are abysmal, and even the finest defensive play caller couldn’t mask some of their flaws. Because of injuries in the secondary, receivers are free to run. While their pass rush is frightening at times, they also struggle to stop the run, which the Cardinals took advantage of on Sunday. Patricia’s piece is odd because he has demonstrated that he is not the best defensive coach, but there are more issues than simply the coach.
Can the Philadelphia Eagles make any adjustments before the postseason? They’re running out of time, as the race for another Super Bowl appearance starts in a few weeks.
