It’s hard to think that one year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were in the Super Bowl. It’s even harder to comprehend that less than two months ago, they led the conference with a 10-1 record.
Because the Eagles team that didn’t show up for its wild-card playoff game on Monday night looked nothing like either one. They no longer dominate the lines of scrimmage. They do not rely on their formidable running game. They do not rush opposing quarterbacks or cover and tackle opposing receivers.
They had lost their individuality. They forgot who they were.
As a result, their incredible descent is finally complete. One year after coming close to a title, they were humiliated and eliminated by the Buccaneers, 32-9, at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. It was their sixth loss in seven games since the beginning of December, a downward spiral that no one could have predicted.
“It’s very embarrassing to go from 10-1 to losing six of seven,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson admitted. “There will definitely be some alterations. “It’s frustrating.”
“It’s almost like we couldn’t get out of the rut we were in,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni admitted. “We need to find some answers.”
Assuming he keeps his position, Sirianni will have months to look for answers, trying to figure out how things could collapse so suddenly and utterly. However, they can start with this: Their general manager, Howie Roseman, developed them to be a dominant squad on both sides of the ball. They were designed to be a physical attack that used the run to set up big pass plays. And they were.
