Five Reasons Why The Philadelphia Eagles Are 2 – 3

If someone would have told you before the season the Philadelphia Eagles would be 2-3 after week 5. You would have said they were crazy.




Loss to a Fitzpatrick led Buccaneers team. Blow a 14 point lead to the Titans. Get embarrassed at home by Vikings. All would get the same response, “YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND”.

 

Well, all that craziness has happened. But, why? How could all of this happen to the Super Bowl Champion Eagles?

 

One of the biggest reasons is because they are the Super Bowl Champions. It gives the team they are playing against extra motivation to win because they are beating the reigning Super Bowl Champions.

 

Now, that is the mental side to the games. But, what has gone wrong in the actual game? Here are the 5 biggest reasons why the Eagles have started 2-3…




Poor Coaching

Before you can put the blame on the players, you have to look at the people that coach them and call the plays. The Eagles play calling, on both offense and defense, this season has been atrocious. Whether its playing off-coverage to protect big plays or throwing the ball 50 + times a game. The play callers have to take responsibility.

 

Doug Pederson. Have you not learned anything from coaching. Year 1, Carson Wentz averaged almost 50+ throws a game. The offense struggled. Year 2, Carson Wentz averaged 30+ throws a game. You all know what happened last year. In Carson Wentz’s first 3 games to this season, he is averaging 40+ throws a game.

 

When the Eagles run the ball to set up the pass, the offense works. The Eagles are not set up to pass the ball to open the gate and throw it 40+ times a game. Go back to the basics and do what works. Look at game film from last season. Why changed what worked so well last season.

 

Jim Schwartz. What happened to the man coverage, on an island defense from last season? Blitzing and putting pressure on the quarterback every chance you get. Where has your aggressive blitz style play calling gone?

 

Now, yes, you can’t trust your corners at the moment. But, let the corners do what they do best. Let them play press-coverage and hard-nosed in your face defense. Open up the linebackers and safeties to blitz more.




Timmy Jernigan   

Remember all the comments Jernigan got when he signed his extension. Too much money. Why did we do that? Know of anybody that could help right now?

 

In the Eagles first 5 games, it shows what Jernigan meant to the defense. But, even bigger to his partner, Fletcher Cox. What Jernigan brought to this team was an elite level of interior presence with the ability to stop the run and pressure the quarterback.

 

But, after having surgery for a herniated disk in his back, Jernigan has yet to touch the field this season. Which has left a key hole in the Eagles defense and put more pressure on all-pro Fletcher Cox. Now, Cox is off to one of his best career starts. However, being double teamed on every play is hindering him from greatness.

 

Besides Cox, the defense line has struggled to generate any pressure on the opposing quarterbacks this season. All-pro Brandon Graham just picked up his first sack this week. The absence of Jernigan has caused a ripple effect down the line allowing wide receivers more time to get open. Causing even more trouble to an already dismal performance by the secondary to start the season.

 

It is still unknown if Jernigan will play this season. But, one thing is certain. The Philadelphia Eagles are missing his inside presence badly.




Offensive Line

“Oh where oh where has the Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Line went, Oh where oh where could they be.”  Perfect remix to what is happening to the Eagles offensive line. Where did it go?

 

The Eagles have best one of the leagues best offensive lines in recent years. But, this year, that line has disappeared. No protection of the quarterback, no run blocking, just no to everything. It is causing the Eagles to re-tool their offense into something they are not.

 

Sunday for example. Second play of the Eagles first drive they ran a play-action pass before they even established the run. Play-action pass is set-up because of the run.

 

With having no faith in the offensive line, Doug Pederson is trying just about anything to make the offense work. But, it is causing the offense more problems.




Super Bowl Hang-Over

The mental part of the game can cause trouble too. Just like it motivates the opposing team, it can also make your own team to cocky too.

 

It seems their is a belief in the locker that the Philadelphia Eagles are the superior team to everybody. Yes, they are. They are the reigning and defending Super Bowl Champions. But, you can never underestimate anybody in this league.

 

Just listen to some of the post-game interviews from Sunday. “We still believe we are great. We are the best team in the league.” Ok. Yes, those are all true. But, show us. Prove you are. If not, own up to it and say you are not. You can’t say one thing and put out a totally different performance. Then say after we are again.

 

There is a reason there hasn’t been a repeat champion since 2004. Teams and players egos are getting too much into the way now-a-days.




Penalties

A key to winning a football game is not taking penalties. If you do, you try to limit your penalties. Last season the Eagles were the 15th most penalized team in the league. At the average mark, which is good.

 

However, through 5 games, the Eagles are the 5th most penalized team in the NFL. This is a huge reason the Eagles have lost some games already this season too.

 

Week 4 against the Titans. A clear pass interference penalty against Sidney Jones on 4th down extended the Titans game winning drive.

 

Sloppy play and elementary school mistakes have led the Eagles to some stupid and confusing penalties. Look at yesterday’s loss to the Vikings. The same Eagle was flagged twice for an illegal procedure penalty because he lined up wrong.




It is amazing how a team can go from greatness to average so quickly. But, all hope is not lost because of a weak NFC East. If the Redskins lose tonight, the Eagles will be a half game out of first with all 6 division games remaining.

 

The Philadelphia Eagles start division play Thursday Night against the Giants. Huge implications on the Eagles season win or loss.

 

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