Are The Eagles Too Predictable? They Say No, But The Stats Say Otherwise

The Eagles make a new game plan each week. Each week, the coaching staff looks for weaknesses and opportunities for the offense and defense to take advantage of during games.




However, has the game plan really changed each week? Why do the Eagles keep doing the same thing each and every week? These questions the Eagles are saying aren’t true. But, when you look at the statistics of the game, they tell you something totally different.

You can say what you want about the defense. However, the game plan on defense hasn’t changed one bit all season. Play off coverage. Give up the under. Don’t give up the big play.

Now, yes. The injuries on defense play a huge part in this. However, when you do this every play of every week. Teams will figure out how to beat you. Look back 3 years with Chip Kelly’s offense. Once they figured out how to stop Kelly, his time in the NFL was up. But, the defense isn’t the issue. The defensive game plan is actually working and keeping the Eagles in the games.

But, the offensive game plan is the real problem. The Eagles do one thing right one week. Then the next week do the complete opposite.




Look at the Eagles play-calling each week…

Week 1 – 38 pass / 26 run . Week 2 – 51 pass / 24 run . Week 3 – 45 pass / 32 run . Week 4 – 56 pass / 20 run

Week 5 – 43 pass / 12 run . Week 6 – 39 pass / 29 run . Week 7 – 44 pass / 21 run . Week 8 – 40 pass / 22 run

Week 10 – 48 pass / 14 run . Week 11 – 37 pass / 11 run . Week 12 – 32 pass / 28 run . Week 13 – 43 pass / 29 run

Week 14 – 36 pass / 12 run

Uhmmmm… See anything the opposing defense can expect? If you can see it. What do you think a professional coaching staff sees? One word. PREDICTABILITY.

For the season, the Eagles have ran 832 plays. 552 passing plays and 280 running plays. That is a 2 – 1 pass to run ratio. The Eagles are averaging 43 pass plays and 21 runs per game this season.




Well, thats odd. The Eagles average is oddly similar to what they do on a weekly basis. Coincidence? Don’t think so. The Eagles will say this and that about not being too predictable. However, when you do the same thing over and over again each and every week, you become predictable.

Now, yes. You could see an advantage against a team with passing. But, good teams use the run to set-up the pass. Good teams run the ball to control the game. A team just last season, Your 2018 Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles, would do on a weekly basis.

Therefore, what changed? What happened to the team from last season? Well, we may never know. However, here is a plausible answer. Frank Reich.

Frank Reich was the Eagles offensive coordinator last season. Could his departure by a key to the Eagles predictability? Could Reich have been the little voice in Doug’s head controlling the play calling?  Reich might have been the reason why the Eagles had such a balance in their play calling. A reason why the Colts liked him so much to give him the head coaching job.




Answers that are all unknown. But, very plausible.

However, one thing is for certain. The Eagles can say it all they want. But, a big reason for the woes of this years Eagles team is how predictable they have come on offense.