The Eagles surely went out with a bang last year, the city greasing its poles, kelly green wherever you go, and another Lombardi trophy for the birds. Their future is looking bright, and they currently have a record of 8-3. This record definitely reflects a Super Bowl contender’s record, but there are numerous flaws which may cause problems in their post-season journey. Let’s take a look at them.
- Offensive Coaching/Running Game
Kellen Moore, the birds’ offensive coordinator, definitely was a key factor in winning the Super Bowl last year. He created creative plays, allowing Saquon Barkley to have a record-breaking season, and taking advantage of Jalen Hurt’s ability to run out of the pocket when under pressure. Of course, the Eagles wouldn’t be able to keep him forever, so they hired Kevin Patullo. Unfortunately, this has taken an extreme toll on their offensive game this year. Their running game has turned a full 180, and Barkley hasn’t been able to get that breakthrough, going from averaging 5.8 yards per carry in 2024 to just 3.2 yards per carry this year. This problem seems to lie within the coaching administration, as Patullo hasn’t been able to set up creative plays to give Barkley that room to explode. Not only this, but Patullo seems to want to play a “safe” game. There seems to be a lack of creativity with the passing game, not allowing Hurts to utilize his big arm. Fans have voiced numerous complaints about this, and hopefully they’ll be able to clean it up soon (before Philly starts absolutely rioting).
- Penalties
Another killer the Eagles have faced are penalties. They faced a lot of heat from fans after the staggering loss against the Cowboys, giving up a 21-point lead. And surely, the fact that one of their three losses was against these rivals didn’t help the case. In this game alone, the birds committed 14 penalties, the most penalties they’ve had since Sirianni’s first game as head coach in 2021. They’ve been penalized 84 times this season, a number no head coach likes to see. While they’ve seemed to make up for it now, these penalties may catch up with them in the post season.
- Distribution of Passes
The story with AJ Brown is definitely not a new one. Last year we saw similar problems arise, with star wide receiver AJ Brown not getting passed to enough. This year hasn’t proven to be any different. Although Brown is typically regarded as a top 5 receiver in the league, during the beginning of the season he didn’t see as many targets as he wished to. He had multiple games in the season averaging less than 30 yards receiving, a bewildering number considering his talent. This problem may be resolving now, as we saw him receive for over 100 yards against the cowboys, despite the unfortunate loss. Kevin Patullo certainly needs to utilize Brown if they wish to see the same success they did last season.
Of course, while it’s easy to pick out problems within a team, there’s a reason these guys are 8-3. Vic Fangio’s defense only continues to impress and pull them out of what seem like impossible situations. Philly just knows how to win games, which is why they’ll come home with another Lombardi trophy… coming from a completely unbiased writer who bleeds green.
