NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles escaped a close game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday in what many will describe as a letdown. But wait a second. This is the team and type of coach the city needs. Show them we’re not afraid of any moment.
For the last 3 weeks, the talk surrounding the Eagles and Nick Sirianni is they are back to being Super Bowl contenders. Media and fans have gotten behind this team and their head coach but all it took was a few calls for that to change.
Sirianni went for it on 4th down twice and failed. He elected to try 2-point conversions and failed and his kicker missed a FG that gave life to the Jaguars late in the fourth quarter. That’s football. You win some and you lose some. What fans see are the points but during those instances, Sirianni had good reason to keep points off the board and go for it. Penalties helped that cause at the goal line and why not go for it and try to make things tighter for the opposing team? The Jaguars just happened to stop what was at least 88% effective. Not 100% but 88… I’ll take those numbers all day.
But this is the same fanbase who praised his choices when they work. It’s not “why are the Eagles keeping points on the field”? Well, the reason you do that is to extend drives and to help your defense rest. Another reason you do it is because you believe that your offensive line is better than the defensive line in front of you. Then you do it because you have faith in your team and they like the challenge of imposing their will.
If it works, Sirianni is being hailed as a genius. If it doesn’t, then they are calling for his job. Damn if you do, damn if you don’t. Ask any of the Eagles players and they will tell you they want to go for it. Yes, it was a game the Eagles should have handled handily but as we’ve seen so far this season, nothing is what it should be.
The Philadelphia Eagles came close to losing this game if not for a remarkable interception by Nakobe Dean in the end zone. Yes, the Saquon Barkley fumble was a tough pill to swallow but so was the awful tackling that helped lead to the Jags’ TD.
The Eagles are that team to go for it on 4th down. That’s their trademark. If they had gone for it and missed the FG, then the critics would have blasted Sirianni for not going with the tush push or handing the ball off to Barkley. Once again, damn if you do, damn if you don’t.
Close game and a good win. The Philadelphia Eagles are 6-2 and a game behind the Washington Commanders in the NFC East. The name of the game is to win, no matter what. A few weeks ago, this was a game the team would have lost. They win and the boobirds are still out in full force. Give the team a break. They win the blowouts and they’re winning the close ones.
