NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles are 4-2, and for them to continue climbing the standings, they must cancel out the outside noise. It’s been a lingering issue dating back to last season’s collapse. However, with two straight wins, the critics are still there and possibly just as loud as last season.
Is Nick Sirianni the right coach for the Philadelphia Eagles? Is Jalen Hurts the same QB he was in 2022? Did Howie Roseman make a mistake drafting so many Georgia players in the last 2 NFL drafts? Those are some of the questions that the media and even fans of the Eagles have spoken so loudly about.
But here’s the thing. This is the team they put on the field week after week. No team is perfect and this version of the Eagles are far from it. What they are is a team 2 seasons removed from a Super Bowl appearance. 2 seasons removed from losing their offensive and defensive coordinators. Another season removed from losing the heart and soul of the defense with Fletcher Cox and the offense with Jason Kelce.
This is also a team on their 3rd coordinator in both areas in as many years. Yes, Roseman made sure the team has talent but it’s been hard work getting to show the progress on the field. Just because they have Jalen Hurts, many believe that’s the problem solver. Hurts is not Patrick Mahomes. And even if he was, the Eagles have not had the same stability on the sidelines that the Chiefs have had over the years.
The heart of the Philadelphia Eagles has been called into question. Their desire as well. Shit, at times even their talent. Let’s be clear, it takes time for everything to gel. Adding Saquon Barkley was a plus to pair with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith but that group is still learning one another as they have spent only 3 games together as a unit and all three of those games have been victories. Let’s keep that in mind.
Kellen Moore has been dragged through the mud for his playcalling over the years and Vic Fangio’s defensive schemes have been labeled as outdated. But look closely, everyone is starting to come together. In the last 3 games, the Eagles have registered 15 sacks. Fangio has his guys playing with a purpose. He’s always preached patience but the outside world wanted 100 sacks in the first 6 games.
As for the offense, Moore was regarded as a coach who dialed up too many passes instead of utilizing the weapons he had in the backfield. And yet, the Eagles are top 2 in the NFL in Rushing Yards Per Game.
The Minnesota Vikings are 5-1. The Green Bay Packers are 5-2. The Detroit Lions are 5-1 and then you have teams like the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers who have 3 wins each. There is parity in the league this season. But the pressure is being applied to the Eagles as they have a purpose on paper but that purpose takes time to achieve.
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