NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles on offense are the same but different at the same time. What has changed is the addition of RB Saquon Barkley formerly of the New York Giants and a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore. Will their presence be the deciding factor to get the Eagles back to the Super Bowl?
Jalen Hurts is still the QB. DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown are still one of the best duos at receiver in the NFL. Dallas Goedert is still a top 5 TE. And the offense line, despite the retirement of Jason Kelce will still be one of the best units in the league. So whey is there skepticism concerning the Eagles’ offense heading into the 2024 NFL season?
Well, that finger is being pointed in the direction of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. He’s being handed the keys to a high-profile offense but his track record with some NFL fans is shaky at best.
Last season, the Eagles’ offense was too predictable. There was no real movement at the line of scrimmage and it’s also safe to say that Hurts was not playing to his potential. If Moore can get the Eagles back to the place they were in 2022, this offense will be unstoppable. And that’s where the excitement of what Barkley and Moore adds to the team’s new outlook on offense.
When healthy, Barkley is one of the best backs in the NFL. Yes, there were down times with the Giants but let’s be realistic, those were the Giants. Barkley did his best behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league and still managed to carve out good production. What happens now with the weapons the Eagles have?
It’s up to Kellen Moore to showcase the assets they have on offense. There is no need to run Barkley into the ground the way the Giants did. With Kenneth Gainwell backing him up, Barkley should stay fresh. And we can’t forget about the legs of Hurts as well.
Moore’s doubters have been very vocal since his hiring in February. And yet, can people ignore the success he has had over his tenure as an OC?
In Dallas, from 2020-22 his offense had a league-best output in yards and once (2021 season) leading the NFL in scoring (30.4 points per game). Dallas averaged 401.4 yards per game in that regular season. In 2022, Dallas ranked second in the NFL in points per game in the regular season (28.8) and led the league in red-zone touchdown efficiency (71.34 percent).
In those four seasons, the Cowboys averaged the second-most points per game in the NFL (27.7) and were second in the NFL in total offense (391 net yards per game) with top 10 passing and rushing production. They also ranked in the top four in third-down percentage (44 percent) in those four seasons.
A majority of his criticism has come from his time with the Los Angeles Chargers but all of those misshapes were not solely on the shoulders of Kellen Moore. The Charges were hit by injuries. However, before players went down, the Chargers were one of the best offensive teams in the league. His playcalling to some will come into question but what is a coach to do when his top players are out? Not everything works 100 percent of the time.
Both Barkley and Moore get a fresh start. Both have been on the other sideline as a rival to the Philadelphia Eagles at some point in their careers. Now they have the task of getting this organization back on top. The Eagles are coming off a disappointing campaign last season and the light is burning bright on them now. If the offense can get back to form, there is no doubt the Eagles will be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl come February.
