From The Reporter: https://tinyurl.com/4zyuv8cd
PHILADELPHIA — If nothing improves with the offense, the Eagles may need to consider overpaying for a coordinator.
They’d need someone talented and experienced who will stay here.
They’d need to bring in an OC the way they brought in Vic Fangio to run the defense — someone stable and seasoned who might have been a head coach elsewhere and won’t jump at the first head coaching offer that opens up.
After all, quarterback Jalen Hurts has had a different offensive coordinator every year.
Some critics on the outside have said it was malpractice to give over the reins of a Super Bowl championship team to a first-time OC in Kevin Patullo, similar to the malpractice that took place in 2023 by handing the keys to amateur Brian Johnson after a Super Bowl run with a narrow loss to the Chiefs in Arizona.
Aspects of this season are eerily reminiscent of 2023.
For all the things the Eagles have done superbly right as an organization, they have gotten this wrong.
When Sirianni was hired, he was supposed to provide a steadfast offensive presence, given his background as OC in Indianapolis under Frank Reich, who helped the Birds win in 2017. But Sirianni hasn’t been an offensive wizard.
That’s not to say he isn’t a good coach; he certainly is. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves for creating a winning culture, getting players and staff to buy in, lending his hand in specifics when needed, and putting out fires with all the massive egos on this roster.
Sirianni is beyond underrated.
But this rotating OC pattern just isn’t working. There’s nothing wrong with promoting from within (new coordinators have to come from somewhere), but maybe don’t do it with a championship team.
Even last year under Kellen Moore, who left to become head coach of the New Orleans Saints, the offense wasn’t ideal. But he adjusted as the season went on and adjusted in-game. We haven’t seen that yet with rookie Patullo. And we’re in Week 13.
The Eagles’ offense ranks 24th in yards per game (303.6) and middle of the pack in points per game (23.2) despite having premier weapons such as Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert.
In fairness, the offensive line, with right tackle Lane Johnson, left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens all battling injuries, hasn’t been healthy since training camp — a fact far too frequently overlooked. Plus, a green Tyler Steen is replacing Mekhi Becton at right guard. A deep O-line was the engine in 2024 (along with a great defense, of course).
And Barkley, who had a monstrous 436 carries last year in the regular season and postseason combined, putting up a historic campaign, has occasionally shown a hesitancy to push through tight creases for tough yardage this fall. He even admitted after Sunday’s loss to Dallas, “They wanted it more.”
Wow.
However, Barkley has been getting hit in the backfield on an almost constant basis. But backup Tank Bigsby has been extra physical and running like a bowling ball. Perhaps he’s hungrier, perhaps he’s seeing more advantageous defenses than Barkley does, or perhaps it’s a combination.
“I think, really, when you look at it as a whole run game right now, we’re trying pretty much anything and everything we can to find ways to get (Barkley) going,” Patullo said Tuesday. “I know that the guys are excited for something new this week to see if we can get it going.
“Really, it’s just a challenge upon us when we go into the game. We have a certain plan, and if we have to adjust, we will. I know everybody’s eager to move on, especially with a short week. It’s good to get this thing going and try to get the run game going. We know it’s an important piece of the offense and we know it’s not going to be like last year. We just have to find our way this year and really work through it.”
Lots of the offensive problems are on the players: the Barkley issues, Hurts holding the ball too long and not running the offense as designed, a frustrated Brown giving up on routes, and a leaky O-line.
But where is the creativity in scheme? And why has it been so difficult to get players on the same page?
Everyone blames Patullo, and maybe that’s not totally fair, but he’s the OC and something needs to change. This offense — loaded with talent — has lacked creativity, adaptability and focus. And even when it starts off well, it often fizzles late after the scripted plays have dried up and the opponent makes adjustments. It happened again Sunday in Dallas.
“We’ve had these dry spells a little bit, whether it was running the ball, whatever it may be, but it hasn’t been one specific thing,” Patullo said. “I think that’s where it’s been a challenge for us to try to find what can we change, what can we do. Because there are certain areas that we feel really confident in.
“Obviously as coaches, we’re looking for anything and everything to change schematically if we can in the second half to just get it going.”
Six games still remain in the regular season, but it’s getting to be crunch time. We’ll see what happens against Chicago. The Eagles have a championship-caliber defense, but they need to at least achieve something sustainable offensively — as they’ve shown in flashes — if they want another Super Bowl title.
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Christiaan DeFranco covers the Eagles and Phillies for MediaNews Group. Email him at cdefranco@medianewsgroup.com. Follow him on X at @the_defranc for the latest updates.