The Eagles are rapidly running out of time to halt their downward trajectory before the playoffs, and it appears one of the changes they’ve implemented has only further complicated matters.
Since shifting the defensive play-calling away from defensive coordinator Sean Desai to senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia before Week 15, Philadelphia has gone 1-2, with both losses coming by way of game-winning drives in the waning moments of the fourth quarter — making both the unlikelihood and the ramifications of an attempt at a simple fix apparent.
“It’s hard, man,” linebacker Haason Reddick told reporters Thursday regarding whether or not Philly has enough time to turn it around for the postseason. “It’s a hard thing to do. It’s our job at the end of the day, so it’s not complaints about it. But yeah, it’s definitely a hard thing, right? You spend so much time with one DC — and learn a new DC, at that, in the beginning of the year — and trying to learn everything he wants us to do. His terminology. The way that he calls things. And then, you know, toward the end of the season we switch. But like I said, at the end of the day, it must get done.
The leadership here believed that certain actions were necessary to bring about change and correct some issues. As players, it’s our responsibility to give our best performance.
When Nick Sirianni designated Patricia as the de facto DC for The Eagles, the team held a 10-3 record. They were on course for another NFC East championship and still had a chance at a first-round bye. Nevertheless, this move was not necessarily unjustified.
Philly recently went through another tough stretch from Weeks 12-14, where they conceded over 33 points in three consecutive games, which has only happened once before in the team’s history. Additionally, their defense surrendered 451.7 yards in each game during this period.
The touch of Patricia appeared to ignite an initial spark. In Week 15, the Eagles restricted the Seahawks to 297 total yards, marking their first time keeping an opponent under 300 since Week 7.
But even though the defense held the Giants to 292 in a tight win the following week, the cracks from Seattle’s 92-yard drive to ruin Patricia’s inaugural game at the helm carried over in allowing 25 points to New York’s 30th ranked scoring offense.
And the dam broke entirely in last week’s shocking loss to the Cardinals.
Philadelphia was cruising at halftime with a 21-6 lead before falling apart as Arizona traveled 70-plus yards and scored a touchdown on each of its four second-half drives – including Kyler Murray‘s two-minute drill to doom the Eagles.
The Arizona offense, which has been lacking in firepower, achieved season highs with the Cardinals’ 35 points and 449 yards.
“When asked about the impact of the new defensive coordinator’s ideas on our performance, I would say it’s substantial,” Reddick shared. “As you’ve pointed out, we’ve switched coordinators and this has introduced a new style and approach. Essentially, that’s what’s happening. Now we have Patricia, who has a unique way he wants things done. We’re currently doing our best to adjust to this during this period and aim to get everyone aligned moving forward. This will enable us to excel in the playoffs.”
Jalen Hurts and the offense did stall with alarming regularity in the final two frames against Arizona, but blame for the loss that eliminated the Eagles’ chances at the NFC’s top seed and put the Cowboys in line to take the division with a Week 18 win belongs largely at the defense’s doorstep.
Adding insult to injury, the most recent display of incompetence occurred in the presence of last year’s defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon. He had left a successful 2022 NFC-winning team, which ranked eighth in points allowed and second in yards allowed, to take up the head coach position for the Cardinals.
Philadelphia enters the final week of the regular season ranked 29th and 23rd in those categories, respectively.
Reddick, who continues to be an exceptional leader, achieved his second consecutive Pro Bowl recognition while recording double-digit sacks for the fourth successive year. However, he is not impervious to the imminent changes.
He was the team’s most productive pass rusher, yet he fell back into coverage six times during the game against the Cardinals, according to Next Gen Stats. This was a new strategy that head coach Nick Sirianni argued on Monday was aimed at preventing predictability in various fronts.
“Currently, our focus is on taking necessary steps to secure a win,” Reddick stated on Thursday. “I’m simply fulfilling the tasks assigned to me, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the team’s victory in any way possible. If that’s what it takes, then I’m prepared to do it. I intend to meet the required expectations, to carry out my responsibilities. I hope this strategy will be effective, as that’s what is needed for us to triumph.”
Despite changes made this season, Philadelphia’s performance hasn’t been close to last year’s level. The strategy failed to secure a victory against the Cardinals.
Reddick seems willing to do whatever necessary, however, the Eagles, who once had an impressive 10-1 record, now stand at 10-5, appearing less capable of achieving the playoff success they desire, with just over a week remaining before the postseason.
