Same result, same article. Week after week, it does not get any better. When will it get better? I have no idea, and I do not know what to do anymore with this team. I WANT THEM TO TANK! The Eagles need help, whether they believe it or not, and that can only be assured by positioning themselves to get as high of a draft pick as possible.
Carson Wentz vs Jalen Hurts
The Eagles and Doug Pederson seemed to have lied straight to all football fans faces. They said Jalen Hurts would have an increased role, which consisted of just 3 snaps (2 playable ones). At this point in the season, Washington and New York have gained momentum in the division, and although they have some tough schedules, the Eagles do too. The team with easiest remaining schedule is the Cowboys, but they have been pathetic all season, so who knows. The division is truly up for grabs by ANY of the 4 teams, but it is wise for the Eagles to just get themselves out of this season.
Just to be clear, I am still 100% a believer in Carson Wentz. As a Philadelphia Eagles fan, I think it is crucial to look at what we have and compare it to the available market. CARSON WENTZ IS THE EAGLES BEST CHANCE TO WIN ANYTHING. He has won and carried an offense with depleted weaponry before, and that is still possible as of now. The difference between the last 2 seasons is that Wentz had 27 touchdowns to 7 interceptions last season, in comparison to 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions this season. That’s not good by any means, but do people really think Jalen Hurts can do better? At the end of the day, Hurts is likely just a better runner right now, and that is it. The Eagles do not have the creativity offensively right now to play Hurts anyway. However, playing him would 1) Give the Eagles an opportunity to evaluate Hurts, and 2) Give the Eagles the best chance to lose and gain a higher pick. With that selection, I would only hope the Eagles do everything they possibly can to draft Oregon Offensive Tackle Penei Sewell, a near lock to be a top 3-5 selection for 2021 NFL Draft.
Doug Pederson
How many times did the Eagles run the ball? If I took a guess right now, it was somewhere around 10 to 15 times. Yet, Pederson throws the ball 45 times with a struggling QB. That CANNOT happen. It has happened all season, and it has to stop. Pederson either needs to: Give up playcalling OR get relieved of his duties as Eagles Head Coach. His coaching tenure has started to become Chip Kelly 2.0, and that is not a good sign at all for Philadelphia. Ultimately, Pederson has to do better. He has to call for Miles Sanders to be the bellcow back we were all expecting him to be. The guy is averaging ALMOST 6 YARDS PER CARRY, yet he has not nearly the amount of touches he should. It is flat out unacceptable moving forward.
Defense
I cannot believe I am saying this, but the strength of the Eagles right now is their defense. They played one heckuva game versus Seattle, including some amazing Linebacker play from a relatively young, inexperienced group of guys. Derek Barnett had arguably his best game of the season, Javon Hargrave had his best game as an Eagle, and Jalen Mills may have had his best game as an Eagle, at least in a long time. This is likely what caused the Eagles to release former starter Will Parks, who has missed tons of time with injuries, but started 3 games this season when healthy. This also will open the door up for Clemson rookie Safety K’Von Wallace to receive more playing time, and I am thrilled about this move! I am a huge fan of Wallace, and he has so much potential that could be on display for the Eagles to take advantage of.
Final Thoughts
Look, I never expected a win. All I wanted was for the Eagles to compete, and they did for sure, especially defensively. As for the what is next, it is highly uncertain right now. Tension is rising in Philadelphia, and it is probably best that fans are not able to attend. Lincoln Financial Field would echoing so many boos right now if it was filled with fans. It might be the most passionate fanbase in all of sports, and I am blessed to be apart of it. With that being said, do not expect any W’s right now. The Eagles are going to lose to Green Bay this week, then lose next week to New Orleans. After that, there will be another loss to Arizona, then hopefully wins against Dallas and Washington to finish the season. Actually, I prefer a loss to Washington to improve our draft position. My fellow Eagles fans out there, have hope, and believe in this team. If not this year, then next year.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline / USA Today Sports
