A NUMBER OF questions swirl around coach Nick Sirianni as the Philadelphia Eagles begin the postseason on a 1-5 slide. Following a 10-1 start coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the third-year coach has sought to lift the Eagles out of their rut, but they've only sunk deeper.
The offense — chock-full of Pro Bowl-level talent — has underperformed and shown its frustration. Sideline spats have carried over to tension in the locker room, where team sources say disagreements have occasionally devolved into finger-pointing. Demoting defensive coordinator Sean Desai and elevating Matt Patricia to defensive playcaller on Dec. 17 only made matters worse for a unit that eventually finished 30th in points allowed.
On top of those struggles, Jalen Hurts' desired direction for the offense has not materialized, which has been a source of disappointment for the franchise quarterback, according to a source with direct knowledge of Hurts' thinking. A disconnect between the visions of Sirianni, Hurts and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has affected the offense's ability to land on an identity, the source said.
Philly's offense posted above-average numbers relative to the rest of the league during the season but didn't match the lofty standards set in 2022. The Eagles (11-6) slipped from third in points per game (28.1) to seventh (25.5), went from ninth in passing (241.5 yards per game) to 16th (225.5), and fell from fifth in rushing (147.6) to eighth (128.8). The feeling that they were underperforming weighed on players even after wins.
«Yeah, we got 11 wins. I'm not happy,» receiver DeVonta Smith said after the Eagles' Christmas Day victory over the Giants — Philadelphia's only win since November.
• Early look at the divisional
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