Kevin Patullo says his unit has ‘got to get rid’ of penalties that slowed the Eagles’ offense in Dallas

The NFL’s leader in punts after three plays did not have any such three-and-out drives in the first half of Sunday’s 24-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Eagles built their 21-0 lead behind an offense that moved the ball efficiently through the air and looked more creative than it had in the two weeks prior. They got the ball after halftime and immediately completed a pass to Grant Calcaterra for an 8-yard gain to move the ball to their own 40-yard line.

Then, a penalty that offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo seems to think was a turning point of sorts happened. On the ensuing second-and-2, the Eagles put Matt Pryor on the field in their jumbo set and called a run-pass option that got Dallas Goedert free in space. Jalen Hurts hit his tight end for a 20-yard reception that moved the ball to Dallas’ 40-yard line. But the Eagles weren’t lined up right, and an illegal formation penalty knocked them back to a second-and-7. Two incompletions later, the Eagles punted.

It was a sign of things to come, as penalties — including another that wiped out a 16-yard gain in the fourth quarter and kept the Eagles out of the red zone — helped keep the Eagles off the scoreboard after taking a 21-0 lead 18-plus minutes into the game.

“I think when you look at the first half, it was kind of one of those deals where — and we talked about it today as an offense — we were able to do what we wanted to do, keep on track, keep the pace going, keep ahead of the sticks, and keep it moving," Patullo said Tuesday. “In the second half, we came out, we went empty, we got a completion, and then we had an illegal formation on an explosive.

“When you have a penalty on an explosive, which flipped the field around on us, it was a 20-yard gain, now all of the sudden you’re behind the sticks.”

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Penalties have been a problem for the Eagles, who have drawn the seventh-most flags in the NFL. The offense accounted for seven on its own and four in the second half Sunday.

“We talked about it, we went through all the drives and we’ve got to do a better job as a staff and as a whole unit in general with this stuff of just continuously pressing onto this issue,” Patullo said. “Because it’s been something that’s appeared and we know it’s there and we just got to get rid of it.

“That’s kind of what stopped us in the second half. … We had some penalties, we had some things go on that if they go the other way we’re talking a whole other deal right now. It’s a whole other game, and we know that, and that’s what’s disappointing and that’s what’s frustrating.”

Patullo, who Nick Sirianni said Monday will continue calling plays, said there was “a lot to be encouraged from” with the offense on Sunday.

“But at the same time, when those things happen, when you go into the locker room after the game, the frustration level is high because we know how close we were, and if those things don’t go the way they go it’s a whole other outcome,” he said.

Penalties, of course, weren’t the only thing that halted the Eagles. They seemed to take their foot off the gas a little bit, and their inability to run the ball showed up once again. Saquon Barkley tallied just 22 yards on 10 attempts. The lack of a running game has hampered the offense for most of the season.

“We’re trying pretty much anything and everything we can to find ways to get him going,” Patullo said. “I know that the guys are excited for something new this week to see if we can get it going.”

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The Eagles listed five players as nonparticipants in their estimated practice report following Tuesday’s walk-through ahead of Friday’s home game vs. the Chicago Bears.

Xavier Gipson (shoulder), Brandon Graham (groin), Lane Johnson (foot), Drew Mukuba (ankle), and DeVonta Smith (shoulder/chest) were all listed as out.

Barkley (groin), Reed Blankenship (thigh), and Landon Dickerson (knee), meanwhile, were listed as limited. Adoree’ Jackson, who was being evaluated for a concussion Sunday after leaving the game, was listed as a full participant.