Eagles’ persistent offensive struggles mean ‘everything’s on the table’ — and that could include Sean Mannion’s role
Sirianni has stepped in before when the Eagles' schemes have not produced the desired results. Amid an unsightly four-game losing streak, that time might be coming again.
Nick Sirianni was asked about the busted coverage on the Panthers’ game-sealing touchdown that all but drove a stake through the Eagles.
“I thought it was a good design on their part. I’ll give them credit,” Sirianni said. “They went and executed it and they scored on it.”
It might have been a nifty call, but a miscommunication in the secondary allowed Bryce Young to hit a wide-open Tommy Tremble in the end zone and, ultimately, close out the Eagles, 25-14, on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
And yet, Sirianni initially focused on Carolina’s innovation rather than his defense when asked about the breakdown. He might not have intended for his response to say as much about his inadequate offense, but maybe subconsciously he did.
Six games into Sean Mannion’s tenure, there has yet to be cause for the coach to compliment his offensive coordinator in a similar manner. Mannion’s scheme has been unimaginative, uncoordinated and, most important, unproductive.
Something has to change. The Eagles have lost four games in a row for the first time in the Sirianni era and over that span his offense has averaged just 14.5 points a game.
“We’re going to have to do different things to help the offense get going,” Sirianni said. “We’re never going to make an excuse on anything. We have to do different things to get them going and score more points, plain and simple, especially there in that second half.
“So, everything’s on the table. To do the same thing over and over again and not get the results, that’d be foolish. Everything’s on the table of what we need to do to be able to put points on the board.”
» READ MORE: Tanner McKee can’t spark stagnant Eagles offense, 25-14 loss to Panthers extends skid to four games
Sirianni used the phrase everything’s on the table just last week when asked about the possibility of having Mannion calls play from the field rather than the coaches’ box. Perhaps that is one of the modifications he implements to kickstart his offense.
The question that prompted Sirianni’s words was about altering the offense to play to quarterback Tanner McKee’s strengths with Jalen Hurts out for at least another three games due to a blood clot in his calf. But having McKee under center only revealed that the scheme was more responsible for the ineptitude than the starting quarterback.
Hurts hasn’t been close to perfect, but the Eagles likely don’t win the first two games without his improvisation. Meanwhile, in his absence, the same problems persisted: an inability to run the ball, pick up blitzes and execute any of the under-center play-action game that Mannion was supposed to incorporate into a Sirianni-Hurts system that had become too predictable.
The best course may be to just go back full time to the shotgun-heavy, inside zone-running, run-pass-run-option, up-tempo offense that at least still generates a modicum of success when the Eagles have the ball.
“We’ve got to be able to score more points, period. It’s the game of football,” Sirianni said when asked about Mannion. “So it’s on everybody, right? It’s not just on one coach.”
But everything means everything, and as Sirianni has shown before, he’s not afraid to make in-season changes to his coaching staff.
In 2023, he stripped then-defensive coordinator Sean Desai of responsibility on third downs and eventually demoted him for Matt Patricia. Last season, he took more of an active role over offensive game planning amid Kevin Patullo’s struggles.
» READ MORE: Jordan Mailata says lack of ‘want to’ is leading to Eagles’ offensive struggles
Neither change worked, of course. But the season is slipping away, if not the competition in a dormant NFC East, and Sirianni simply may not be able to afford a season without a playoff appearance. That may sound ludicrous for a coach who’s won a Super Bowl, been to another, and reached the postseason in each of his first five seasons.
Despite an unprecedented few weeks in Eagles history, with much of the adversity out of his control, Sirianni has inspired great effort from his players. Some teams lose their quarterbacks. Some have as many injuries. Even a few have had future Hall of Famers retire midseason.
But how many have ever had all that happen in a span of two weeks, not to mention a couple heartbreaking last-moment losses?
Sirianni certainly bears culpability for the losing streak. The seeds of his core beliefs, however, don’t provide shade for areas in which his previous ingenuity is now lacking.
And that goes to the very root of the Sirianni conundrum. If he can’t devise an offense and/or call plays, and thus has to rely on Mannion-types for innovation, what is his greater value? To save himself, he made need to take back full ownership.
It’s been that ugly on offense. Mannion and new offensive line coach Chris Kuper have had almost no solutions for defenses that blitz Eagles quarterbacks when they’re under center and drop to throw. Maybe because they almost always try to run play action in those situations.
McKee dropped five times from under center and each time there was a run fake. He didn’t complete a single pass and was sacked two times. Both sacks came from Panthers rushers who were unblocked. McKee had no time to find his “hot” answers, it there were any.
» READ MORE: Eagles grades vs. Panthers: Offense remains disjointed, run defense and special teams struggle in 25-14 loss
“We have to do a better job there, plain and simple,” Sirianni said. “We have to, as coaches, be able to put them in positions to succeed. We’ve got to go out and execute.”
It’s not all on the scheme or play-calling. The Eagles’ once-great offensive line has deteriorated partly due to neglect. Howie Roseman didn’t supply the offense with a single tight end who could block in a scheme that emphasizes winning in-line at the point of attack.
The Eagles general manager’s last two offseasons have been underwhelming, particularly in the draft. And even some of his previous homegrown successes are starting to wilt, especially on the other side of the ball.
The offensive deficiencies have largely overshadowed regression on defense. The Eagles were supposed to at least have Vic Fangio’s unit to rely on. And while it has played valiantly in the face of more snaps and playing time, the pass rush has been anemic and the back seven porous.
Cooper DeJean was once the poster boy for Roseman’s draft wizardry, but he can’t seem to tackle anymore. The switch to part-time safety may have stressed the slot cornerback, but he has now been part of two busted coverages with outside corner Riq Woolen that have resulted in back-breaking touchdowns.
“Miscommunication” was DeJean’s answer for what went wrong on the play.
“Everything as a defense, you always want to be on the same page because the easiest way to give up a big play or give up a touchdown is not everybody [being] all on the same page,” Sirianni said. “We had some of that there on defense.”
The Eagles had some of it on offense, per McKee, on his pre-snap signals to his receivers. Miscommunication likely resulted in the missed assignment that led the special teams to allow a blocked punt late in the game. Bad teams get lost in translation.
It was a theme long before the locker room resembled a medical ward. The Eagles have now gone 9-11 in their last 20 games dating back to last year’s 4-0 start. It’s still too early to punt on the season. But Sirianni is running out of time before owner Jeffrey Lurie starts asking Roseman about 2027.
“There’s always an urgency and you can be calm when there’s urgency,” Sirianni said. “You double down on the things you believe in; you double down on the things that have got you the success. Again, like I said, schemes can change, schedules can change, but your core values are your core values.
“We know those for us are the truths of football. That keeps you grounded there, but there’s always a sense of urgency and that’s my job to have the sense of urgency. All of us, our jobs are to have that. Then it’s my job to make sure we stick to the tough, detailed, and together portion of it.”
Sirianni may need to do more.
