To say the very least, yesterday’s 31-15 loss to the Buccaneers was disappointing. The same issues that plagued the Eagles throughout the season, that at points we thought were fixed, were on full display yesterday in Tampa. Now, we’re left with the same questions that we have been asking ourselves all year heading into the 2022 offseason.

Stupid Mistakes

Earlier this week, Nick Sirianni and Jason Kelce noted that they needed to focus on the details this postseason. The Eagles have been notorious for slow starts to games, unnecessary penalties, and missed opportunities. Yesterday turned out to be different.

Derek Barnett had a late hit on Tom Brady on their first drive, setting Tampa Bay up to score. Jason Kelce had a holding penalty that negated a 40-yard Dallas Goedert reception, and Goedert himself dropped a wide-open pass.

Playing against bad teams covered these issues up, but a team like the Buccaneers proved they would make them pay time and time again. Tampa Bay picked the Eagles defense apart en route to a 17-0 start, and they never looked back. The Eagles didn’t even put up any points until the fourth quarter via a Boston Scott touchdown. At that point, the Buccaneers were already up 31-0 with the game far out of reach.

Jalen Reagor

Reagor has likely played his final snaps in Philadelphia this season, capping it off in the most Reagor way possible. The Eagles’ defense held Brady to a great stop and had a chance to capitalize on it, but Reagor then muffed the ensuing punt, resulting in a Buccaneers’ recovery.

Later that game, Reagor dropped another punt and killed any chance of an Eagles comeback. The sophomore wide receiver has done nothing positive in his tenure here but will continue to blame the fans for not believing in him. If this was his final game with the Eagles, then good riddance.

Jalen Hurts

I will never fail to understand Hurts. Like clockwork, every time a trade rumor or report circulated that Hurts’ future with the team was in doubt, he would ball out. However, any time one came out saying his future was safe with the Eagles, Hurts would shit the bed.

That was no different yesterday, with Ian Rapoport reporting a few hours before the game that the Eagles wouldn’t be moving from Hurts this offseason. Hurts then had the worst throwing game of his career. The Eagles’ QB had two interceptions, but it should have been around five with how many Tampa Bay dropped. Hurts finished the day completing 23 of his 43 passing attempts for 258 yards.

When the team needed him most, Hurts threw an interception in the endzone to end the half scoreless and rushed for just 39 yards on the day. What was more embarrassing was Hurts’ 39 yards was the most by any Eagles player, with the team finishing with 95 yards on the ground.

If you just saw the box score you would think yesterday’s game was a lot closer than it actually was. Tampa Bay had just ten yards more than Philadelphia on offense, and the Eagles actually had more passing yards than Tom Brady.

For the Buccaneers, Brady tore up the Eagles defense completing 29 of his 37 passes for 271 yards. Mike Evan had a statement game, scorching Darius Slay and the Eagles’ secondary for 117 yards receiving.

Philadelphia now sits at home while the Tom Brady and the Bucs continue their journey to repeat as Super Bowl champions. It’s nothing that should come as a surprise, outside of the Saints, the Eagles failed to beat a team with a winning record during the regular season and got lucky on the back-half of their schedule by playing a bunch of lousy football teams with backup quarterbacks.

This offseason brings about many unknown decisions, with questions at the quarterback position and three first-round picks sitting at the forefront.

Mandatory Credit: AP Photo