Saquon Barkley takes responsibility, Nick Sirianni explains play calling decisions following 22-21 loss to the Falcons on MNF
Saquon Barkley took responsibility after a critical drop that contributed to the Eagles’ heartbreaking 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
With the Eagles holding an 18-15 lead and just under two minutes to go, they had a chance to close out the game on a 3rd-and-3 from Atlanta’s 10-yard line.
Nick Sirianni’s decision to call a pass play was bold, but it would have worked—if not for Barkley’s untimely drop on a wide-open pass from Jalen Hurts.
Instead of sealing the game, Philadelphia had to settle for a field goal, putting them up 21-15 and giving the Falcons a final chance. Kirk Cousins then orchestrated a game-winning drive, capping it off with a touchdown to stun the Eagles and their home crowd.
After the game, Saquon Barkley didn’t shy away from the responsibility, telling reporters, “I dropped the ball. I let my team down today. If I made that catch, game’s over.” He acknowledged that his drop put the Eagles’ defense in a difficult spot.
Saquon Barkley: “I dropped the ball. I let my team down today.”
Nick Sirianni’s decision to pass, rather than run and drain more clock, also drew heavy criticism.
A run would have forced Atlanta to deal with a ticking clock, giving the Falcons less than a minute for any potential comeback.
The Eagles decision to kick a field goal instead of going for it on 4th down was questionable too. Even if they attempted to convert and failed, the Falcons would have gotten the ball around the 10-yard line with even less time remaining on the clock.
Sirianni was questioned on why he even trusted Barkley, considering catching passes out of the backfield isn’t the strongest part of his game, a fact highlighted on Twitter after the game.
Nick Sirianni on the Saquon Barkley Play:
“They were running a certain defense and junking it up in the middle,” Sirianni explained, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “So we were trying to go on around the outside, and it didn’t work.”
“The decision to pass it there, again like I said, when they were junking it up inside, with it then being fourth and three to go for it, I thought with them not having any timeouts, I wanted them to be down a touchdown and see if they could drive the field. And they did. Hat’s off to them.”
Had Barkley hauled in that uncontested pass, the conversation would be entirely different—Sirianni’s play call would have been praised as aggressive and game-sealing.
It’s whatever at this point. Sports are all about results, and when things don’t go as planned, the spotlight quickly shifts to the mistakes and decisions that led to failure.
For Eagles fans, the frustration was palpable. After the game, you could see it on their faces, a mix of disbelief and stunning disappointment.
No amount of explanation or reasoning would have soothed the sting of that late collapse. Fans are passionate, and they expect results, especially in a city like Philadelphia where the fan base is known for being fiercely loyal but equally demanding.
In the end, it’s another lesson in how sports are a game of inches and moments—one dropped pass, and a win slips away.
See you in New Orleans next week with Phans of Philly.
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