Doomsday: Eagles look lifeless in 25-14 loss to Carolina, with inept offensive coaching taking center stage

The Philadelphia Eagles are not a good team this year. That much is obvious. What isn’t as clear is what the organization plans to do about it.

For the fourth week in a row, the Eagles lost a game they could’ve won, dropping to 2-4 after losing to Carolina 25-14 on Sunday. While the last three losses felt somewhat within reach at certain points, this one did not, even though they pulled within one score in the fourth.

There are a lot of things contributing to the current state of the Eagles, but none shine brighter than the inept coaching on the offensive side of the ball. I have never seen a team willingly call plays they simply cannot run successfully for this long, with no sleight of hand adjustments to speak of. It’s the same song and dance as last year — the coaching staff refuses to put their players in favorable positions.

The Eagles ask their tight ends to consistently block pass rushers one on one, sometimes they even get the slot receiver to do it. The receivers are asked to win their one on one matchups no matter who is lined up in front of them. The quarterback, whether it’s Jalen Hurts or Tanner McKee, have no hot routes to go to in any situation. Their under center game is as basic as it gets. Through six games, they have not run a single standard drop back pass from under center, it’s either a run or a play action pass. Defenses have predictably caught onto this, and what has the offense done? Nothing. They just continue running the same plays hoping this time will be different. It won’t be different.

The Eagles must change something up on the offensive coaching staff

You can blame Nick Sirianni or Sean Mannion, whatever floats your boat. I just know I don’t have faith in either of them right now. Maybe it’s time to give Josh Grizzard a shot at play calling? I’ll do anything at this point.

It’s just so hard to get excited for a boring offensive football team. Every week is the same — the offense stacks three-and-outs, the defense holds up as long as they can, then after they’ve played 80 snaps, they predictably fall apart. Rinse and repeat.

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I don’t think changing play callers does much, honestly. It’s a broken scheme and Sean Mannion is an unwinnable position. This isn’t his offense, no one on Earth can convince me of that. He manages to sprinkle in some of his stuff, like the under center game. And even though that aspect of the offense is also horrible, I can’t help but think that Sirianni is forcing it to be basic because that’s his whole philosophy. Sirianni’s offensive mindset is well documented and he’s even said it himself numerous times — this offensive system is star-dependant and relies on great players winning their matchups.

Nothing is ever made easy for anyone. It’s an insane way to play football in the NFL. In college and high school, it’ll do. In the NFL, where literally every single player is good, this shit isn’t going to cut it.

What makes it worse is seeing the bright offensive minds the Eagles play every week. Dave Canales and Brad Idzik were scheming guys open all day along against Vic Fangio. Tet McMillan would motion into position, away from Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen, end up with Andrew Mukuba on him, and bang, easy completion. On the final touchdown, the Panthers ran a beautiful backside play action to Tommy Tremble for an easy score.

Eagles fans see what competent offensive coaching looks like every week, it just so happens to be on the other sideline.

I said a few weeks back that there’s still reason for hope with this team, that all of the things plaguing them are fixable. Regrettably, I have to take that back. Sirianni is in over his head and has no answers for anything. He’s a lost puppy, no a hungry dawg. Sad times, but as long as Howie Roseman is running the show, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. We may just have to wait until next year to finally see it.