Eagles' Struggles: Can They Turn It Around vs. Panthers?

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Eagles’ Three-Game Slide Raises Questions About Coaching and Second-Half Adjustments

The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-3 after losing three straight games following a 2-0 start. Their latest defeat came against the Jaguars in London, where Philadelphia lost the game in the final eight seconds after failing to make a tackle on special teams.

Nick Sirianni accepted responsibility for the decision not to kick the ball out of the end zone. However, the counterargument was that kicking it out could have allowed Trevor Lawrence to complete a long pass and move the Jaguars into field-goal range. Ultimately, the Eagles’ special teams needed to make a play.

Philadelphia’s special teams had already been affected when Jeremiah Trotter was ejected on the first play of the game. Later, kicker Jake Elliott was left trying to make the game-saving tackle but missed. Injuries have also affected the Eagles’ roster and special-teams personnel, although that was not accepted as an excuse for the loss.

The larger concern is Sirianni’s coaching. The Eagles were described as being outcoached by Ben Johnson and a third-string quarterback, then by Sean McVay, and finally by the Jaguars. Sirianni was accused of relying on coordinators, Howie Roseman’s roster moves and players such as Saquon Barkley rather than demonstrating strong command of the team’s X’s and O’s.

Jalen Hurts played better after throwing for only 90-something yards in the previous game, but the offense again struggled after halftime. The Eagles were criticized for repeatedly running ineffective screenplays involving Makai Lemon and failing to adjust to what opposing teams changed during the break.

Philadelphia has averaged 4.6 points and 97.4 yards per game in the second half this season, both last in the league. The Eagles have not scored a fourth-quarter touchdown since Week 2, and they have scored 47 points during their three-game losing streak. It is their worst three-game offensive stretch since the first three games of Andy Reid’s first season in 1999.

The upcoming home game against the Panthers was described as a winnable matchup and potentially a season-defining game. A victory would move the Eagles to 3-3 ahead of a major game against the Cowboys. A loss to Carolina, however, would make that next matchup far less meaningful.

Despite the poor results, the Eagles have remained competitive and had opportunities to beat both the Rams and Jaguars. The season is not over, but Philadelphia must stop making costly mistakes, improve its coaching adjustments and get players such as DeVonta and Saquon back on the field.