This is on the head coach, and I mean that in a good way.
That’s what I kept thinking during the Eagles 30-13 beatdown of the Denver Broncos on Sunday, and entrance into the thick of the NFC race for the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.
Just three weeks ago, I was as critical of Sirianni as anyone. I said the first-year Eagles leader looked like a one-and-done coach. I criticized game plans, player usage, preparation and questioned if this guy was totally in over his head.
But then something happened, and it may have changed the short-term fortune of this franchise: Sirianni adjusted in the areas he so desperately had to, doubled down on what he believed and (most importantly) never lost the ears of his locker room.
Let’s start with the stark on-field philosophy shift of the Eagles offense.
We’re talking about a team that was as pass happy as any team in the NFL over the first seven games. Jalen Hurts, a young quarterback with promise and potential, but far from a polished passer, was asked to shoulder 90 percent of the offense and try to get in shootouts with top-tier quarterbacks. The run game was almost solely out of shotgun, or RPO. The offense lacked rhythm. It made it’s bones in garbage time. It was among the least efficient in the NFL.
Then, almost totally on the fly, Sirianni went the other way. The offense became run based, even without starting running back Miles Sanders. The offensive line, which is mostly led by blockers that can be viewed as stronger run blockers than pass protectors at this stage of their respective careers, has been dominant. The backs are running down hill. Hurts is contributing significantly in the run game, while also looking more and more comfortable as a thrower. That’s especially true in the play action game. The results: No offense in the NFL has been more efficient in the last three weeks, including a game in which we just watched Sirianni look one step ahead of respected defensive mind Vic Fangio all day long.
When Hurts first took over as Eagles starting quarterback last December, here was his stat line in a win vs. the New Orleans Saints: 17-of-30, 167 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 18 carries, 106 rushing yards. My instant reaction: Hurts can be the Eagles version of Lamar Jackson, impacting the game as a runner, in a run-heavy offense, while developing as a thrower. Sirianni has reignited that.
Some (including me) wondered if the offense would revert back vs. Denver’s No. 6 rushing defense. It didn’t. Over the last three games, the Eagles have run the ball 46, 39 and 40 times. This is the first time since at least 1950 in which this franchise has had three players with 40 or more rushing yards in three straight games. It’s like a WIP caller's dream, and it would now be silly to expect it to stop against New Orleans’ tough run defense in Week 11. This is who this Eagles team is now.
Plus, the philosophy shift had led to complementary football. The Eagles defense looks better and fresher in recent weeks. A big part of that is being on the field less. After struggling to win time of possession to start the season, here’s how long the offense has held the ball over the last three weeks: 96 minutes and 21 seconds. We’re talking about an average time of 32 minutes per game, including two weeks over 35 minutes.
Then, of course, there’s the stuff we can’t truly understand that happens between a coach and his players.
Sirianni was laughed at for his flower/roots speech, but it seemed to hit home in the locker room. His job isn’t to coach us, or to make us feel good. It’s to resonate within his own locker room. When Sirianni first arrived and bungled press conferences, I went back and listened to a video of him talking to his Colts offense a few years back. It was different. Sirianni sounded comfortable. He had the attention of his guys. The flower analogy may have fallen flat with us, but all that matters is that it hit the people it had to. I’d argue watching Hurts walk into the stadium on Sunday in Kobe Bryant Lower Merion jersey (Sirianni’s message last week revolved around Mamba Mentality) was further proof the leaders are carrying out the message.
And then there was Sirianni’s overall message: Keep working. Trust the process. Results will come. There wasn’t panic.
Patience was preached, and now look. The team looks crisper. The quarterback is developing. The offense has found an identity. The schedule is favorable. A playoff push now seems possible, if not likely. We all questioned Siriianni, but it’s time to give him credit for evolving, finding the best way to get the most out of this roster, and turning things around. It’s better late than never, and might be enough to spur an improbable playoff trip this January.