The Eagles’ 24-20 fall-from-ahead loss to the Rams on Sunday, October 4, dropped them to a shaky 2-2 on the still-young-but-getting-older season. But forget the standings for a second: the real gut punch was the brutal injury report. Nine starters and one vital backup were either out before kickoff or dropped during that excruciating afternoon. We’re talking DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson, Dallas Goedert, Tank Bigsby, Quinyon Mitchell, Jonathan Greenard, Zach Baun, and Marcus Epps. Man, it felt like the entire team was getting hit, and losing that many players, especially when you’re under a first-time offensive coordinator, is incredibly tough to overcome against a high-powered offense like the Rams.
A Test of Grit That Broke Down
For most of three and a half quarters, the story for the Eagles was all about resilience. They hadn’t played well on offense, sure, but how could you expect them to without Smith, their number one wideout, or Johnson and Dickerson anchoring the offensive line? Then Barkley went down on the very first series of the game. You’d think that would be the end, right? But no, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley, and Darius Cooper actually stepped up! They made enough plays to capitalize on Los Angeles’s mistakes and carved out a 20-10 lead. Their depth was getting tested, but they were hanging in there. The raw numbers, including a ghastly 0-for-12 on third downs, felt less important than the sheer grit shown by Jalen Hurts and an offense trying to cobble things together short-handed. But you can only bend so much before you break.
Where’s the Playbook’s ‘Easy Button’?
Here’s where it got real messy. Sean Mannion, calling plays in just his fourth NFL contest as the offensive coordinator, and Hurts are still clearly searching for that “easy-button” set of layup plays. You know, the ones that help convert short distances in pressure situations. Seven of their twelve failed third down opportunities needed less than five yards. And on that all-important 4th-and-goal from the two in the fourth quarter? There was absolutely nothing dependable or reliable in the playbook for Mannion and Hurts to turn to. Seriously, no security blankets at all. Even without Smith in the lineup, an NFL offense *should* have at least 2-4 plays they can choose from to pick up five yards, or to give themselves a real shot at the goal line. But right now, there’s nothing in that bag they feel good about.
It all boils down to forming an identity. This team searched for one all last year under Kevin Patullo and never found it. That same search continues through four games under Mannion. Head Coach Nick Sirianni is right, progress isn’t always linear, and some patience should be reserved for a new OC. But progress also absolutely has to start looking better. The Eagles need to find out who they are, and fast, before this season gets even uglier.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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