The Philadelphia Eagles delivered a deeply disappointing offensive performance against the Bears, looking like an offense ripped right down the middle into two completely separate schemes that barely talk to each other. We saw a shotgun passing game trying to exist independently from an under center running game, and those two worlds just did not connect at all. It was a mess, plain and simple, and the numbers tell an ugly story. The Eagles only managed 14 first downs and 248 net yards total. They went a dismal 2-for-9 on third down, 0-for-5 on third-and-long, and completely bricked it on fourth down, going 0-for-2. Twice they got into the red zone, and once they came away with absolutely nothing. And don’t even get me started on Andy Dalton’s interception, which was the single biggest win-probability swing of the entire game. I’m still angry about that one.
The Confused Offensive Line Is a Coaching Problem
For me, the biggest issue wasn’t a lack of effort; it was pure confusion in pass protection, especially when pressure hit. This isn’t just about individual linemen getting beaten, either. Cam Jurgens had a poor game in pass protection, no doubt, but the real head-scratcher was the recurring free rushers. It looked like the Eagles were repeatedly confused, unsure who they were supposed to block and which defender they were prepared to let run free. That’s not on the players losing one-on-one battles; that is a schematic and coaching problem first and foremost. Jalen Hurts, to his credit, was largely fine for three quarters until things really fell apart after the Eagles found themselves down by 20. He was not the main reason this offense fell flat on its face.
A Flash of Hope, Then Nothing
It actually started so well! There was one snap, just one, where the Eagles used the pistol formation. They paired the backfield action with a fake toss and created an easy completion to Makai Lemon. That pistol formation is slick, giving the offense access to a downhill run action without forcing Hurts to turn his back completely on the defense. That fake toss moved the Bears exactly the wrong way, and Lemon got open with ease. It showed what this offense *could* be, connecting the running game to the passing game in a meaningful way. So, what’s the frustrating part? They used it once! One snap, and then it was gone. Doesn’t mean pistol is the magic bullet, but this offense is desperate for formations that actually link its two halves together. Maybe, just maybe, they should try running out of pistol next week and see if they can get something going. The outside zone running game, credit where it’s due, was one of the clearest positives. After being bad for two weeks, it was significantly better against the Bears, even if it didn’t translate into explosive play-action passes like it should have.
This team desperately needs to figure out how to connect its two halves. Let’s hope they come out next week with some answers, and maybe, just maybe, that pistol formation gets another shot.
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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