The Wild Card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers left Eagles fans with two drastically opposing emotions. Many were left infuriated and heartbroken, while others were left numbed and unsurprised.
The game played out eerily similar to how nearly half a dozen games had played out for Philadelphia earlier in the year.
The Eagles’ offense started strong, putting up 13 points in the first half with two touchdowns, but a missed extra point by kicker Jake Elliott and a mere 13-10 lead at halftime left many fans feeling uneasy.
A lack of trust in Elliott has been a common theme throughout the season. His field goal percentage was the worst amongst all starting kickers this season.
The Second Half Collapse
Another common theme was what occurred in the second half of the game. The 49ers’ putrid defense completely shut down the Eagles’ offense, which only put up six points in two quarters. Receivers were dropping passes left and right.
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Meanwhile, the defense did all they could. Quinyon Mitchell recorded two interceptions, giving the Eagles perfect opportunities to take a huge lead. Instead, they added a measly three points off of those picks.
This inefficient and underperforming second-half offense has been a common theme all year, and it’s safe to say that few fans were shocked by the outcome, despite the defense they found their team playing against.
The 49ers dealt with brutal injuries all year, particularly on the defense, with Fred Warner, Mykel Williams, and Nick Bosa out for the year. The Eagles found themselves facing the 49ers’ fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-string linebackers. But it didn’t matter.
The playcalling was completely ineffective. The run blocking was subpar, Jalen Hurts missed throws, A.J. Brown had crucial drops, Saquon Barkley was completely stifled in the second half, and Eagles’ offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is now out of a job because of it all.
Why Did Things Fall Apart…Again?
Once again, the common theme of the Eagles’ underwhelming season and numbing exit fell to the playcalling.
Fans had been calling for Patullo’s job all season after seeing such major offensive regression from what was essentially the same offense that won Philadelphia a Super Bowl just a year prior.
Patullo came in from being the team’s passing game coordinator and proved completely incapable of the promotion from Day 1. His running and passing plays proved very predictable.
Many analysts and former Eagles players have spoken heavily about this. Former Eagles quarterback Nick Foles recently came out criticizing both Patullo and Hurts for their handling of the two-minute drill at the end of the game.
Foles mentioned that the 4th-and-11 play call that determined the game and the season was poor, and that in the future, Hurts should be more aggressive in shutting down or approving concepts and ideas.
Analyst Emmanuel Acho also called out Patullo’s shocking playcalling following the loss — telling Eagles fans that the horrific scheming and play designs should appall them.
What is the Eagles’ Next Move?
With the media fully turned against Patullo, he was relieved of his offensive coordinator duties by Nick Sirianni on Tuesday. Sirianni stated, “I have decided to make a change at offensive coordinator” and added, “Ultimately, when we fall short of our goals that responsibility lies on my shoulders.”
But where does that leave the rest of the team?
There are a lot of key free agents this offseason, mostly on the defense. Nakobe Dean, Reed Blankenship, Jaelen Phillips, Dallas Goedert, Braden Mann, and Jahan Dotson make up some of the most prominent names in an extensive list.
The Eagles front office has a lot of decisions to make. Many of these free agents likely won’t be returning, the offensive line is getting older, Jake Elliott has regressed heavily, and fans are calling for the Eagles to trade A.J. Brown.
It’s safe to say that this upcoming offseason will see a lot of changes, and fans are holding their breath waiting to see what will happen next.
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