A week later, Pederson punts the blame
In coaching, there is a studied and predictable list of ways to respond to game-togame disappointment. It’s not a deep list. It’s a two-options-long list
he first option, the one the Eagles coaches tried a week ago after a loss to the Rams, is to quietly shut the locker room door and apologize for putting the players in the wrong position to succeed.
The other, the one
Doug Pederson apparently turned to Sunday after a
23-23 tie with the winless and visiting Cincinnati Bengals, is to remind the players that the room has been properly fitted with
65 mirrors.
Over the decades, each plan has worked. And the very open plea for forgiveness last week from defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz nearly worked Sunday, when the Eagles’ were better, particularly at the defensive end. For that, they would win the peaceful cosmic consciousness of knowing they will not go 0-and-16.
Just the same, after moving seven days closer to going 0-Something-andSomething, Doug Pederson was not about to engage in any plea bargaining. As part of the eternal coach-player agreement that only Buddy Ryan ever had the inner strength to break, Pederson did slip in the disclaimer that he had to do a better job. But if there was a reason he seemed to take a little longer slipping into the studio for a postgame zoom conference than usual Sunday, it wasn’t because he was ordering a round of mea culpa balloon bouquets.
No, not this time. Not after the Eagles’ final overtime possession was a virtual refutation of all football physics, one in which they were in gamewinning field-goal range then were so sloppy that they wound up punting.
Blame somebody else for all of that, Pederson effectively said, stopping short of making a public hand-wash display for effect.
Not guilty.
Not.
“I told them in the locker room after the game that we weren’t a very, very, very smart football team today,” Pederson said. “We had 11 penalties. They came at crucial times. And we couldn’t get off the field on defense.”
While that comment was as observational as it was critical, the footballto-English translation was clear. For when any coach publicly admits to telling his players they weren’t smart, what he means is that they were made aware of what they were supposed to do, only to do something else. For that, there are only a handful of explanations. The players aren’t listening. The players aren’t motivated. Or the players aren’t good.
That whole blame-thecoaches thing?
That hasn’t been a thing around NewsControl Nation for days.
“We didn’t execute well enough,” Pederson said. “We had some injuries, but that’s going to be part of the game. We’re just not a smart football team right now.” Ok, Coach P. Just for the record, go for it: “That’s on me and we’ll get that fixed.” So that’s out of the way.
Only Pederson knows why he was inspired to blame the on-field mistake-makers. But it’s likely he was hipped before meeting his press obligation that he was already under some criticism for punting with 19 seconds left in overtime rather than allowing Jake Elliott to rock a 64-yard game-winner with a favorable breeze. Nor were the masses expressing fullthroated support for his decision not to attempt a two-point conversion after pulling within 23-22 with 21 seconds left in regulation .
Neither of those decisions were outrageous.
The Eagles were at home, so they played for overtime. And had Elliott failed to hit a trey after
Matt Pryor’s unacceptable the Aggressive Doug Pedold in too many places. motion penalty drove the erson settle for a tie. There have been some difEagles to Cincinnati 46, “The fight was there ficult injury challenges. the Bengals would have from guys,” Wentz said. Wentz, while a little betassumed possession in Ea“The effort was there. ter Sunday, has been well gles territory with about We’ve just got to be below Pro Bowl level. If 13 seconds left in the oversmarter. I’ve got to be betSchwartz said he had a time. One completion, and ter as well. It was just a lousy game plan against the Bengals would have frustrating way to end the the Rams, well, maybe he been in business. game, to be sure.” did. Poor recent drafts
“Coach did what he That was the theme have compromised the did,” Brandon Graham leaking out of the room: depth. Pick one. Pick sevsaid. “I’ll ride witheral.that.”ThattheEaglesdidn’t
It was Graham who was play, as the man said, very, The Eagles are 0-2-1, most vocal about the Eavery, very smart football. but they remain in a pegles’ defenders car-poolFor that, though, there destrian division, played ing with Schwartz afis the eternal question: better Sunday than they ter his willingness to acWhy? had a week earlier, and cept blame for the loss last Oddly, and uncomfortplayed better later in the week. And the Eagles did ably, Pederson has been game than they did in the settle defensively Sunday, making noises all season middle. with Graham, Darius Slay, about the difficulties the They didn’t win. But Malik Jackson, Nickell Eagles have had building at least Pederson let Robey-Coleman, Fletcher a team under the NFL’s vithem know where to find Cox and more making rus restrictions. So casuthe blame. One of these loud second-half contribually does he join that conweeks, one of those coachtions. But Carson Wentz versation that he comes ing tricks might even was intercepted twice, off as oblivious to the realwork. the Eagles forced no turnity that the other 31 head overs, and 11 penalties coaches have had similar were enough to make The if not identical challenges.
Coach Formerly Known as Other reasons? They are