Discipline needed as Eagles prepare for Seahawks
Making good on his word to shock the Eagles back to life after significant back-to-back setbacks, head coach Nick Sirianni ordered a highly irregular practice in full pads Thursday.
The tactic didn’t exactly have players hip-hip-hooraying in the locker room. Working in pads at this point of the season is equal parts discipline and punishment for an Eagles squad that has made a frightening number of fundamental mistakes in being blown out by the San Francisco 49ers, 42-19 and Dallas Cowboys, 33-13 the last two weeks.
“We’re pissed off that we haven’t played and coached to our standard,” Sirianni said Thursday. “That is what you get when you have a bunch of competitive, highly, highly competitive people at the top of their field of their profession. So, we’re pissed, and we know that being pissed only lasts for so long. You have to do something about it. We’re going through some adversity right now, and we welcome adversity, right? You don’t like it. It’s like the criticism a little bit. You don’t like it when you first hear it, but then, can you use it to help you grow. There is no doubt adversity helps you grow as a team.”
There is no way to sugar coat the Eagles’ transgressions the past two weeks, regardless of the upper tier competition.
Among other slip-ups in the last two losses are atrocious tackling, an out-of-control turnover ratio (minus-3), dropped passes (a league-high four versus the Cowboys) and third down defense unbecoming of the Eagles.
The Niners and Cowboys converted a collective (and obscene) 17 for 27 (62.9 percent) opportunities on third down.
The Eagles (10-3) have a daunting challenge ahead as they prepare to hit the road for a Monday night game with the Seattle Seahawks (6-7), who still have a legit shot at earning a playoff berth.
The Eagles have lost seven straight games in the series, including the playoffs, as well as three in a row in Seattle. All they need Monday is just one victory, quarter by quarter, to get back on track. Anything less and the players are going to have to deal with major adversity.
“Coaches want to shake up the room a little bit,” Eagles veteran Brandon Graham said. “Shake it up and let people know, ‘OK, we’re going to have to change something.’ And I’m OK with that, man, because I know at the end of the day when the confetti is coming
down these moments right here are the ones you remember, that we had to make a change in order to make this run. I’m all in and we’re all in. We’ve got to exhaust everything.”
The fundamental breakdowns have been alarming for the Eagles, who in all fairness faced 49ers and Cowboys teams that both had three extra days to heal and prepare for them. The Niners and Dallas previously played on Thursdays, three days before the Eagles played.
Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata appreciated that point but didn’t agree it was a factor. The big guy was emphatic in his response.
“Scientifically, yeah, maybe that can happen,” Mailata said. “But science can’t tell you the will of a man or the want of a man. So, that’s just it. That’s why we’ve got those bleeping pads on today. We’re going to see who has the will and the want to, today.”
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert was diplomatic in his assessment of practicing in pads instead of holding a walkthrough. While the older guys appreciate the lighter walkthrough, the growing number of young guys playing larger roles due to injuries need every snap they can get.
“Players like that need practice,” Goedert said of the young guys. “They need full speed reps so they can kind of see it better. So, I think it’s just one of those things where we looked in the mirror and said some of the young guys probably need a few more reps. We need to make sure they’re growing at this time of the year. I think it’s a good thing that we decided to do.”
Graham provided examples of basic mistakes – all fixable – that have been made on defense. The Eagles are at the turning point. Get them right now or let the season get away.
The major point Graham made was for defensive players to stay in their gaps so when running backs flash into the area “You make sure you make the tackle, because they broke a lot of tackles last game.
“I know how I can get where I’m trying to make somebody else’s play,” Graham said. “You start pressing a little bit. Especially when you feel like they’re moving the ball. And especially when they’re (converting) third downs because we haven’t been good on third down. It’s just technique and fundamentals. I guess that’s why we’re out there today practicing instead of having a walkthrough.”