Poor play calls helped sap Birds’ momentum against 49ers

PHILADELPHIA » Remember that aggressive, full speed ahead, dog mentality the Eagles exhibited in the season opener?

Well, they were sleeping dogs in Week 2. They didn’t roll over, that’s for sure. But obedience school would have helped, considering all the undisciplined mistakes they made in their 1711 loss Sunday to the San

Francisco 49ers.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni blamed himself for the sequence of play calls the Eagles struggled over after they got a firstand-goal at the 1-yard line of the Niners with the second quarter winding down. A 91-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to Quez Watkins set the series up.

On first down, Hurts couldn’t find an open Zach Ertz in the end zone. Then Miles Sanders lost three yards trying to cut back to the right on second down, thanks to guard Landon Dickerson, who replaced the injured Brandon Brooks, accidentally blocking center Jason Kelce.

Hurts got one yard on third down, leaving Sirianni with his first major decision. Kick the field goal or ride the energy of Eagles fans at sold-out Lincoln Financial Field?

Sirianni called a reverse Philly Special. Hurts handed to wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who flipped it to fellow receiver and one-time quarterback Greg Ward, who threw incomplete toward a covered Hurts in the end zone.

“Felt confident in the coverage we were getting, and they didn’t play it,” Sirianni said. “That happens sometimes. On second thought, do I want that play back? Of course. Any time you call a play that doesn’t work, especially in tight games and especially down there in a sevenpoint play, you’re going to want that back. So, I’ve got to call a better play.”

The 49ers danced off the field. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo promptly marched the offense 97 yards in a dozen plays, capping it with an 11-yard throw to Jauan Jennings for a 7-3 lead with 12 seconds left in the first half. Rough as that was for the Eagles, it didn’t compare to losing captain Brandon Graham, the pulse of the team, during the drive.

Except for the last possession, Hurts capping a 75-yard drive with a oneyard run, and Kenneth Gainwell running for the two-point conversion with 4:02 left, it was a struggle for the Eagles much of the day.

Jake Elliott’s low 47-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter was snuffed by Javon Kinlaw.