The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Eagles reminded that road to perfection will never be smooth
PHILADELPHIA >> In improving to 8-0 more than two weekends ago in Texas, the Eagles won more than a football game. They won an 11-day mini-bye, and that would give them plenty of time to appreciate just how very good they have become. They wouldn’t need much urging.
The organization always something of an industry leader in self-appreciation — gold standard, dream team, all of that — there the Eagles were as the only team remaining with a 2022 chance to finish as the second unbeaten NFL team in history. So, darn it, they were going to take bows … and at whatever risk to their oblique muscles.
“I think this is the best organization I’ve ever been at,” Nick
Sirianni would decide. “And to me, it’s not even close.”
He’s 40 and he’s been with four NFL organizations, so maybe it wasn’t a scientific study on topto-bottom organizational excellence. Just the same, Sirianni was going to roll it out there and let someone else audit the claim later.
“The organization just does everything and anything,” he said, “to give us the resources that we need to be able to do our jobs.”
Maybe the good man is right, and no football operation is run more effectively than the Eagles. Besides, Jeffrey Lurie has never been accused of an unreasonable budget cut. Howie Roseman is three-quarters of a career into being recognized as a top-three personnel leader in the modern history of Philadelphia sports. And, on the field, nobody had been playing better.
The only question, then: How to keep it in perspective? How to balance the confidence that comes with the best start in franchise history with the reality that they had not yet played half of their schedule? How to make sure the extended layoff didn’t allow their confidence to become a detriment, not a value?
And that’s what the Eagles were facing Monday as they encountered a division opponent for the second time in a season, straits that often have the ability to catch the team that won the first time in a trap. They knew they were good. But even the good teams throw interceptions, run up against good coaches
and learn the difficult way that even the worstrun NFL organizations — Washington Commanders, stand up and be recognized — can win a game. And with the help of some sloppy Eagles offense and fortunate breaks from officials, that’s what the Commanders did, 26-21.
Professionally guided by the respected Ron Rivera, had the Eagles down by half a dozen at halftime. The ‘Manders took advantage of a Jalen Hurts interception, averaged 6.0 yards per rush, and, as well as could be expected in a facility flush with beer taps, kept the crowd effect to a minimum.
None of that necessarily meant the Commanders would win. But it did give the Eagles a surprise whiff of smelling salts.
Suddenly, their defense didn’t look like one of the championship variety, but rather one vulnerable to the run. Suddenly, their potent passing game was being rattled. Suddenly, that 11-day layoff appeared to have left them a little sleepy, which happens even to the great teams.
As the Eagles were trying to keep sharp during the layoff, Sirianni was not as much concerned with the possibility of a stumble as he was determined not to let his team lose its edge. How?
“Just going about the same process every time,” he said. “That’s dog mentality. That’s our process, however you want to say it. You can’t ride the waves of the season.
“That’s what we preach over and over again. That’s the guys we have in this room. That’s what our captains believe. And that’s just the mentality we have.”
They have great players, a quarterback likely to be the MVP, relatively good health and a splendid record. But though the Eagles have benefited from it in the past (think dog masks) they are a little too quick to try to gimmick their way through a league that doesn’t work that way. This year, there has been something about Batman, a concept so juvenile that it should be borderline humiliating to a contending team. And Sirianni’s “dog mentality” mantra tends to suggest the opponents don’t have some bite of their own.
The Eagles are better than the Commanders, and it showed earlier in the season, and it showed early Monday. Two minutes into the game and moments after Josh Sweat bullied the ball out of Taylor Heinicke’s grasp, they already were in position to do the usual. With the ball at the Washington 18 and the crowd giddy, Sirianni trusted Hurts to do what he does best. So the Eagles’ quarterback ran for 12 yards, setting up his own one-yard sixpoint sneak one play later. As usual, Hurts’ running skill had the Commanders frozen enough that, before the end of the quarter, Hurts would find A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith for meaningful gains, and Dallas Goedert for a touchdown.
It’s what the Eagles could be when they are at their best. But in that league, they were reminded Monday, that must be proven, not just declared.