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11/09 10:06 CST Eagles coach Nick Sirianni faces tough calls entering bye. Is
it time to shake up coaching staff?
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni faces tough calls entering bye. Is it time to shake
up coaching staff?
By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) --- Nick Sirianni is set for some tough conversations with
management and staff as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to enter their bye week.
--- They are on a seven-game losing streak, the longest for the franchise since
2012.
--- The Eagles face the potential of shaking up the roster with the NFL's trade
deadline set for Tuesday.
--- They are possibly making changes to the coaching staff, particularly
ineffective first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Might it finally be
time to move on from a coordinator whose offense has not had more than 341
total yards in a game this season? That was in Week 2, when quarterback Jalen
Hurts and wide receiver DeVonta Smith were healthy, offensive tackle Lane
Johnson was active and the Eagles last won a game, at Tennessee.
"We'll talk," Sirianni said. "Right now, my job is to be there for our guys and
to go watch the tape and go look through everything. We'll do everything. I'll
do anything I can to help this team win football games. Like I said, I'll look
at myself internally first and then go from there. My job is to coach the
players and to coach the coaches, and anything I can do to help this team win
games, we'll do."
The Eagles would be wise to pull the trigger early in the week on any potential
changes to give them added time to adjust ahead of their Nov. 22 return against
the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Eagles are 2-7 and well out of the NFC East race
after losing 19-11 to the division-leading Giants on Sunday.
The Giants (5-2-1) are the lone team in the division with a winning record.
Sirianni has resisted public pressure to fire Mannion or at least relieve him
of play-calling duties. The Eagles had only 220 total yards against the Giants.
They gained their first first down of the second half in the fourth quarter.
Saquon Barkley was held to just 1.7 yards per carry on 13 carries.
Joe Milton threw for 169 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions and failed to
give the offense a spark in his first start after Tanner McKee was benched
following three starts.
Sirianni could be coaching for his own job. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie hasn't
been shy throughout his tenure after moving on from coaches who post losing
seasons. Sirianni could attempt to save his job by making a change elsewhere on
the coaching staff, but nothing is guaranteed, and the Eagles surely don't
enjoy the feeling of having to hire yet another offensive coordinator on his
watch.
"Everything can always be on the table, but I don't think you change just to
change because that's what your record says," Sirianni said. "You've got to
look at what's really real and not react to anything else."
What's working The Eagles had six sacks. Jonathan Greenard finally got his first sack for Philadelphia after he was acquired from Minnesota in a draft-weekend trade. The edge rusher later agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension, including $50 million guaranteed. The sack wasn't much to remember. J.J. McCarthy turned to scramble and ran into Greenard. What needs help The Eagles are 2-7. The entire roster needs help. Stock up Braden Mann might be the Eagles' MVP, and he flashed that lethal leg again against the Giants. He had an 86-yard punt from the Philadelphia 8-yard-line to the New York 6 late in the second quarter. It was the longest punt in the NFL since the Giants' Rodney Williams' 90-yarder in September 2001 at Denver. Mann followed with punts of 60 and 54 yards early in the second half. Former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham actually holds the franchise record with a 91-yarder in 1989. Stock down The Eagles are 2-7. The entire roster's stock is down except this week for Mann. Injuries Zack Baun suffered a back injury on the hit that temporarily forced McCarthy out of the game. Baun had two sacks, the most in one game for the linebacker since his Eagles debut in the 2024 season opener. Key number Nine --- The Eagles' losing streak is tied for ninth-worst in franchise history. They lost eight straight in 2012 in coach Andy Reid's final season. The Eagles haven't had a double-digit losing streak in a single season since they dropped 11 straight in 1968. Next steps Maybe just tank. The Eagles would have the No. 5 pick in the draft, according to Tankathon. Jalen Carter and Smith are recent top-10 picks that contributed to a Super Bowl-winning team. ___ See AP's full NFL coverage here |
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