Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been under the microscope after a slow start through the first month of the regular season.
Over the past week, Eagles’ star wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have voiced their opinions about the offense and its struggles. On Sunday, Patullo had a chance to change the narrative against a solid Broncos’ defense. The Eagles started well on offense, throwing the ball around and getting Smith and Brown involved, but it didn’t lead to a win.
Smith led both teams in receiving with eight receptions (10 targets) for 114 yards, while Brown had five receptions (eight targets) for 43 yards. Following the game, Smith gave his thoughts on the passing game, making it clear that they still have room for improvement.
"We made some improvements in certain areas. We can still be a lot better… Shoot ourselves in the foot a lot; left a couple of plays out there. A couple plays out there, we wasn’t on the same page. Ultimately, we need to get on the same page," Smith said via Cory Nidoh of Philly Sports Network.
DeVonta Smith Still Unsatisfied with Eagles’ Passing Game After Loss
The veteran wide receiver did not mince words about the team’s performance. It was nice to see Hurts toss the ball around the field for 280 yards and two touchdowns. But it wasn’t a seamless showing from the passing game, and it's clear that Smith needs to see more from Patullo & Co. before he has complete faith in Philly's offense.
In the first half, Hurts completed 13-of-19 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, with seven out of their 11 first downs coming through the air. Smith produced four receptions (six targets) for 75 yards, while Brown had four receptions (four targets) for 35 yards. However, the Eagles’ passing game only converted four first downs in the second half. Hurts was 10-of-19 for 142 yards and a touchdown, while Smith had 39 yards on four receptions (four targets), and Brown added one reception for eight yards.
For this Eagles’ team to return to where they were in 2024, they need to play a complete four quarters and must be in sync through the air and on the ground. Granted, they were playing a solid Broncos’ defense, so it wasn’t going to be easy. That said, it's not necessarily good to hear five weeks in that the offense or passing game needs to get on the same page. Part of that responsibility falls on the quarterback, but it's also on the shoulders of Patullo and head coach Nick Sirianni.
Eagles fans are losing their patience with the passing game being a topic of conversation every week. Eventually, Patullo needs to find a balance and get this offense running on all cylinders if he wants to keep Smith, Brown, and the fan base happy.