It doesn't look like the Kevin Patullo saga is going to subside any time soon. The Philadelphia Eagles' season has been defined by their offensive struggles so far, and offensive coordinator Patullo is rightfully under fire, especially after Thursday night's loss to the rival New York Giants.
At this point, the most likely change for the Eagles will be regarding Patullo, considering how much dissatisfaction there is with the offense. Yet, not every Eagles player is willing to throw the coach under the bus.
A few Eagles stars refused to point fingers after losing on Thursday, taking responsibility instead. Running back Saquon Barkley denied that there was a predictability problem within the offense (h/t @ZBerm). Quarterback Jalen Hurts discussed how he needs to have better awareness in the end-of-half situation and blamed himself for the late-game interception.
Offensive lineman Jordan Mailata similarly said, "We just can't point fingers... Just gotta be a man and look at that film and get better from it. There are plays that we all want back. No one can sit here and say they play the perfect game, and that's what (we) need to hang our head on right now is accountability. That starts from the top to the players and everyone else down. We've just got to have a big accountability weekend."
Although Barkley, Mailata, and Hurts attempted to lead by example, not every Eagle was feeling the same way.
Eagles Stars Can't Agree on What the Problem Is
In contrast, offensive tackle Lane Johnson did believe there was a predictability problem, according to Berman.
"Last two weeks, you kind of know what it is: You know when the pass is coming, you know when the run is coming... Moving forward, we've got to do a better job of that... You can game plan all you want, but when you get in the game, a lot of it’s about making those adjustments on the sidelines."Lane Johnson, Eagles OT
Predictable playcalling and lack of adjustments have been a constant point of criticism for Patullo over the last few weeks. Star wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have previously voiced their frustrations with the offense. Unlike some of the other Eagles, Brown has refused to take accountability for some of his mistakes, subtly hinting at how he feels about Patullo.
Whether one believes that Patullo should be fired or not, it's clear that he is causing division in the locker room. Not agreeing on what the problem is makes it harder to fix that problem. The Eagles don't seem to be on the same page about what needs to be done to get this offense going, and winning another Super Bowl will be tough unless something changes soon.
That alone may be a good enough reason for the Eagles to move on from Patullo. A fresh voice in the locker room that can identify the problem, get the stars on the same page, and unite the team before it's too late might be exactly what the doctor ordered.