Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been a huge disappointment in his first year as an offensive coordinator. The Eagles’ offense is ranked 19th in scoring (22.5 points per game), 22nd in rushing (108.5 yards per game), and 23rd in passing (193.6 yards per game) as of Sunday afternoon, which is far off from where fans expected the defending Super Bowl Champions to be.
For a team that is loaded at the skill positions, which includes a reigning Super Bowl MVP under center, it's inexcusable for this Eagles’ offense not to be one of the best in the league.
Over the last several weeks, fans have been calling for a change at offensive coordinator as they would rather see anybody else but Patullo. But head coach Nick Sirianni has vehemently said on the record that he’s not changing the playcaller.
However, Sirianni is finally taking things into his own hands by getting more involved, which isn’t a good sign for Patullo.
According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, the Eagles' head coach has been “more vocal” in offensive meetings, while also presenting material alongside Patullo. McManus adds that a source told him Sirianni is also “addressing the group for longer than usual” at the beginning of meetings before yielding to Patullo, who is still running the meetings.
Kevin Patullo Could Be Fighting for His Eagles Future in Week 14
For most Eagles fans, hearing Sirianni getting involved in offensive meetings doesn’t move the needle, as they don’t expect much to change. Fans remember when Sirianni was calling plays on offense during his first year with the Eagles in 2021, and it wasn’t anything special. Eventually, Sirianni turned over the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
That said, this situation with Patullo is different from what it was with Steichen, Brian Johnson, or even Kellen Moore. With Steichen, the Eagles had an identity, and it was the same with the last two offensive coordinators.
Patullo still hasn’t established that identity with his unit, which isn’t great 14 weeks into the regular season. Additionally, having the head coach step in to help you doesn’t inspire much confidence going forward.
Now, could Patullo change the narrative about his abilities as an OC with a good game against the Los Angeles Chargers and the final games of the regular season? Yes, but would it be enough to save his job as offensive coordinator? That’s highly unlikely, as the Eagles would be doing themselves a disservice by not exploring outside options.
They need someone who will come in and not run a bunch of hitch routes, which has been a staple of Patullo’s offense. If the new offensive coordinator is hired, that person needs to help scheme guys open, utilize more crossing routes, and add in motion.
Needless to say, Eagles fans will be watching to see if Sirianni’s involvement helps his offense get back on track and resemble the unit they saw in the postseason last year. If it works, then it will bode well for Patullo. But if things look the same, Patullo’s seat will stay hot.