The Philadelphia Eagles may have established themselves as the most dramatic 4-0 team in NFL history. The Eagles were winning games, but star wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and the fan base were all over offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, as he failed to get the explosiveness that Kellen Moore had gotten out of the group on the way to winning the Super Bowl last year.
With each controversial post or insider report, the pressure mounted on Patullo, who adjusted his game plan in Week 5. But after losing 21-17 to the Denver Broncos, it’s clear he may have put too much stock into his playmakers' complaints and cost the Eagles their undefeated record in the process.
Eagles’ Pass-Heavy Game Plan Backfires in Loss to Broncos
The game started like most of Philadelphia’s games this season, with a three-and-out on the opening drive. The Broncos and Eagles exchanged field goals with the Broncos and were tied 3-3 going into the second quarter, but the game flipped on its head when quarterback Jalen Hurts found Smith for a 52-yard gain with 8:12 left until halftime.
The pass was the first instance of airing it out, and it benefitted the Eagles on the next play when Brown drew a 24-yard pass interference penalty on Pat Surtain to set up a two-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert. While the Eagles didn’t score for the rest of the first half, they came out firing again in the second half, with Hurts hitting Smith for a 21-yard pass and Barkley for a 47-yard touchdown two plays later to give Philadelphia a 17-3 lead.
It was part of the strongest effort of the year for Philadelphia’s passing attack; however, it also neglected the running game, which received just 11 carries on the afternoon. That's just unacceptable, regardless of the game script.
Denver’s run defense was hardly impenetrable coming into Sunday, ranking tied for 14th with 4.1 yards per carry and 11th with 99.3 rushing yards per game. With the Eagles opting to keep their receivers happy, the Broncos took advantage.
Philadelphia’s pass-happy game plan made Hurts a sitting duck behind an offensive line that featured a banged-up Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson. It helped the Broncos, who led the league with 15 sacks and a 37% pressure rate coming into Sunday’s game, rack up six sacks on the Eagles and give themselves a defensive advantage.
Additionally, the Eagles had seven drives of five plays or fewer, including five three-and-outs. Without the running game to burn the clock, Philadelphia lost the time of possession battle 34:17 to 25:43 and couldn’t keep the Denver offense off the field to preserve the lead.
For an Eagles offense that has taken a step back, perhaps this is the loss that serves as a wake-up call, much like a 2-2 start did one year ago. Patullo may have done too much to please everyone on Sunday, costing Philadelphia a game in the process, and time will tell how he answers when Philadelphia visits the New York Giants on Thursday.