The Philadelphia Eagles picked up one of their most thrilling victories of the year when they defeated the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. However, like many of their victories this year, Eagles fans may not have been satisfied with the result as Philadelphia almost blew a 13-point lead in an eventual 13-12 victory.
Usually, the fan base’s opinion differs from that of head coach Nick Sirianni, but this could be the week that Sirianni sees their side of the argument. Sirianni said coming into the game that he planned to play his starters in an effort to do what’s best for the team and get them into their best form ahead of the playoffs.
When the game finished, it was clear that the message had only been received by half the team. While the Eagles’ defense heard it loud and clear, the offense didn’t look anything like their championship standard, which is becoming a big problem as they look to defend their Super Bowl title.
Eagles Offense Doesn’t Answer Nick Sirianni’s Call to Action vs. Bills
The Eagles’ offensive effort is something that will surely irritate Sirianni as he looks ahead to the Week 18 season finale against the Washington Commanders. Philadelphia got on the board early when Jalen Hurts connected on a one-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert with 35 seconds left in the first quarter, but that drive was aided by a Josh Allen fumble that gave the Eagles the ball on the Buffalo 45-yard line.
Philadelphia added a pair of Jake Elliott field goals before halftime to build a 13-0 lead, but the offensive spigot was completely shut off in the second half. Aside from another Kevin Patullo conservative masterpiece, the Eagles couldn’t move the ball at all, totalling just 16 yards in the second half, according to Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice.
Perhaps more concerning was that the Eagles never stepped up for the big play to put the game away. Jalen Hurts went 0-for-7 passing in the second half, and Saquon Barkley had just 68 yards on 19 carries against a defense that was run over for 246 yards in a Week 15 win over the New England Patriots and 160 yards in a Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns.
This was also shadowed by an Eagles defense that looked as aggressive as ever, delivering several big hits and setting the tone for the evening until the Bills made their rally in the fourth quarter.
With the defense good enough for a long run, the offense will move from being under a microscope to an ant under a magnifying glass. It could mean that Sirianni could have the first-team offense see playing time against the Commanders next week to get a couple of good drives under their belt, or an extensive examination two weeks before they open the playoffs with a Wild Card matchup.
Whatever the answer is, time is running out to find it. And a call to action by Sirianni earlier in the week definitely didn’t get the job done.