New Details on Eagles' Coaching Dysfunction Emerge Before First Playoff Game

The Philadelphia Eagles are limping into the NFL playoffs after losing five out of their last six games, encompassed by a struggling defense and inconsistent offense. 

The Eagles’ offense finished the regular season ranked inside the top 10 of scoring (25.5 points per game) and rushing (128.8 yards per game), but there was a noticeable dip in passing (225.5 yards per game) under first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.

Could all Philadelphia’s offensive struggles be attributed to Johnson? Or does head coach Nick Sirianni hold some blame for how things have transpired with the offense?

ESPN’s Tim McManus published an in-depth story on Monday about how the Eagles got to where they are and dropped in a nugget about some of the issues Johnson and Sirianni are having this season.

“A source described Johnson as having to fit his own philosophy within an offensive structure belonging to Sirianni. And just how much autonomy Johnson has as a playcaller is unclear,” McManus wrote. 

“Sirianni has acknowledged that he'll step in to overrule a call on occasion, as he did on a critical third-and-long play against the Washington Commanders in Week 4, when Johnson wanted to pass and Sirianni dialed up a run, which didn't pan out. The line is blurred enough that some offensive players don't know for sure who is calling the plays and when, a team source said.”

If you are an Eagles fan, this is not what you want to hear hours before a pivotal playoff game, which could determine the future of a lot of people. McManus’ deep dive also pointed out how quarterback Jalen Hurts hoped that the offense’s direction would change when the team started to struggle.

Hurts reportedly thought the Eagles were too “overly” reliant on vertical routes and not using short-to-intermediate throws. This is something that Eagles fans have been clamoring about for weeks, along with running the football.

Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how things play out tonight in Tampa, as the Eagles are favorites to win but are struggling to figure out who they are in a win-or-go-home situation.

Even though the Eagles are scrambling to figure things out, fans can still get involved in the action and place a wager on tonight’s game on FanDuel Sportsbook. Eagles fans, who are new customers, can put down a $5 wager on the moneyline, and whether the team wins or loses, they will get $150 in bonus bets. It’s a great promo that fans should take advantage of before kickoff tonight.

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