Recap
The Eagles lost 5 out of their last 6 games to end the 2023 regular season, with their last loss coming against the New York Giants by a score of 27-10. Although the Eagles played the majority of the game with their backups, the last game of the season was certainly something to forget. The defense continued their trend of poor play, allowing 415 total yards to New York’s 2nd and 3rd string quarterbacks. Although the Eagles pulled their starters during this game, the starters really weren’t making a difference while they were in the game.
Positive Observations
1.) Quez Watkins
Although I may be reaching here, Quez had a decent game; he ended the day with 8 receptions for 93 yards & a TD. In a game where there were limited bright spots, Quez was able to step up and contribute. Here’s to hoping that he can build on that momentum in the playoffs with AJ Brown’s knee injury.
Negative Observations
1.) Coaching
This season has been quite an interesting one for Sirianni, as the Eagles went from flying high with a 10-1 record to ending the season as a 11-6 team. The cracks in the foundation that fans have noticed are beginning to widen, and the on the field problems are becoming more glaring. From a schematic standpoint, the Eagles have absolutely no answer for the blitz; Eagles QB’s were sacked a total of 5 times on Sunday & were under pressure on almost every drop back.
2.) Personnel Decisions
I understand the thought behind the starters playing, but it ultimately was a poor decision. Jalen Hurts suffered an injury to a finger on his throwing hand (and continued to play), while AJ Brown suffered a knee injury and will not be available for the Eagles Wild Card matchup against the Bucs. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Eagles should have never let the starters touch the MetLife turf in a meaningless game.
3.) Defense
The defense continued to struggle against inferior teams, as the Giants were able to move the ball at will. For a team that prides itself in the quality of play in the trenches, the defensive line has simply not delivered this season. There was virtually no pressure against a weak Giants team who were down multiple starters; this does not bode well for the Eagles, as the competition will continue to get tougher.
Upcoming Opponent
The Eagles travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers on Monday at 8pm. The Eagles will be without key players in AJ Brown & Sydney Brown, and may be without Reed Blankenship as well. Additionally, the Quarterback for both teams have injury designations but are expected to play. The key to this game is to run the ball effectively; the Eagles have the talent to simply control the game by controlling the clock. If they can run the ball effectively, I do believe that they have a shot. That being said, what I’ve seen from this Eagles team the last 6 weeks is disappointing to say the least, and unfortunately, I think that they will lose.
Prediction- TB: 28, PHI: 24
Final Thoughts
The Eagles have the talent to win this game on paper; unfortunately, talent on paper does not always translate to success on the field. In reality, the Eagles have some question marks that have not been addressed throughout the season. I hope I’m wrong, but the Eagles haven’t shown me anything to make me think otherwise. As always, Go Birds!
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Nate Eichner is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Nate, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
A quick exit for the Eagles from the 2023-24 post-season. The 49ers may find themselves in the same boat next season.