by Justin Melo
NFL
Should The Eagles Fire Nick Sirianni?
The Philadelphia Eagles were non-competitive in Monday's embarrassing 32-9 wild-card defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It represented an appropriate conclusion to what proved to be a tumultuous season in Philadelphia. The Eagles should consider parting ways with head coach Nick Sirianni as a result.
I typically wouldn't advocate for a coaching change after one rough end to a season. Sirianni led the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance last season, after all. But how Philadelphia's season crashed and burned with such fascination must be considered by general manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie.
The Eagles entered Monday losers of five of their final six regular-season contests following a 10-1 start, including blowout defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, and uninspiring losses to the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants. Cracks began showing in an offense that lacked a clear identity, and a defense that failed to execute basic concepts (tackling drills, anybody?). Jonathan Gannon and Shane Steichen were clearly missed as the coordinators on both sides of the ball.
So it was no surprise when the freefalling Eagles managed nine measly points against a 9-8 Buccaneers squad that only qualified for the playoffs because they play in the NFC South. Sirianni's offense failed to convert a single third-down attempt, finishing 0-for-9, or 0-for-11 when factoring in two failed fourth-down chances. A once dominant rushing attack ran for 42 yards for an Eagles offense that totaled 276 net yards.
Failure to execute wasn't the most concerning aspect of Philadelphia's season. It was the sideline dustups that felt increasingly regular. It was a lack of faith shown in defensive coordinator Sean Desai, both by the players and Sirianni himself. It began in mid-December when safety Kevin Byard convinced Desai to allow the players to spearhead preparation for an upcoming game, one they'd eventually lose to Seattle. It's a task Desai would have normally handled.
Sirianni then stripped Desai of play-calling duties, shifting that responsibility to veteran defensive assistant Matt Patricia. The move backfired spectacularly as the Eagles' defense allowed 29.75 points per contest in their last four games. The opponents? The Giants (twice), Cardinals, and Buccaneers. Welp.
Sirianni failed to control his staff and command the locker room. He mistakenly went in search of a quick jolt when making an inadvertent play-calling change toward the conclusion. Sirianni must bear responsibility for Philadelphia's whimper of a season.
If Sirianni returns for 2024, and early indications are that he will, sweeping changes will regardless arrive. Desai isn't expected to return as defensive coordinator after being stripped of responsibility. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson is also on the hot seat following Jalen Hurts' regression. Johnson is interviewing for multiple head coaching vacancies. If he fails to land one, Sirianni could nonetheless force his exit. Johnson's offense came nowhere near matching Steichen's, although it's worth noting Sirianni is a known meddler. It's unclear how much blame actually falls at Johnson's feet.
Sirianni will likely receive an opportunity to course-correct, and understandably so after going 25-9 in the regular season over the past two years. Roseman and Lurie should at least consider the alternative, especially in a cycle that features available candidates such as Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel. Sirianni's seat is currently hot.