Fire Nick Sirianni? How Eagles’ showed they don’t care about coach’s job in Giants debacle
All the previous weeks of speculation on whether Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is losing the team has led to this: embarrassment upon embarrassment upon embarrassment, culminating with the latest indignity, a humiliating 27-10 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.
It’s possible that Sirianni’s future as Eagles coach could very well depend on the upcoming playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Monday night in Tampa.
That should sound preposterous because the Eagles have reached the playoffs in all three of Sirianni’s seasons. They were in the Super Bowl only 11 months ago. They were 10-1 just six weeks ago.
That’s what happens when a team loses five out of six to close the regular season, including back-to-back losses to bad teams.
Sirianni’s panic move to change defensive coordinators has backfired as Matt Patricia has not been any better than Sean Desai. Over the last two games, the Eagles gave up 62 points to two teams that have a combined record of 10-24 this season.
“We’ll see what we’re made of. We’ll see what this team is made of,” quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “Now, it’s about finding that deep in our souls, and figuring out ways to win.”
So far, the answer is clear. The Eagles appear to be trying hard − to get Sirianni fired.
After all, this was a complete surrender. The Eagles fell behind 24-0 in the first half. Journeyman Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 15 of 20 passes for 229 yards by halftime.
Taylor picked apart the Eagles’ defense as if he was Peyton Manning and Tom Brady rolled into one.
“When you get hit in life, when you get hit in football, you’ve got two options,” Sirianni said. “You can stay down, or you can get the eff up. And I know this group as fighters.
“We’ve all been through things in our life that we’ve all had to deal with (expletive), and we know how to get up. That’s why we’re all sitting in this room … Not only are we physically tough, we’re mentally tough.”
How tough?
On one play, Taylor saw edge rusher Nolan Smith covering running back Saquon Barkley, a mismatch if there ever was one. Taylor threw to Barkely deep down the sideline for 46 yards, with Smith futilely giving chase.
It wasn’t any better for the Eagles’ offense. The Giants blitzed Hurts so often and so effectively that it seemed like the Eagles were facing the 1985 Chicago Bears defense − and not one that gave up 407 points this season (the Eagles gave up 428 points, by the way).
“We just got beat up pretty good by a really bad football team,” Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said.
Cox was one of the lucky Eagles. He was held out of the game to rest. Many of the other starters rested too − while they were playing.
That is, until halftime, when Sirianni mercifully pulled them.
So where do the Eagles go from here? Cox, for one, gave an impassioned speech when asked what kind of mindset it takes to come out of this funk.
“You got guys in this locker room that have made millions and millions of dollars,” he said. “It shouldn’t be a question on their mindset. They’re focused on going to the postseason. That’s nothing they’re worried about − anybody’s character, players’ effort, or anything like that.
“I think, the feeling I get from this team is very scary right now. Obviously, everybody’s sad.”