Doug Pederson Is a Liar, but Shouldn’t Be Fired
Doug Pederson is a liar.
He stood on those Art museum steps, Lombardi in one hand, the city of Philadelphia in the other and he told us with a straight face, “this is the new norm, to be playing football in February.”
He had us eating out of the palm of his hand, he had us thinking that the Eagles were going to be the next great dynasty, maybe not the Patriots dynasty…no screw that the Eagles were going to be the next Patriots.
The Birds had dethroned the GOAT, won the city its first Super Bowl, made fans everywhere shed tears of joy, and then Doug told us this was the new norm.
That feels like a lifetime ago. Not even three full seasons removed from the Super Bowl, the Eagles sit at 3-7-1, in third place of the worst division possibly in the history of the NFL, the team stinks, Carson Wentz looks like a shell of himself, the roster construction stinks and Doug Pederson, the liar, cannot get this team on the right track.
Eagles’ fans did not sign up for this “new norm.”
It’s been a frustrating year, and with the upcoming schedule, it doesn’t look like it is going to get any easier for Eagles’ fans or the man that owns the team, Jeffrey Lurie. A report came out last week that Jeffrey Lurie left practice in disgust and it was noted that he missed his first game as owner two weeks ago in Cleveland. So the question is what’s Lurie’s next move? Even if the Eagles somehow find their way into the playoffs by winning a few games, this team is seriously flawed and way over the cap next season so there is no immediate fix waiting around the corner. The fact that the Eagles aren’t running away with the NFC East this year is enough for heads to roll and move on from people that helped this organization and city win its only Super Bowl title.
Lurie has to look at three main factors in this abysmal season, Carson Wentz, Doug Pederson, and Howie Roseman. Changes will be made across the organization, but one of these three main contributors has to be let go after this season. Because Roseman drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round, the first look should be to Wentz. Wentz has been bad this year, there’s just no way around it. It has been for a number of reasons, talent around him, offensive line play, play calling, etc. but he has made bad decisions and cost his team in a lot of situations this season. However, Wentz, and his huge 2021 cap hit, are most likely unlovable at this point. It will be hard to find a trade partner to take him and the investment in draft capital and finances the Eagles have put into Wentz are far too great to move on from after this season. Whether or not he will be the starter for the whole year is a different story, but Wentz will be on the team.
Ultimately, the decision should come down to Doug Pederson or Howie Roseman.
Pederson has had a miserable year, from his play-calling to his obsession for going for two to his decision to punt against the Bengals (I know the tie might help but still). For some reason Miles Sanders cannot get involved in the offense, Alshon Jeffery is playing the same amount of snaps as Travis Fulgham and the strengths of this team are not highlighted in the playcalling. All of this is directly on Pederson because there is no offensive coordinator and he calls the plays. And he lied to us at the parade (which I’m not over yet and probably never will be over it). For all of Pederson’s flaws this year, guys in that locker room seem to have his back and still want to play hard for him.
Ultimately, Doug has to stay and Howie has to go.
The roster construction is so poor, contracts are so mismanaged and the drafting in recent years has been absurdly bad (DK vs. JJAW case and point). Eagles fans will be forever grateful to Howie Roseman for constructing the roster that won the first Super Bowl in Eagles history and he should never pay for a drink in Philly but it is time. Even though Pederson was the one who proclaimed the new norm, the team and city ran with it and the expectation is for this team to be in Super Bowl contention every year. This team’s performance this season has proved that it is time for Howie to go because he is not building rosters that are built for Super Bowl runs.
The new, new norm needs to be built by a new regime in the front office or the Eagles will be looking at a lot of disappointing seasons in the future.
Featured Image: MICHAEL BRYANT/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Inquirer
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Categorized:Eagles