Eagles Lose Six Straight: 4 Things to Focus on During This Inevitable Ruin
Well, the Eagles lost again, and depending on who you ask, this might be a good thing.
For one, this loss improves their draft position. That’s really it; losing sucks, but in all fairness, it’s a strong point.
Still, the season will trudge on regardless. We’re not even halfway through this season, which has been a parade of horribles.
That said, there are still things you can pick up on.
So, let’s break down a couple of things to watch if you’re a sicko like me and still planning on watching every game.
Nick Sirianni
Nick Sirianni’s seat is heating up. You could argue it’s not heating up because it’s always been hot, with the minor exception of the season after the Super Bowl win. Honestly, let’s throw those Super Bowl highlights out because things are bad; it brings me joy. Personally, I like the guy as the head coach. Every time the team plays poorly, it’s his fault. Every time the team wins, it’s on the players and other coaches. That’s good enough for me. Add that the players never talk bad about him, and I’m fine keeping him.
Still, should Howie Roseman or Jeffery Laurie want to move on from Sirianni, this is their easy out. But how do you evaluate Sirianni?
Effort. It’s a very simple concept that everybody has, but not everybody uses. A great head coach should be able to pull this out of players, crucially when things are going poorly. It’s also hard to quantify. I look for the little things. Are receivers holding their blocks on a run play? Does a defensive lineman hold their gap instead of chasing a stat-padding sack? Will a runner fight for an extra yard or two? Players don’t tank, but they might not give their full effort if it’s perceived as wasted.
Young Players
Players with no excuse for a lack of effort are Makai Lemon and the young players. I know, if you’ve read anything by me lately, you’ve seen this take already. Still, they should keep progressing as rookies or young players. They also should put in the most effort to learn and earn their starting spot. While Lemon’s growth is already in progress, he had a career high in targets; he still needs to learn about the toll a full NFL season takes on a player. The other rookies I want to see are Uar Bernard and Josh Weru. I’m sure you’re reading this fan-based blog from a writer with no profile picture, Howie. Do the right thing. Bring them up and let them get a couple reps.
There are also the non-rookie young players to keep an eye on. It’s pretty safe to say a guy like Jeremiah Trotter Jr. should be a strength going forward. The jury is still out on Jihaad Campbell and whether he should be a linebacker or a down lineman. What better place to let him try either position than a sunken season? The last is Tanner McKee. Is he a backup or the backup quarterback? It’s a big distinction. “A backup” you hope for the best. “The backup,” you expect to get a few wins in the starter’s absence.
He’ll need to work on his pocket presence and ability to hold the ball if he wants to be around for a while.
Trades
Trade candidates are another thing to watch with the trade deadline next week (November 10th). I don’t expect the Eagles to be buyers at the deadline. Maybe they’ll trade for a player who can help in a year or two, but that usually comes at the price of a player on a short deal.
Prime candidates include Riq Woolen, Jonathan Greenard, and even Landon Dickerson. They could contribute to a contender and likely wouldn’t cost much draft capital to acquire. Still, those draft picks could be valuable in the hands of a GM like Howie Roseman. We still have time to figure that out, and we’ll likely talk about it next week when the deals start to materialize.
The Sixers
Last, we have the Sixers, which have been the opposite of the Eagles. They’re exciting, fun to watch, and more importantly, winning. If you need some type of respite from this Eagles season, I’d recommend them.
Will the season be all sunshine and rainbows? Of course not; it’s sports, specifically in Philadelphia.
Still, it’s early in the season, and the players are having fun. LeBron went into the stands on a play and swiped a quick taste of a guy’s wine. Another stark contrast to the current Eagles.
Still, it’s nice to put your hope somewhere, even if they historically haven’t gone your way.
At the end of the day, that’s what sports are all about.
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Categorized:Eagles