[ad_1]
For a team still struggling to correct their offensive woes, Monday night’s 23-17 loss to the Seahawks did not benefit Carson Wentz and the Eagles.
With the chatter of a potential change at QB ringing loudly in the days leading up to the game, Wentz was fortunate enough to send a message against a secondary who provided little resistance all season. What was to follow ended up being as confusing as the game’s final score.
“Offensively we fought with a lot of injuries. A lot of different moving parts up front with the offensive line, the guys on the inside and the outside. We didn’t have the consistency and the continuity that you would want week after week, “coach Doug Pederson told reporters. “We just haven’t had that this season. It’s something we can’t find excuses for; that’s where we’re at, and we need to improve.”
The defense tried to lead the charge by forcing two turnovers on downs and a first-quarter punt, but the offense stalled again early. Mistakes and stagnant play calls led to five straight three runs before the Eagles finally scored a TD just before half-time. Prior to that, Philly hadn’t recorded a first-half TD since Week 8.
In their first game of the second quarter, the Eagles knocked out Jalen Hurts, who would have been in line for more shots under center. After his first snap drew a false start from Philly, Hurts completed a pass to Alshon Jeffery for a win of six. Seconds later, Wentz was back in the game, only to be sacked seconds later, which led to a punt.
Despite the early indication that the rookie would see more work, Hurts saw the field on just three shots, including the penalty. Pederson said he ultimately decided to use it as he had due to the bad start.
“The plan was to use it when we could,” Pederson said when asked to play more at Hurts. “The way the game started, we just didn’t have a lot of chances, too many three and-outs. I don’t think we had a first try until the second quarter. We didn’t. didn’t manage to run, so it just wasn’t the cards, so to speak, at the start of the football game. Neither more nor less than what we would be using every week. “
The odd QB rotation aside, perhaps the thorniest decision of the night came in the middle of the fourth quarter at a time when the Eagles probably should have been completely out of the way, but it didn’t. was not also thanks to the defense game. like he did.
Facing fourth place and a 20-9 hole over the Seattle 15, Wentz and Dallas Goedert failed to synchronize on a play that saw the tight end veer in as Wentz looked to the ‘outside. The Eagles could only watch helplessly as the errant pitch landed in the hands of Quandre Diggs in the end zone and wondered what might have been if they had gone to the basket instead.
Pederson attributed the call to the team wanting to “stay as aggressive as possible” given the circumstances. The turnover, in addition to the multitude of untargeted passes and six times Wentz has been sacked by a Seahawks defenseman, highlights a bigger problem that would not be resolved even if Wentz were benched.
“He’s not just one guy. We’ve had blackouts in all areas and it doesn’t matter who’s out there,” Pederson said. “Mistakes were always going to be made and [that’s] something we need to fix. “
The state of the NFC East is helping soften the blow from that latest loss, but, with just five games to go, the Eagles had better recover and fly right if they want to make the playoffs.
Wentz said after the game the team were frustrated and looking to make a difference and “surprise some people”. Beating the Searing Packers on Sunday would be a good place to start.
[ad_2]
Source link