Eagles Talk: Is Doug Pederson to blame for loss to Seattle?
The Philadelphia Eagles got their first reality check of the season on Sunday night.
It was a tough battle for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. They waltzed into Century Link Field to take on the hungry and desperate Seattle Seahawks. As one of the hottest teams in the NFL, the Eagles were heavily favored to win. As hot as they have been, the Seattle environment seemed tough enough to cool them down as they gave the Eagles their second loss of the season.
There is plenty of blame to go around for this loss. The defensive secondary was swiss cheese. Carson Wentz played his worst game of the season. Some of the top receivers went missing and the penalty flags were being tossed around like it was nothing. While the loss can be pinned on many different factors, the biggest issue in Sunday’s game was Eagles head coach, Doug Pederson.
Pederson’s Problems:
Doug Pederson spent the 2017 offseason already on the coaching hot seat. While he had a decent 3-0 start as a rookie head coach, things quickly fell apart during the 2016 season. A lot of people speculated that if his same mistakes carry on into the 2017 season, he would be out of the head coaching job in no time.
Now that we are in heading into Week 14, Pederson has been praised for his progression this season. Before Week 13, the Eagles were 10-1 with an opportunity to wrap the NFC East up. After a devastating loss in Seattle, it is tough to not be concerned with how the team was coached.
To make a long story short, Pederson got caught up in all of his old bad habits in the loss. He was hardly aggressive at times when he should’ve been and he made some questionable play calls in very crucial situations.
Although the Eagles led in time of possession, his clock management was also very questionable. Also, the decisions to challenge and not challenge certain plays have caused a lot of commotion in Philadelphia. Pretty much everything Pederson was criticized for last season, was on display on Sunday night.
Next: Eagles still in great shape despite Week 13 loss
The Week 14 matchup in Los Angeles will be the second-biggest test the Eagles will face this season. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back after a big loss on the road against another NFC team. How Pederson and the Eagles respond this next game will show us if this team is truly great or just good. Coaching adjustments will be key for a bounce back, and all eyes will be on Pederson this week.