Philadelphia Eagles miss Frank Reich now more than ever
The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017 with the dream team of Doug Pederson and Frank Reich. The loss of Reich has haunted Philly ever since.
To call the current state of the Philadelphia Eagles offense underwhelming would be a compliment. With coaches and players names being marked for expulsion on a seemingly minute to minute basis, the franchise as a whole is at a crossroads just two years after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
What went wrong? How did one of the league’s best offensive rosters become so stale and lifeless? It’s simple. They lost the man that made them special, to begin with.
When it comes to Frank Reich‘s impact on the Eagles offense the proof is in the proverbial pudding, which in this case is represented by statistics. Over the course of the 2017 season, the Eagles offense scored 25 or more points in 12 of their 17 games, including a statement 51-23 blowout of the Denver Broncos at home.
With the aid of Doug Pederson and Reich, Carson Wentz was the surefire MVP of the NFL, boasting a touchdown-Interception ratio of 33/7. Reich’s offense had Philadelphia blowing the opposition out of the water on a weekly basis.
Clip courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles official Youtube channel
The standout trait that allowed Philly to be so successful was Reich’s innovative game planning. Philadelphia would use Nelson Agholar on sweeping outside-run plays, Darren Sproles and Corey Clement on wheel routes, and Alshon Jeffery in the screen game.
They were a dynamic force that threatened to score on every possession because Reich was seemingly always one step ahead of the opposition. This is a trait that has followed him to his latest position as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Since Reich’s departure in the 2018 offseason, his skill set has helped produce the best statistical season of Andrew Luck‘s career and put the Colts on track for the playoffs two years in a row.
Jacoby Brissett has gone from a game manager to a division-leading quarterback with a low-key MVP stat line (15 Touchdowns versus only three interceptions and a 4-2 record). This is a team that defeated Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead on Sunday Night Football.
They have no fear, and they play hard because they know their coach can find a way to win. Geoff Schwartz of Sirius XMhad glowing praise for Reich’s Colts that sounded eerily similar to the identity of the 2017 Eagles:
When your favorite team makes excuses all the time for losing, you can look at the Colts as an example of an organization that is prepared for disaster. Well coached, personnel matches the scheme and they don’t complain. Just work https://t.co/S8iOljmw6o
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) October 20, 2019
Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, the Eagles offense has been in a near-constant tailspin ever since Reich’s departure. The promotion of former wide receiver coach Mike Groh has produced one of the more anemic first half offenses in football for two years straight. Pairing the 2018 and 2019 seasons together, the Eagles have scored ten points or less in the first half of 17 of their last 26 games (including the playoffs). They have lost 13 of those games.
Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer summed up Groh’s tenure in a single tweet.
#Eagles OC Mike Groh on WR Mack Hollins, who has 1 catch in 4 games: “Mack’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. The ball hasn’t found him.”
— Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski) October 22, 2019
BREAKING: Eagles bench the ball.
Next. 10 Bills who could wreck Week 8’s game. dark
In a year that has quickly gone from optimistic to one of panic, it’s memories of 2017 that fuel the discord. The memory is tantalizing because, on one hand, it was only two years ago, but on the other hand, it feels like an eternity since it happened. The Eagles offense is in a state of flux that they must move on from, and that starts with finding the next great innovator to pair with Doug Pederson.