Philadelphia Eagles debate table: Is low morale a sign of deeper issues?

Is it time to hit the panic button within the Philadelphia Eagles fan base?

We’re almost halfway through the 2019 NFL season and many of the Philadelphia Eagles fans are starting to panic, but is Philly beyond help? They sit at a 3-4 record almost halfway through the regular season.

Their 37-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football was a brutal wake-up call. Postgame news emerged that head coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz were at odds. Then, there was an alleged anonymous source that claimed there was a lack of leadership when addressing on-filed decisions.

Criticism for the team spans everything from offensive and defensive issues to expanding trouble with trying to pin down the definitive problems before panic sets in. Losing to the Cowboys is an unforgivable sin for Eagles fans, and former players like Brian Westbrook called out the ineffectiveness of the team.

Even former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb took to the airwaves expressing his frustration with the lopsided loss. McNabb spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer stating the following:

"It looks like there’s no structure there with Doug. And Doug is the same guy that took you to the Super Bowl … Now there’s going to be a firestorm and he’s got to sit there to answer that."

When cracks start to show in a team, the first place to look is the head coach. Who else can explain two losses by the Eagles by a combined 45 points in the last two games? What’s the reasoning for two lost fumbles by Philly and 189 yards on the ground for the Cowboys?

Pederson doesn’t seem fazed by any of the on-field issues from the team’s loss against Dallas. When speaking with CBS Philadelphia, he pumped the breaks on any talk about concerns with his football team.

"By no means are we pushing any panic button. We’re one game out of first place in our division. (If) we win our division, at the end of the year, we’re most likely in the postseason. The things that are showing up on tape are fixable. They’re correctable."

Unfortunately, things showing up on tape aren’t going in a positive direction. Their receivers aren’t threats for opposing defenses, and the Dallas game put that on display. Without DeSean Jackson, Philly’s receivers average 5.82 yards per reception. The combination of Zach Ertz, Nelson Agholor, and Alshon Jeffery combined for one catch for six yards in the first half. That’s a bad sign from three guys who were cornerstone players in Super Bowl LII.

Defensively it’s equally been a disaster. Eagles cornerbacks Rasul Douglas, Jalen Mills, and Orlando Scandrick failed on every level. The Eagles defense squandered over 239 passing yards and a touchdown in the loss. The porous secondary is a major concern, especially when they face the Chicago Bears, the New England Patriots, and the Seattle Seahawks throughout the next three games.

Then, there’s Wentz. He’s seemingly always trying to complete passes in tight windows for little-to-no gain. Granted, he’s skilled in the red-zone and on third-down conversions, but he isn’t accurate. He has a QBR of 64.3 percent overall, but during the Dallas game, he racked up a dismal mark of 40.7 percent. Combine this with all the issues plaguing the offense and defense, and it’s time to sound the alarm. The Eagles need to find a solution before it’s too late.