Well, even a quarterback change can't make a difference for the Philadelphia Eagles, as they fell to the New York Giants 19-11 in Week 9 action.
The Eagles are now 2-7 and have lost seven straight. New York has increased its lead in the NFC East with a 5-2-1 record.
There are plenty of instant reactions, and most of them are negative. Here are some reactions to the game.
Instant reactions to the Eagles' performance against the Giants in Week 9
Joe Milton III did the best he could with what he had to work with
Look, new starting quarterback Joe Milton III wasn't the best, but he wasn't the worst either. He completed 18 of 34 passes for 169 yards and ran the ball nine times for 64 yards.
The problem in this game is that Milton had no time to throw it in the pocket; sometimes he held on to the ball too long, miscommunicated with Darius Cooper on a potential first down, and had a Makai Lemon drop. Even with all of that, he had some good moments with running the ball and showing poise in the pocket. Overall, Milton didn't get much help from the running game or the offensive line, but he fought better than Tanner McKee would have.
This Eagles offensive line is just horrendous to watch
How in the world does this Eagles offensive line finally have some continuity and still look worse than ever? This rushing attack averaged 3.7 yards per carry, and Milton was sacked seven times. Seven. Times.
Guys like Drew Kendall and rookie Markel Bell aren't cut out to be starters right now. Also, Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper...he's got to go. He should not be employed after the bye week.
Makai Lemon is officially a consistent top target on the Eagles
Lemon has now led the pass catchers in three straight games and has surpassed 50 yards, with DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks out with injuries. On nine targets, Lemon caught six passes for 61 yards, with a long 17-yard completion. He did have two bad drops in the game, though; that's worth pointing out.
This Eagles team is pretty much out of the playoff hunt at this point, entering the bye week, so Smith and Wicks may not be rushed back onto the field with their injuries. That might be fine, since Lemon is catching fire as the team's top pass-catcher.
Philly's defense came alive after a rough first eight-game stretch
Sure, the Eagles needed the defense to make some key stops in the second half, but overall, this defense had some great performances. Zack Baun had two sacks and three tackles for loss, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. had 11 tackles and three tackles for loss, and Jonathan Greenard got his first sack as an Eagle.
Overall, the Eagles' defense allowed a season-best 243 yards, with 80 coming from the running game. It wasn't quite perfect, but this was one of their best performances of the season. It's too bad the offense didn't show up.
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No Eagles coach should be safe with their jobs entering the bye week
Did I already mention that Kuper should be fired as the offensive line coach? Let's mention it again, since he is about as horrendous a coach as there has ever been in team history.
Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay should be added to that list after Rocco Underwood's ugly rushed snap on the punt late in the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion really needs to be considered after the offense barely moved the ball for just 220 yards.
Lastly, Nick Sirianni's name will come up, and there is a legitimate argument that he should be considered for losing his job. Because of his success over the last five years, Sirianni deserves the benefit of the doubt to at least finish the season.
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