There has been a tsunami of criticism aimed at Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo for the way the offense has looked. Still, after nearly 400 yards and a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15, he has done a good job in calming the waves for a bit.
In his press conference, Patullo was asked how the offense has been more efficient in the Raiders match than in the rest of the games. The offensive coordinator had a simple explanation: it's all about what they do on early downs.
"When you look at it, it's just working through things over time," Patullo said via The Athletic's Zach Berman. "I think sometimes, as things go from week to week, from practicing different plays, and eventually you say, 'Okay, this thing's ready for game action.
I think just working through different phases of under center, shotgun, how we're marrying things, that's part of it too. When you stay efficiently on first, second down, and you can get to a third and manageable, obviously that helps.
That's kind of the key to it. Some of the issues we've had prior, too, is a first down penalty or second and long, and all of a sudden a third and long, and you're off track. Staying on track is really, really critical, and that obviously paid dividends on Sunday."
Patullo has the game plan that works, but will he keep doing it?
This has been the call all season for the Eagles: what they do on first and second down. The problem has been Patullo being too predictable on first- and second-down play calls.
It would be on first down, running the ball with Saquon Barkley for a yard or two. On second down, it's either another run to Barkley or telling A.J. Brown or one of the other receivers to run a hitch route that goes incomplete because the defense was ready for it.
Patullo found a way to be different with his play calling by taking more shots down the field for DeVonta Smith or hitting Brown in the seams. Even just running the ball more with Jalen Hurts on QB-designed runs was a great way to throw the defense off guard.
Read more: Nick Sirianni refuses to stop Jalen Hurts from doing this one thing anytime soon
The Eagles' offense took a massive step in the right direction against the Raiders, but this is usually where the drop-off happens again. Patullo has to carry this momentum consistently for Philly to be a legit Super Bowl contender.