So, now what? Jake Elliott missed another field goal in Week 18. His second-worst statistical season has ended, but don't fret. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni remains confident in the struggling kicker.
Elliott was off-target from 39 yards out on Sunday vs. the Giants. He finishes the regular season having connected on 77.8% of his field-goal attempts. That's his worst showing since the 2020-21 NFL season.
His struggles this time have mostly come from 50 yards out or longer. He only made one of his seven attempts from that range. He did however nail a clutch 50-yarder vs the Commanders in Week 16.
His coaches haven't lost confidence in him. Either that, or they're saying the right things when they are asked.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni continues to defend Jake Elliott despite growing concerns about his struggles.
Let's be fair here. The eighth-year veteran did connect on his two other field goal attempts vs the Giants, but his continued struggles are cause for concern as the Eagles head into the playoffs. Coach Sirianni was asked about Elliott's struggles after the regular season finale when he and Tanner McKee met with media members. As expected, he affirmed the staff's "faith" in the longtime kicker.
"He came out and made two after that. Again, we didn’t lose any faith in him. He went out and ripped two that we needed right after that."
Something else of note is this. Elliott also shared kickoff duties with punter Braden Mann during Week 18. That leaves uncertainty about who will handle kickoffs when the NFL Playoffs begin.
Sirianni and several members of the coaching staff have offered satisfactory explanations for the up-and-down performances. Still, Philly enters the postseason with a kicker who has become unreliable, and that looms as a significant concern.
The Eagles are set to face the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round on Sunday, a team they narrowly defeated in Week One by a 34–29 margin. Green Bay’s offense has been red-hot since then, scoring 30 or more points in five of its last seven games. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s offense has hit that mark only three times over the same span.
Elliott's struggles at home present additional cause for concern. He has made just 71.4% of his kicks at Lincoln Financial Field this season. That represents a career-low percentage. He has missed at least one field goal in three of the Eagles’ eight home games.
Every point matters, especially against an offense as dangerous as the one belonging to the Packers. A missed field goal could be the difference between a first-round exit and keeping the Eagles' Super Bowl aspirations alive.
Watch for Elliott to have a pivotal role in the Eagles' success/failure in the playoffs. We hope he morphs back into the Pro Bowler and former Second-Team All-Pro. The guy that always came through in the clutch that we fell in love with is in there somewhere.