If you wake up on Tuesday morning and you learn that hell has frozen over, fear not. The signs of which came on Monday Night Football. Would you believe it? The Philadelphia Eagles defense is being led by Matt Patricia.
Yes... We're discussing the same Matt Patricia whose New England Patriots defense saw Nick Foles shred it in Super Bowl LII. Yes... We mean the same Matt Patricia who had that falling out with Darius Slay in Detroit when he was the Lions' head coach.
You never know with this great game we love though. As fate would have it, that same Patricia fellow is a senior defensive assistant with the Birds these days. He and Slay have made up, and after a poor two-week showing by Philly's defense with its coordinator Sean Desai at the helm, changes have been made.
Desai retains his D.C. role, but the duty of calling the plays falls on Patricia's shoulders now. As you would probably think, everyone noticed and there was a lot of discussion about it on social media during Monday Night Football.
Don't take our word for it. Check out some of the highlights.
Matt Patricia D already getting stops lol
— James Seltzer (@JamesSeltzer) December 19, 2023
Matt Patricia defense. Three and out. All is right in the world. #Eagles
— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) December 19, 2023
Matt Patricia calling plays in Eagles gear is just so weird to see
— Alexis Chassen (@Lovelybuckeye) December 19, 2023
Solid start for the defense. Had a 3 & out. Seattle almost converted on 3rd and long, but Roby made a strong tackle. Got the ball back for the offense.
— Tommy Lawlor (@lawlornfl) December 19, 2023
Matt Patricia had Sydney Brown as a dime linebacker on the first defensive play of the game. That’ll be a good use of him.
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) December 19, 2023
#Eagles D did have a few differences in the first series under Matt Patricia:
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) December 19, 2023
- Sydney Brown was lined up a dime linebacker on the first play of the game (he came off after the false start)
-Bradley Roby in at NB on third down
-Eagles went with a 5-man front on second-and-13.
Eagles D forces 3rd and out first drive https://t.co/INwiWdNA36
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) December 19, 2023
The feedback wasn't as positive during the early part of the Eagles second defensive series.
#Eagles get to third-and-long, but give a 12-yard completion. Matt Patricia called a zone blitz with Haason Reddick dropping into coverage and Bradley Roby blitzing. Backfires as Drew Lock has enough time to locate Reddick and throw right past him.
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) December 19, 2023
Back to giving up third and long
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) December 19, 2023
There goes Patricia's streak of getting off the field on 3rd down.
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) December 19, 2023
At the time of this story's release, two offensive drives by the Seattle Seahawks ended in punts. Who knows? This 'Patricia calling the plays thing' just might work. It better! How do you go back to Sean Desai if it doesn't? You can't, right?
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