It's hard to gauge how we're supposed to feel right now. Some say Nick Sirianni needs to stay true to himself, that he should remain aggressive if that's the blueprint. Why would he throw the ball on third-and-four and kick the field goal one play later? That was one of the prevailing thoughts after the Philadelphia Eagles blew a late fourth quarter lead when the Birds went up in flames on Monday Night Football versus the Atlanta Falcons.
Nick heard you Eagles fans! Facing a fourth-and-one scenario late in the second quarter of Week 3's game versus the New Orleans saints, the Birds eschewed the Brotherly Love, electing instead to run off left tackle with Saquon Barkley.
Let's just say it didn't work.
Not fooled.
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 22, 2024
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/PwgFPAliTa
Here's the even worse news. The hits just kept on coming. Philly took the opening kickoff of the second half and mounted a nice drive, but it ended with another Saints stop on fourth down.
Yet another 4th down stop thanks to Bryan Bresee
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 22, 2024
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/iXztItFeyo
Did we mention we don't know how we feel here? Let's take a look and see what everyone else is saying.
The Eagles are getting buried for the aggressive fourth-down play calling
It appears much of Eagles Nation is in agreement. They don't like the play call. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't seemingly. Maybe they're right though? Maybe on the road in a hostile environment you make the decision to take the points?
It was a bad decision to go for it. I think a tush push there is almost a worse decision.
— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) September 22, 2024
Nick Sirianni cost himself about 16 seconds not calling timeout after the Dallas Goedert completion.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 22, 2024
Then he had the 4th-and-1 decision with the fake "Tush push" or whatever that was.
Not a banner series there for the #Eagles head coach.
3 points is below them in a game the defense is playing like this?
— chris long (@JOEL9ONE) September 22, 2024
Biggest issue I have with going for it on fourth there is I don't understand what it accomplishes? You get maybe one more play to throw it into the end zone?
— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) September 22, 2024
Re: 4th-down decision — I'm usually in favor of the aggressiveness, but I don't believe that call was even a data-driven decision given that they would have no timeouts after the play and only 10 seconds on the clock.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) September 22, 2024
If they convert it, they have 1, maybe 2 shots at EZ and a…
Did Jake Elliott retire before the game or something?
— James Seltzer (@JamesSeltzer) September 22, 2024
Nick Sirianni has made the decision to go for it on 4th down twice.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) September 22, 2024
Passed up 6 points in the process.
4th-and-3 was too far from the 39 in a 3-0 game. Guess #Eagles forgot Jake Elliott was their kicker.
Did Jake Elliott die? Because I want to https://t.co/2hcQFziEB7
— Thomas Mott (@RealThomasMott) September 22, 2024
It's amazing the Eagles still have a chance to win this game. They have turned the ball over on downs twice. Jalen Hurts has turned the ball over by fumbling and by throwing an interception. Then, there are the injuries.
Lane Johnson has been ruled out with a concussion. Mekhi Becton is out with a finger injury. Britain Covey will miss the rest of this one because of a shoulder injury. Regardless of how this one turns out, the Birds haven't done themselves any favors, and this fistfight has been costly thanks to the mounting injuries.