More or less what I predicted last night.  (Other than the play calling aspect)

 

Just now, Ace Nova said:

 

More or less what I predicted last night.  (Other than the play calling aspect)

 

Yay half measures 

37 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Oh brother... 🤦‍♂️

My bad 🙋‍♂️

17 minutes ago, ToastJenkins said:

They are emotional and mentally weak. They lack resilience. The entitled brats of the me generation

its the never got spanked everyone gets a trophy generation.

2 hours ago, Casey @ Bat said:

Each case is different. These 2 guys are all pros. Keeping QB upright is of utmost importance to any franchise. Whoever you want the Qb to be. I’m not ok with Matt Pryor and Nate Herbig playing over there in their place. These 2 aren’t Alshon and DeSean, when they are out there they make a significant difference.

Point 2, changing 75% of the roster in an off season is far fetched. Veterans are still needed.

This isn’t English football where injuries are resolved with magic spray.  The double Achilles for Brooks may be something he can overcome are he may have lost flexibility strength to push and it is highly likely his speed is impacted.  

Lane’s ankle sounds chronic and Lane even said maybe when considering his future when he went on IR.  Heck, Luck retired from a high ankle sprain.  It can be a significant injury.  Lane needs reconstruction from the sound of it.  

I really want to believe Lane and Brooks can return to their previous form but it is not guaranteed by a long stretch.  Both may look at their bank accounts and decide being able to walk when they are in their forties isn’t worth risking by continuing. 

57 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Millennials get a terrible rep for no reason. It’s the damn zoomers that are what get called "millennials”

Here's where I'd like to mention there should be a "Xennials" category.  I didn't have a cell phone, facebook or instagram, or sexing apps until after I graduated college, so I have the unique ability to communicate with people via phone or face to face.  

11 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Yay half measures 

Probably a top 5 scene in Breaking Bad.  

Yes I can see the following happening...

Wentz starting rest of the season maybe Hurst the last game or so....

Doug is told he needs to hire a real OC and give up play calling if Doug says no he will be gone.

Howie is told he needs to hire a real GM and give up drafting if Howie says no he will be gone. 

New QB coach

GymShorts is not resigned. 

Wentz will be the starter next year unless they can fiscally make a responsible trade and if it work out in their favor. 

Lol man. Not surprised this has been the direction the topic has went, but Go ahead and continue to generalize all of us. 

4 minutes ago, hputenis said:

Here's where I'd like to mention there should be a "Xennials" category.  I didn't have a cell phone, facebook or instagram, or sexing apps until after I graduated college, so I have the unique ability to communicate with people via phone or face to face.  

Please explain. 

Just now, EaglePhan1986 said:

Please explain. 

I actually can't, because I've never personally used one.  Tinder is the one that comes to mind.  

Just now, hputenis said:

I actually can't, because I've never personally used one.  Tinder is the one that comes to mind.  

Oh ok! Trust me it’s not as enjoyable or easy as you may think. 

Who should the Eagles hire as a QB coach?  I feel the sign that Pederson was pushing Carson harder than Press when Press was out last week is a death knell for Press’s career here. Couple that with the fact he is the Passing Game Coordinator and how poor the route calls are just spells that he needs to go.  Frankly, I would tell him not to come back.  I would also ask him to take MM with him.  He can drive Press to Ohio and then just keep going. 

8 minutes ago, hputenis said:

Here's where I'd like to mention there should be a "Xennials" category.  I didn't have a cell phone, facebook or instagram, or sexing apps until after I graduated college, so I have the unique ability to communicate with people via phone or face to face.  

Thank you. I had to type school reports on a type writer for some years, I’ll be damned to be lumped in with those tick tockers 

@hputenis

This is the kind of thing you mostly see on Tinder..: 

 

26 minutes ago, bbabraham said:

What was option 5?

I can posted the article. Just give me a couple mins 

7 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Please explain. 

Farmers only 

In the final minutes of the Eagles’ 23-17 loss to the Seahawks on Monday night, the discussion on ESPN’s broadcast shifted toward who’s to blame for the state of the Eagles.

Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese referred to the Eagles as a broken franchise. They talked about the errors in personnel evaluation, the potential disconnect between the front office and coaching staff, and Carson Wentz’s struggles. It’s a conversation that’s been happening in Philadelphia for weeks and an exercise that owner Jeffrey Lurie has undoubtedly gone through himself.

According to a Philadelphia Inquirer report, Lurie skipped the Eagles’ game against the Browns because he was frustrated with the team’s play. There are five games left, and it’s unlikely Lurie makes any final decisions before the end of the regular season. But there’s no doubt he’s already considered what the best path forward is for the franchise in 2021 and beyond.

For now, let’s set aside the quarterback question with Wentz. What the Eagles do there will be a collaborative decision and will depend on who’s in charge. But head coach and general manager will come down to Lurie. Will he blame Doug Pederson for the Eagles’ performance this season? Or Howie Roseman? Or both? Below are the seven options that Lurie has, with my thoughts on each.

Option No. 1: Run it back with Pederson and Roseman

What Lurie would be thinking: This was a weird COVID-19 season. Yes, he thought the Eagles were positioned to be much better, but these have been truly unique circumstances. Roseman and Pederson got the Eagles to the playoffs three years in a row and brought the city a Super Bowl title. Lurie can look around the league and see all the bad coaches and general managers being employed by other teams. He could convince himself that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and be wary about earning the reputation of an owner who starts firing people at the first sign of adversity. It might take some yoga, hot tea and meditation, but perhaps once Lurie distances himself from the disaster of 2020, he decides that Roseman and Pederson are the right people to get the Eagles back on track for 2021.

My take: I can appreciate loyalty, but this would really look like the "I have no new ideas” option. The Eagles are 21-21-1 since their Super Bowl season. Their .500 winning percentage since 2017 ranks tied for 17th with the Browns. They’ve benefited from some lucky breaks, such as playing in a terrible division and playing some terrible quarterbacks but have still been a mediocre team for three consecutive seasons. To run it back and blame the team’s performance on the unusual circumstances of this season would be a mistake. Every team has been playing by the same set of rules, and if anything the Eagles were better positioned than others to handle the shortened offseason given their continuity at quarterback, head coach, defensive coordinator and general manager. It’s possible Lurie feels an attachment to Roseman and Pederson and determines that because the team is pretty much tied to Wentz in 2021, now is not the time for drastic change. This is much different from the Chip Kelly situation when Lurie didn’t feel a personal connection to the person he was firing. Firing Pederson and/or Roseman will be much more difficult for him. However, going this route would mostly signal that Lurie is afraid of change and unsure of a better path forward. That is no way to run an NFL franchise, but I could see Lurie talking himself into this option.

Option No. 2: Run it back but adjust Pederson’s role

What Lurie would be thinking: With this scenario, it’s important to remember what the Eagles did this past offseason. Coming off of a mediocre offensive showing in 2019, they did not make significant personnel changes. Instead, Lurie and Roseman pushed coaching staff changes on Pederson. That tells us the owner, at least to some degree, thought the coaching was an issue. Well, those staff changes have turned out to be a disaster. Perhaps Lurie will feel he didn’t go far enough. Maybe he decides that he likes the Eagles’ culture and Pederson’s leadership and emotional intelligence. He just doesn’t like Pederson’s play calling. Could Lurie tell Pederson that he wants him back on the condition that he gives up play-calling duties? Maybe.

My take: This would be one of the worst options imaginable and a recipe for disaster. It’s probably also unrealistic. Pederson, like most offensive coaches, loves play calling. It’s one of his favorite aspects of the job. He hasn’t fared well this season, but he has been a very good play caller in the past. If asked to give it up, he very well could say, "Thanks, but no thanks.” And even if he says yes, it’d be unlikely to solve the Eagles’ problems. Look at the coaching staff hires they made last offseason. What makes anyone think they’d be able to identify the NFL’s next great play caller this offseason for an offensive coordinator job? And even if they did, that wouldn’t be a path to sustained success. If the new play caller is fantastic in 2021, guess what? He’ll probably end up being considered for head-coaching jobs elsewhere in 2022. This can’t be the option Lurie chooses.

Option No. 3: Run it back but adjust Roseman’s role

What Lurie would be thinking: Roseman has been with the organization for 21 years. For the past five years (and prior to the Kelly era), he’s been Lurie’s right-hand man. But even Lurie has to see how Roseman’s personnel decisions have landed the Eagles where they are right now. Maybe he has a talk with Roseman and brings up the idea of a promotion/demotion. What’s a promotion/demotion? You get more money and a new, fancy-sounding title. But in reality, you have less control than you had previously. In other words, Lurie would hire someone else to at least be in charge of the draft and maybe have final say on overall personnel, but Roseman would remain with the organization in some capacity.

My take: Another terrible option and also probably another unrealistic one. Roseman loves the draft and trades and free agency and team building. That’s why he got into the business. Sure, he stepped away in 2015 when Lurie handed roster control over to Kelly, but that was temporary. Had Kelly remained in power for an extended period of time, Roseman likely would’ve looked for another job. But it didn’t take long to see that Kelly was going to be gone and that Roseman would get another chance. Roseman would have more options to go elsewhere this time, considering he has a Super Bowl on his resume. Even if Roseman was on board with such a move, this would be the type of half-measure that inhibits real change. Roseman would still want to be heavily involved in the team’s plans, and the theoretical new personnel person would have to worry about pleasing Roseman rather than doing what he thought was best for the organization. This option would be too messy.

Option No. 4: Run it back but adjust both their roles

What Lurie would be thinking: This would be a combination of options 2 and 3. Keep Pederson but add a new play caller. Keep Roseman but put someone else in charge of the draft/overall personnel.

My take: I didn’t like options 2 or 3 for the reasons outlined above. So I definitely don’t like Option 4.

From left, Howie Roseman, Carson Wentz, Jeffrey Lurie and Doug Pederson in 2016. (Bill Streicher / USA Today)

Option No. 5: Move on from Pederson but keep Roseman

What Lurie would be thinking: Again, remember what I mentioned earlier: Lurie and Roseman, with their actions, blamed coaching for the offensive issues last offseason. That’s the lens through which Lurie could be viewing this season’s struggles. And if that’s the case, this could be the move. Lurie has plenty of say and influence, but he’s always had a right-hand man to guide him. First it was Joe Banner, then it was Roseman. He could look at this roster and determine that it’s underachieving. Roseman could convince Lurie that a few roster tweaks and a coach who can unlock Wentz is the path back to contention. Roseman should not be underestimated here. Remember that he outlasted Banner. And even when he was moved out of football operations, he eventually returned with more control than ever before. He has had Lurie’s ear for a long time. He has helped direct the last two coaching searches. It’s possible Lurie might be overwhelmed with the idea of having to undergo a head coach and a GM search by himself at the same time. He could convince himself that Roseman has rebuilt the roster before and can do it again.

My take: This option, in my opinion, would be a misguided assessment of the Eagles’ issues right now. Roseman has had final say for the past three years, and the results have not been pretty. Many of the Eagles’ issues stem from what was a disastrous 2020 offseason. Lurie always seems to fear making the clean break. He could’ve done so when he moved on from Andy Reid, but he kept Roseman during the transition to Kelly. Lurie could’ve done so again when he moved on from Kelly. Roseman wasn’t even working in football operations at the time. It would have made all the sense in the world. But he brought Roseman back to take over as GM and help with the hiring of Pederson. The other issue with this option is it could limit whom the Eagles get as a head coach. Some of the best candidates will undoubtedly want more say on the roster than what Pederson has. Given Lurie’s history, though, this option can’t be ruled out and is probably among the more likely ones listed here. It would allow Lurie to make a significant change at head coach but keep a lot of the Eagles’ infrastructure in place.

Option No. 6: Move on from Roseman but keep Pederson

What Lurie would be thinking: He could take a look at the roster — specifically on the offensive side of the ball — and determine that the only player who is really underachieving is Wentz. Yes, that’s a big one. But it also speaks to the state of the roster, which is old, expensive and bad. Lurie has previously talked about how he takes copious notes on personnel decisions to revisit later and make evaluations. He’s one of the few people who knows why the Eagles drafted Jalen Reagor instead of Justin Jefferson, whether their process was sound when trading up for Andre Dillard, what they saw in J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to take him over DK Metcalf, why they signed Javon Hargrave, why they passed on DeAndre Hopkins and so on. He has the information. It’s possible that he looks at Roseman’s decision-making over the past three years and determines Roseman is overwhelmingly responsible for the roster being a mess. Maybe he looks at the way Pederson rallied the team down the stretch in 2018 and 2019 and the way he connects with players and determines Pederson can still succeed with better personnel.

My take: Given what we know about Lurie, this is among the least likely scenarios. In my opinion, if he decides to move on from Roseman, then he’ll move on from Pederson, too, and essentially make a clean break. I don’t think he’s been happy with the coaching, and I don’t think he’ll go so far as to blame the bulk of the Eagles’ problems on personnel. Lurie has always wanted the bright offensive coach who creates game plans and schemes that the football world drools over, and given the team’s performance in 2020, he has to have serious questions about whether Pederson can be that guy. I could see him bringing them both back, but I have a hard time seeing Lurie essentially choose Pederson over Roseman.

Option No. 7: Blow it up — move on from Pederson and Roseman

What Lurie would be thinking: He wanted the current setup to last. Roseman and Pederson brought him a Super Bowl, and he likes both of them personally. But at some point, he has to recognize it’s not working. The Eagles have been mediocre for three straight seasons. They have advanced past the wild-card round twice in eight years post-Reid (2013-present). They have advanced past the divisional round just once. Lurie has long believed quarterback play and offensive efficiency determine wins and losses. The Eagles are on pace for their worst offensive performance of the post-Reid era. He thought Pederson could recapture his 2017 magic with some new voices on the coaching staff, but that didn’t work. Lurie wants an offensive mind who’s on the cutting edge of what’s next, a trend-setter. With Pederson, he’s watched a coach who is apparently incapable of finding answers. The initial plan when Lurie hired Pederson was to find a coach who could be a quarterback whisperer. But instead, Wentz has performed like one of the league’s worst quarterbacks and regressed in 2020. Pederson has had an incredible run and will forever be a legend in Philadelphia. He has a statue outside The Linc. But that doesn’t mean he’s the right person to lead the Eagles.

As for Roseman, he did a brilliant job of cleaning up Kelly’s mess and building a Super Bowl roster. No one can take that away from him. But over the past three years, he’s built a bad roster. And even worse, the Eagles have little flexibility to improve. It’s tough to identify the area where Roseman gives them a real edge right now. It hasn’t been with trades and free agency. It hasn’t been with the salary cap. It hasn’t been with identifying talent. And it hasn’t been in the draft. The Eagles have a potentially franchise-altering 2021 offseason coming up. It could include a big decision on what to do with Wentz and what to do with a top-10 draft pick. Does Lurie really want Roseman to make those decisions? Especially knowing that Roseman could be incentivized to prioritize short-term gains over long-term results in the interest of job security?

My take: By all accounts, Pederson and Roseman have worked hard. They delivered the city a Super Bowl and have families who will be impacted by whatever Lurie decides. Having said that, it’s a tough business, and there’s a strong case that this is the option that makes the most sense for the franchise. The offense has been a disaster. It has no identity, the play calling has been bad and the quarterback has reached a floor that nobody thought was possible. That’s on Pederson. He gets credit for the team playing hard and staying together, but it’s tough to envision a scenario where Pederson fixes the offensive issues. Football Outsiders has DVOA data going back to 1985. The Eagles rank third worst in the league on offense. The only other time they’ve been that bad during the 36-year span was 1998 when they were second worst. Going into this year, I didn’t think there was a realistic scenario where Pederson would be coaching for his job. But I also didn’t think there was a realistic scenario where the offense would be this bad.

As for Roseman, I realize I’m repeating myself, but the roster is old, expensive and bad, and their cap situation is among the messiest in the league. The 2021 offseason has to be about having a smart vision for the next three to five years. That starts with the draft. It’s not just that the Eagles have failed in identifying talent under Roseman. Every team has misses. But their process has also been unsound. They’ve failed to draft for volume and have spent picks on players with limited upside (Dallas Goedert, Jalen Hurts), given the construction of the roster. They spent two years failing to upgrade at wide receiver via trades and free agency. And they’ve sunk money into unnecessary areas (like Hargrave at defensive tackle), knowing that they face cap challenges in the offseason. Bottom line: Roseman’s decisions over the past three years have played a huge role in where the Eagles are today. And Lurie can’t overlook that.

Finally, there is an advantage to tying the head coach to the general manager and vice versa. You can hire both at the same time and let them know that they’ll either succeed together or fail together. That you’re not interested in power struggles and have no interest in assigning blame if things go badly. It’s going to be a truly collaborative partnership that both parties have to make work. This is the only option that allows for such a dynamic.

So there you have it. In my opinion, Lurie will most likely be choosing among options 1, 5 and 7. Which option do you think he will choose, and which option do you think he should choose?

18 minutes ago, DoWorx said:

its the never got spanked everyone gets a trophy generation.

Sounds like bad parenting. What generation were they from? 

4 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Who should the Eagles hire as a QB coach?  I feel the sign that Pederson was pushing Carson harder than Press when Press was out last week is a death knell for Press’s career here. Couple that with the fact he is the Passing Game Coordinator and how poor the route calls are just spells that he needs to go.  Frankly, I would tell him not to come back.  I would also ask him to take MM with him.  He can drive Press to Ohio and then just keep going. 

He probably won't have to, and I'm sure Press will gladly leave.  He is highly regarded in the league as one of the next young masterminds.  He will probably be an OC somewhere next year just because of his reputation alone.  Truthfully, I would love to see what he can do calling plays.  At this point, it can't be any worse.  

7 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Who should the Eagles hire as a QB coach?  I feel the sign that Pederson was pushing Carson harder than Press when Press was out last week is a death knell for Press’s career here. Couple that with the fact he is the Passing Game Coordinator and how poor the route calls are just spells that he needs to go.  Frankly, I would tell him not to come back.  I would also ask him to take MM with him.  He can drive Press to Ohio and then just keep going. 

I don’t know about QB but I would try to lure Pep Hamilton for OC. 

25 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Wrong, at least for the majority born in the 80’s

Compelling argument

born in 75 so gen x here. Yes we are skeptical and some would say cynical 

the millenials somehow have less self awareness than their awful boomer parents which is impressive in a bad way

4 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

@hputenis

This is the kind of thing you mostly see on Tinder..: 

 

They always have kids too lol. If I would want to find a serious relationship now at my age, I’ve already accepted that I’ll have to be cool with being a step parent lmao

17 minutes ago, hputenis said:

Here's where I'd like to mention there should be a "Xennials" category.  I didn't have a cell phone, facebook or instagram, or sexing apps until after I graduated college, so I have the unique ability to communicate with people via phone or face to face.  

I'm somewhat close to this.  My childhood was definitely analog and became digital as an adult.

 

Not interested in hiring an OC. If he does what he's hired to do he'll be hired away in a year or two and we'd be back where we started.