Why Eagles’ Nick Sirianni won’t change his play-calling process

Updated: Oct. 15, 2021, 2:26 p.m. | Published: Oct. 15, 2021, 2:26 p.m.

By Chris Franklin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

After Eagles running back Miles Sanders ran the ball for 13 yards in the third quarter of Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the sellout crowd at Lincoln Financial Field rose to their feet. It was not because of a momentous occasion in Eagles history. It was the frustrated reaction of the fan base that finally saw a designed run play called and the play having success.

The Eagles were once again pass-heavy in their 28-22 loss to the Buccaneers Thursday night. Sanders had eight of his nine carries in the second half after only carrying the ball once in the first half. With the offense looking stagnant early and questions about defense adapting to the run-pass option (RPO) plays, there have been questions about head coach Nick Sirianni’s play-calling and if changes should be made.

On Friday, Sirianni said that he felt comfortable with the way things currently are with the play-calling and game-planning process, saying no changes would be made because of the people he has around him.

"We feel like we have a good process there of how we go through it,” Sirianni said. "I am fortunate that on this staff I have guys that have experience calling games, which is helping me throughout games, so we’re going to continue to stick with it, and I have a lot of confidence in that. We have got to execute and do better.”

The Eagles have been criticized for their slow starts offensively, and the amount of time it takes for corrections to be made to counter what defenses are doing. In the last two games against the Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, the Eagles have averaged 80.5 total yards and 6.5 points in the first half, creating large deficits the team has had to overcome to make the game competitive.

Because the team played Thursday night, Sirianni believes that the extra time will allow the staff to get a better idea of what the team’s identity is offensively, along with allowing the coach is to self-scout themselves better and improve tendencies and the play-calling, which include looking at how frequently they run the ball.

"We have been heavy pass as we all know, but we always want to get that closer to at least 75% and never be above 75% in anything because we know that’s where defenses take a look at that and make plans off of that,” Sirianni said. "We have more time this week to not only go into the run-pass ratio of things but also into marrying some plays together and also go into just what you do well as a team and what your identity is as a team and who you are as a team and what you’ve what you’ve succeeded in as a team.”

The Eagles have to do something quickly when balancing the number of run plays to passing plays. Defenses have been switching up their looks to stop the Eagles RPO game, using their defensive ends and linebackers to show one look to quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense before quickly switching to something else that stops them play, getting a minimal amount of yards on first down. Not being in manageable third downs has led to the offense in third and long situations and drives coming to an end.

https://www.nj.com/eagles/2021/10/why-eagles-nick-sirianni-wont-change-his-play-calling-process.html

The Eagles' play calling process:

 ALWAYS THROW THE BALL!!!!!!

 YOU HEARD HIM NICK, THROW THE BALL!!

 HEY JALEN, THROW THE BALL AGAIN!!!

 

 

OK, I THROW THE BALL!!!!

Sirianni isn't going to change because as has been pointed out he's not allowed to change. 

Getting to 75% pass / run ratio would be a start but it needs to be more than that. I'm not saying that it needs to be 60 /40 but there needs to be balance. 

Right now you've got an offense that's just flat out struggling. Hurts is a young QB who is struggling. The WRs are young and are struggling. The OL is struggling as it's always in pass protection and defenses are able to tee off against them. 

Week to week there needs to be a slightly different approach of course there does. But you need a consistent run game just to help everyone out. Slow the game down a little, give your young QB a play off. And guess what? The Eagles RBs are really quite good. Sanders is a very good RB, Gainwell has flashed as a rookie and Scott is a pretty good #3.

Sirianni's game planning and play calling aren't making any sense.....which leads me to believe he's being told what to do.  Hurst is on a "try out" but I think Howie has already made up his mind........the eagles didn't stock up on high draft pics to take defensive ends or corners........they're going after a QB.....

They have an opportunity to transform the defense in the 2022 draft, but all that high capital will be spent on the next project.