The Eagles‘ performance last season raised several eyebrows, especially when their stellar 10-1 start went awry. Speculation emerged, including the appearance of Big Dom on the sidelines in the last stretch of the regular season. Now, an even bigger issue has come to light when the Eagles’ offense looked sluggish in Week One. A year ago, in 2023, Head Coach Nick Sirianni said he would reconsider his preseason approach, including how he handled QB Jalen Hurts, but nothing has changed since then. Now, several perspectives have entered this debate, keeping the HC on the hot seat.

On August 16, 2024, the 975 Fantastic’s host, Andrew Salciunas, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Eagles’ preseason decision not to play the offensive starters so far. “It’s just an excuse to not play the starters,” he said. If the offense starts slow in a Packers game, he doesn’t want to hear the excuse, ‘Oh, well they didn’t play in the preseason.’ 

On the other hand, another host, John Kincade, credited Sirianni for listening to both sides of the coaching staff. He said, “It is obvious that the defensive coordinator wants people to play,” highlighting Vic Fangio’s need to convey his expectations to Sirianni.

Kincade also noted that the offensive and defensive coordinators have different approaches, and Sirianni has tried to listen to both. Kincade saw the complex decision-making process in a positive light, stating, “I’m going to look at it as a positive,” indicating that it is important to appreciate a balanced approach when considering the diverse opinions of the coaching staff. 

However, it is still important to see how such internal conflicts and preseason strategies will affect the team’s performance and coaching decisions. The Eagles will need to keep all these aspects in mind before executing their strategy in the regular season.

2024: Make-or-break season for HC Nick Sirianni

We know how the team fired former OC Brian Johnson and DC Sean Desai after the flop show in the 2023 season. The team’s once-impressive 10-1 record turned into an underwhelming finish, as they lost 6 of their last 7 games, including a wild-card playoff loss to the Buccaneers. Head coach Nick Sirianni was also responsible, but the organization made these two coordinators scapegoats.

However, the team’s downfall can be attributed to the discord between Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Their differing philosophies on offense made the situation worse. Hurts seemed to be losing control of the offense, and this lack of cohesion began to tear the team apart.

Now Sirianni’s position as head coach is under more scrutiny. If the team struggles again, there will be no one left to scapegoat, and it will become even more challenging for Sirianni to secure his job beyond 2024. He even emphasized, “I know I need to improve on things. So, that’s the task we have, the challenge I have, and this is a business of meeting the challenge, and I’m up to that challenge. I’m looking forward to it.”

He emphasized that he will implement his strategies together with OC Kellen Moore, who will bring new energy to the team. Moore has seen a lot of success as an OC, especially with the Cowboys. During his four-year tenure from 2019 to 2022, he led the team to average the second-most points per game in the NFL, averaging 27.7. Additionally, the team has also welcomed the new DC, Vic Fangio, who has over 20 years of experience as an NFL Defensive Coordinator.

Players are excited to work with the new staff, who can refresh the team dynamics. Hurts and Sirianni are trying to repair their disconnect, but this new season will show how effective their collaboration can be. The relationship between the head coach and quarterback will be crucial to the team’s success, and these upcoming challenges will truly test their partnership.