The Eagles are now 1-3 following their 42-30 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and just like their loss against the San Francisco 49ers, they have nobody to blame but themselves.
The issue on Sunday was not the play calling. It was not a lack of running plays. It was not Jalen Hurts.
The issue on Sunday was the penalties.
The Eagles committed nine penalties on Sunday, but they continually came in big moments to negate touchdowns, put them behind the sticks and give the Chiefs fresh sets of downs. The penalties came from everyone — but Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat and Andre Dillard had especially bad ones.
The defense did not play well, even going against a very good Chiefs offense. They stopped the Chiefs only once all game and continually were unable to get off the field on third down.
Still, one month into the season the Eagles’ biggest issue — by far — has been penalties. Until they clean them up, they won’t be winning many games.
Here is a report card for Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni from the loss:
Jalen Hurts: After playing arguably his worst game in an Eagles’ uniform agains the Cowboys, Hurts definitely bounced back against the Chiefs.
Let’s start with the positives.
Hurts also, however, made some really impressive plays to keep the offense moving. He avoided pressure on 4th-and-2 from the Chiefs 20-yard on the second drive of the game to find Kenny Gainwell for an 12-yard gain and a fresh set of downs. Then, two plays later, he found Dallas Goedert in the corner of the end zone from three-yards out for the touchdown. Hurts also made a really nice throw down the right sideline to DeVonta Smith, who pulled it in for a 37-yard gain. He hit tight end Zach Ertz in the hands in the end zone on the first drive of the third quarter, but the pass was dropped.
The mistakes Hurts did make, however, were very, very costly.
Hurts missed Zach Ertz for an easy touchdown on 2nd-and-8 from the 16-yard line on the first drive of the game. There was pressure in his face, but it is a throw he had to make, and could have given the Eagles a big boost to start the game. Hurts cost the Eagles another touchdown later in the half, when on 1st-and-goal from the three-yard line he had Greg Ward open in the end zone, but put the ball too far ahead of him, making what should have been an easy catch into a catch that should have been made, but was dropped. The two throws alone cost the Eagles eight points, as they had to kick field goals instead of converting for touchdowns.
As will be the case each week with Hurts, the question now is which mattered more, the bad or the good?
There is no question he had a good overall game. That is definitely a step in the right direction after the debacle against Dallas. The bad, however, remains a big concern — his ability to make the easy throws that are there to be made. Until Hurts starts doing that consistently, there is going to be very fair questions about his ability to be the team’s quarterback of the future.
Grade: B-
Nick Sirianni: The issue with Sirianni’s offense on Sunday wasn’t the play calling — it was penalties and sloppy plays.
The Eagles were sloppy from the start of the game. They were called for a delay of game on 4th-and-3 on their first possession, turning an attempt on fourth down into a field goal. Making it even worse, the Eagles tried to call a time out before the snap, and were awarded it — meaning they both burned a timeout and didn’t end up going for it on fourth down. There is also some debate on whether he should have gone for it after being awarded the timeout, considering the Chiefs’ offense was on the other sideline.
On the second drive, on 1st-and-goal from the eight-yard line, Hurts ran it six yards to get down to the two — but it was called back due to a holding penalty on Andre Dillard. The result was instead of a 1st-and-goal from the two-yard line, the Eagles were back to the 18, and the drive ended in a field goal instead of a potential touchdown.
Just like against the 49ers, Sirianni’s offense struggled to punch it in from a few yards out multiple times.
After the offense had a touchdown called back from six-yards out due to a Dillard penalty, they faced 1st-and-goal from the 3-yard line towards the end of the second quarter. The first play was an incompletion (on a poor throw by Hurts), second play was a backward pass that was a terrible play call and the third was a broken play where Hurts had to throw the ball out of the end zone. Once again, instead of a touchdown, the Eagles ended the drive with a field goal.
In the third quarter they once again failed to scored from a few yards out. The Eagles had 1st-and-Goal at the 7-yard line, and were called for a delay of game on the first play. Then, four plays later, they had to kick a field goal instead of getting it in for a touchdown. While a bad call but the ref definitely negated what should have been a touchdown, the Eagles still did a poor job in the red zone once again.
Sirianni can’t go out on the field and play. To a certain degree the penalties are out of his hands. The bottom line, however, is that the penalties are so out of control that they have to fall on the head coach — and it takes away from what was an otherwise impressive day for Sirianni.
Grade: C-
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
