This week, Matt Patricia took Sean Desai’s position as the defensive play-caller for the Philadelphia Eagles. Beginning with Monday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, Patricia will call the plays and send them to the defense’s “green dot,” the team said on Sunday.Desai will continue to serve as defensive coordinator and go to the booth while Patricia calls plays, according to a source who spoke with CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. After Jonathan Gannon left to pursue a head coaching job in Arizona, the Eagles hired Desai to a four-year contract this summer. Starting this week, Desai will take up his new position as defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, where he coordinated defensive plays in 2021.There were issues before the two games against the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, when Philadelphia decided to make a defensive adjustment. Since Week 8, the Eagles have allowed a league-high 428.2 yards per game and 297.8 passing yards per game, ranking 32nd in the NFL in third down defense (54.8%) and red zone defense (78.3%). In terms of points per game allowed (30.0), Philadelphia is ranked 31st in the league. This is the first time since 1967 that Philadelphia has given up 30 or more points in three straight games. Days after head coach Nick Sirianni publicly supported both of his coordinators following criticism over the previous several weeks, the defense coordinator was replaced. On the offensive end of the ball, Sirianni and the Eagles stayed the same.
“I feel good with the people that we have in this building,” Sirianni stated. “The score is 10-3. Since we are in charge of our own fate, we will keep moving forward and working with the individuals we now have to discover solutions.
It is not appropriate to pick out one person in this situation. It’s how our team improves as a whole. And as a team, we need to improve. Without a doubt.
“But that’s where we are there.”Either the Eagles changed their strategy throughout the week, or the front office took charge and made the call. In any case, starting this week, Desai won’t be calling plays for the defense.
The state of Jalen Hurts
Due to a sickness, Hurts was unable to participate in the team’s last practice on Saturday before facing the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. Hurts did not have an injury designation from the Eagles at first, but that was modified on Sunday when the quarterback was declared to be doubtful.
In order to prevent other team members from being ill, Hurts traveled with the squad apart. It is still anticipated that he will start on Monday night against the Seahawks. Marcus Mariota would start in Hurts’ absence. Modifications to practice
In addition to altering their defensive play-calling this week, the Eagles also modified their practice regimen. Previously, Sirianni had his weary squad walkthroughs for the first session of each week; but, on Thursday, the Eagles’ full-padded practice in December took the place of the walkthrough.
Sirianni stated on Thursday that “you can easily change schedules to get what you need.” “We’re not constrained by a timetable. Everything is changing in an effort to improve. I believe that we have an opportunity to improve because we need to get out there and focus on our foundations.
It’s the end of the year. Late in the season, you may not always have this chance because you need to strike a balance between their need for rest and their ability to perform at a high level while still being psychologically and physically prepared.”
The Eagles had already replaced the pads before Sirianni. After two disappointing games to end the regular season, the players petitioned Doug Pederson to have them put the pads back on before the playoff opener during the 2017 Super Bowl season. In the end, Super Bowl LII was won by the Eagles.
Philadelphia has been making adjustments in a number of areas in an effort to snap a two-game losing slide during which the Eagles were outscored by the 49ers and Cowboys a combined 75-32.
