Nick Sirianni has led the Eagles to a 2-5 record in his first season as head coach, including a 33-22 loss at Las Vegas on Sunday.
by Jack Kerwin | ydkjack1@gmail.com
The jig is up.
Seven games into his head-coaching career in the NFL and one thing is clear about Nick Sirianni: he’s not cut out for the gig.
Not now, probably not ever.
He was a bad hire by the Eagles’ highest ups, Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie. A classic case of someone unqualified for the job on paper, and even less prepared for it in real life.
For that alone, Lurie would have every right to fire his right-hand man immediately, and, for that matter, he’d probably do those who care most about the Birds – their fan base – a great service by stepping aside and selling his multibillion-dollar entity.
Not that either of those things would ever happen …
But dropping Sirianni like a load of bad asphalt in short order could, and should, happen. The sooner the better. Why? Because he – not Roseman or Lurie – poses the most imminent danger to the Eagles.
For all the tinkering and tampering and needling that the GM and owner may do, even on a daily basis, this is Sirianni’s team. He’s the one around the players all the time. He’s the one laying the foundation of everything they do. He’s the one who is showing them – gasp – his way.
It’s time to detour. Pronto.
Forget the 2-5 record – especially in this town, which can rationalize anything to fit into any kind of scenario or mindset – whichever one they feel most comfy with, from the apocalypse to sheer bliss or any place in between.
The reality is Sirianni not only is Exhibit A of In Over His Head when it comes to the demands of being a head coach and offensive coordinator, he is routinely proving himself to be mentally challenged at putting 2+2 together in the simplest of situations.
Sunday’s 33-22 loss at Las Vegas offered a perfect case in point. With the Eagles up 7-0 in the first quarter and the Raiders facing a third-and-five at the Birds’ 47 on their opening possession, Derek Carr completed a pass for two yards, which would have left Vegas in a fourth-and-three situation. The Raiders happened to be called for holding on the play, but – well, ya know – why accept the penalty to give them another crack at third down, albeit now needing 15 yards for a first, when they obviously would punt otherwise?
Only Sirianni knows … because he took the penalty, which pushed Vegas back 10 yards, and then watched Carr connect with Zay Jones on a 43-yard pass on third-and-15.
Just dumb, dumb, dumb.
Only by the grace of God, or a tipped pass, the Eagles avoided surrendering points as Avonte Maddox intercepted Carr three snaps later.
Given such good fortune, perhaps sticking with the running game – which had fueled a first-possession TD – would have been the smart thing to do then.
But Sirianni is too smart for the smart thing, apparently. He scrapped that from the repertoire on possession No. 2 and thereafter, even before Miles Sanders went down with an ankle injury.
On the bright side, at least no is fooled by his game plans. Including the opposition every week.
Not for nothing, but the 40-year-old communicates like a child as well. He’s immature in a neon-lights way – from the silly t-shirts to the ridiculous gameday visors, accessorized with markers and pins. Now, that could be seen as charming in a way, or even take the edge off in certain situations.
But the NFL is a big-boy business and at some point the individuals involved in it need to grow up.
For their own sake as much as anyone else’s.
Which is why the Lurie/Roseman think tank needs to put an end to its newbie experiment.
Whatever personnel decisions occur after that, so be it. This one, though, has to happen first and foremost.
Otherwise, this Sirianni silliness is bound to drag into the next regime of management.
The jig is up.
Seven games into his head-coaching career in the NFL and one thing is clear about Nick Sirianni: he’s not cut out for the gig.
Not now, probably not ever.
He was a bad hire by the Eagles’ highest ups, Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie. A classic case of someone unqualified for the job on paper, and even less prepared for it in real life.
For that alone, Lurie would have every right to fire his right-hand man immediately, and, for that matter, he’d probably do those who care most about the Birds – their fan base – a great service by stepping aside and selling his multibillion-dollar entity.
Not that either of those things would ever happen …
But dropping Sirianni like a load of bad asphalt in short order could, and should, happen. The sooner the better. Why? Because he – not Roseman or Lurie – poses the most imminent danger to the Eagles.
For all the tinkering and tampering and needling that the GM and owner may do, even on a daily basis, this is Sirianni’s team. He’s the one around the players all the time. He’s the one laying the foundation of everything they do. He’s the one who is showing them – gasp – his way.
It’s time to detour. Pronto.
Forget the 2-5 record – especially in this town, which can rationalize anything to fit into any kind of scenario or mindset – whichever one they feel most comfy with, from the apocalypse to sheer bliss or any place in between.
The reality is Sirianni not only is Exhibit A of In Over His Head when it comes to the demands of being a head coach and offensive coordinator, he is routinely proving himself to be mentally challenged at putting 2+2 together in the simplest of situations.
Sunday’s 33-22 loss at Las Vegas offered a perfect case in point. With the Eagles up 7-0 in the first quarter and the Raiders facing a third-and-five at the Birds’ 47 on their opening possession, Derek Carr completed a pass for two yards, which would have left Vegas in a fourth-and-three situation. The Raiders happened to be called for holding on the play, but – well, ya know – why accept the penalty to give them another crack at third down, albeit now needing 15 yards for a first, when they obviously would punt otherwise?
Only Sirianni knows … because he took the penalty, which pushed Vegas back 10 yards, and then watched Carr connect with Zay Jones on a 43-yard pass on third-and-15.
Just dumb, dumb, dumb.
Only by the grace of God, or a tipped pass, the Eagles avoided surrendering points as Avonte Maddox intercepted Carr three snaps later.
Given such good fortune, perhaps sticking with the running game – which had fueled a first-possession TD – would have been the smart thing to do then.
But Sirianni is too smart for the smart thing, apparently. He scrapped that from the repertoire on possession No. 2 and thereafter, even before Miles Sanders went down with an ankle injury.
On the bright side, at least no is fooled by his game plans. Including the opposition every week.
Not for nothing, but the 40-year-old communicates like a child as well. He’s immature in a neon-lights way – from the silly t-shirts to the ridiculous gameday visors, accessorized with markers and pins. Now, that could be seen as charming in a way, or even take the edge off in certain situations.
But the NFL is a big-boy business and at some point the individuals involved in it need to grow up.
For their own sake as much as anyone else’s.
Which is why the Lurie/Roseman think tank needs to put an end to its newbie experiment.
Whatever personnel decisions occur after that, so be it. This one, though, has to happen first and foremost.
Otherwise, this Sirianni silliness is bound to drag into the next regime of management.
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