Eagles lose ugly playoff game

By DAVID WEINBERG

I spent Saturday afternoons and evenings in Ocean City, where my wife’s siblings and some cousins ​​gathered for a belated Christmas and New Year’s Eve at her aunt’s house.
Given that Joey and Mike Mckeown and several other relatives are die-hard Eagles fans, there’s been a lot of talk about their upcoming playoffs against Tampa Bay. There are cautious optimists, but if the Eagles happen to win, Joey – who lives in Chicago – is scheduled to attend next week’s game at Lambeau Field.
A few hours and more than a few glasses of wine later, the conversation took a strange turn. It seems that some in the party bought the bidet and praised it as an effective, pleasant, even fun alternative to toilet paper.
Turns out the themes are tied together, as the Eagles played like… you know, in the 31-15 loss to the Buccaneers.
All the good feelings generated in the second half of the regular season have been stripped away by Tom Brady and the Buccaneers defense. Tampa will go through to the knockout stages of the knockout stages while the Eagles will start the numbers what to become of an important season.
The heavy loss – the Eagles leading 31-0 after three quarters – exposed a number of weaknesses that need to be addressed if they are to expect to be NFC East and playoff contenders again next season.
Coach Nick Sirrani and the entire team have made an impressive turnaround in the period by winning seven of their last 10 games after a 2-5 start, but all are not great when you consider them. playing in last place. The Eagles beat most of the teams they were supposed to beat, but a 0-6 aggregate scoreline against opponents sent them into the knockout stages.
Sunday makes it 0-7.
The Eagles have had another slow start, which is okay when you’re up against the Jets, Giants and Washington Football Team. It doesn’t work well when you’re falling behind good teams like the Bucs, who took a 17-0 lead at halftime. And that falls on Sirianni because his team is not fully prepared.
Consider the Eagles’ first three offensive series on Sunday producing 12 yards, a first shot (on the penalty spot) and zero points while the Bucs scored two touchdowns and a goal in four. their first ownership. The Eagles are not only inferior but also inferior.
The future of defender Jalen Hurts could also be questioned. He picked the worst possible time to play his worst game of the season. He made key mistakes at the wrong times, starting with an interception in the bottom half of the field late in the first half. I still think he should be their midfielder in 2022, but I’m not quite as positive as I was a week ago.
I am positive that generous recipient/returner Jalen Reagor must go. Any chance the Eagles had to come back upstream on Sunday was gone when Reagor stupidly tried to hit a hit, only to have it bounce out of his hand for the turnover. He also fumbles another batting later in the game and is invisible as a receiver.
I think changing the scene will work in his favor, as it did with the Nelson Agholor and Mack Hollins wide receiver. Come to think of it, JJ Arcega-Whiteside would have been better on another team as well. Sirianni and the coaches may think they have potential, but an unyielding fan base will not stop.
That could also be the case with late defensive Derek Barnett. Yes, that crude penalty in the first quarter was questionable, but his reputation as a dirty player predated him. There’s also no reason for him to face Tom Brady later in the game. He’s probably reminding him of his groping recovery after Brandon Graham’s stripping during Super Bowl LII.
The defense actually didn’t play that bad against the Bucs, as they were lacking their best passer. Defender Josh Sweat missed the game after undergoing surgery the team called a “life-threatening condition” earlier in the week. Everyone’s Ryan Kerrigan stepped up and got his first decent game of the season after being invisible for the first 17 games. But they need more depth in the front, not to mention in the linebacker and secondary. Defense veteran Fletcher Cox didn’t get close to Brady until he shook hands after the game.
Teams in particular clearly need an overhaul as well, aside from main kicker Jake Elliott. Freshman player Arryn Siposs continued to fall in the second half against the Bucs. His first two hits went 27 and 36 yards, respectively.
All in all, it was a performance that deserved to be wiped out ASAP.
Unless you have a bidet.