PHILADELPHIA (AP) — All Eagles coach Nick Sirianni had to do was let Jake Elliott boot the final kickoff of the game into the end zone.
The Jaguars would have had a touchback. The Jaguars would have had the ball at the 35-yard line. The Jaguars would have needed at least one deep pass in the final seconds to try for a winning field goal.
Sirianni instead said, nah, just kick it to the return man.
The coaching malpractice in London was the final blow
to an Eagles team already undermanned — and now under .500 — and cost them in a 19-17 loss to Jacksonville.
The improbable scenario was made possible by Ameer Abdullah’s 53-yard kickoff return that left 1 second on the clock. Cam Little connected from 57 yards as time expired to send the Eagles (2-3) to their third straight loss.
The Eagles were blown out in Chicago. They blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Los Angeles Rams. Now, this debacle, which could just derail the entire season.
Sirianni took the blame for the final call to not aim for a touchback. The Eagles win big games and won a Super Bowl because of superior talent, not because of Sirianni. He doesn't call offensive plays, yielding to offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. He stays out of the defense. So when it comes to the little things — such as basic common football sense on how to approach the final play of the game, he can't afford to mess it up.
Yet he did.
“I didn’t make the right decision, and it cost us the game,” Sirianni said. “There’s no other way around it. There’s nothing really else to say about that. It’s just I didn’t do my job good enough in that situation.”
The Eagles haven't scored a touchdown in the second half since Jalen Hurts hit Darius Cooper to win a Week 2 game at Tennessee. Hurts did lead a late-game drive to set up Elliott’s 48-yard field goal, giving the Eagles a 17-16 lead. They were doomed from there, and the heat in Philadelphia is truly on Sirianni.
“Again, bad job by me,” Sirianni said.
The pressure is on Hurts now to prove what he can do without a star-studded supporting cast. Hurts was the Super Bowl MVP two seasons ago and outplayed Patrick Mahomes in a Super Bowl loss in the 2022 season. Yet, despite his accomplishments, questions about his ability to carry an offense have persisted.
The same questions hover around Sirianni. His quirky personality with the media and his sometimes boorish behavior toward fans haven't endeared him to everyone, with only his previously impeccable career record extending him a long leash. Doug Pederson lasted three seasons after he led the Eagles to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory. Can Sirianni survive this one if the Eagles can't find a spark?
The defensive line had its game of the season and finally showed the promise its potential — and paychecks — warrant. Jalen Carter had two strip sacks and three tackles for a loss. Both strip sacks helped force punts on Jacksonville's possessions. The defense held the Jaguars to just 3.1 yards per carry. Jalyx Hunt batted down a pass before he left with an injury.
Special teams. The Eagles caught a break when the Jaguars returned the opening kickoff for a would-be touchdown that was wiped out by penalties. The ending doomed the Eagles. Yes, Sirianni took the blame. But special teams coordinator Michael Clay surely had some explaining to do after his unit allowed Abdullah to return the final kickoff 53 yards, leaving 1 second on the clock.
Why didn't Clay pipe up and urge Sirianni or Elliott to kick the ball anywhere but straight to Abdullah?
Britain Covey went 18 yards on his first punt return and then 42 yards on his first kick return to give the kick returner a productive outing. Not bad for a Brit in England.
Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was tossed after the opening kickoff. Trotter’s father, Jeremiah Trotter, was tossed in 2005 with Philadelphia after a pregame scuffle in a meeting with Atlanta. Trotter is a key piece on special teams and could have played a role on a unit that had its struggles against the Jaguars.
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (ankle) warmed up but was ruled out ahead of the game. Linebacker Hunt, defensive back Michael Carter and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell were all hurt against the Jaguars. Philadelphia had previously ruled out RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), C Drew Kendall (knee), S Marcus Epps (groin) and WR Marquise Brown (ankle).
1 — Mitchell had his first career regular-season interception when he picked off a pass from Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence in the third quarter. Mitchell has four career interceptions in the playoffs.
The Eagles hope to salvage their season with two straight home games. They play Carolina on Sunday and have a Monday night game against Dallas on Oct. 26.
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