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Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — Time is running out on the Philadelphia Eagles, and coach Nick Sirianni knows it.
“We have to get things fixed,” he said, “and we have to get them fixed fast.”
A brutal 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday delivered a major blow to their chances of claiming one of the top seeds for the NFC playoffs. The Eagles had the easiest closing schedule in football, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, and just needed wins over the Cardinals (4-12) and New York Giants (5-11) to secure an NFC East title for a second consecutive year.
Now it’s the Dallas Cowboys in the driver’s seat, needing just a win over the Washington Commanders in Week 18 to clinch the NFC East and likely put Philadelphia on the road for the duration of the playoffs.
“That’s cool. Whatever we’ve got to do. It’s a position we put ourselves in,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said. “Stay together. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”
The Eagles have gone 1-4 over their last five games after a 10-1 start. Issues that had persisted over the course of the season, like untimely miscues on offense and breakdowns in the red zone and on third down on defense, have caught up with them.
The defensive woes were front and center against an Arizona offense that put up 449 yards and scored touchdowns on each of its four second-half possessions while operating without top receiver Marquise Brown (heel).
“I think things were just rolling our way last year. We made mistakes at times throughout the year, but at the end of the day we found a way to rally and make a play,” cornerback James Bradberry said about the difference between the 2022 Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl and this one. “We just haven’t been able to do that right now, and I think that’s what’s been missing, we’ve just got to be able to make a play when we need to.”
The offense, meanwhile, failed to capitalize on prime field position after a Cardinals onside kick with four-plus minutes remaining and the game tied 28-28. The Eagles coaching staff dialed up a pair of designed quarterback runs for Jalen Hurts following an offensive holding call, then a screen pass to Kenneth Gainwell — a play that ended well short of the first down marker — before settling for a field goal.
Arizona then marched 70 yards in seven plays and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Sirianni pushed back on the idea that the Eagles were conservative in their playcalling during that offensive sequence.
The locker room had mixed reaction to the loss. Some players, like Graham, tried to put an optimistic spin on things. Receiver A.J. Brown declined to speak to reporters for a second straight week, believing there is “nothing to say.”
Tackle Jordan Mailata did not take kindly to a question about whether Sirianni still had the backing of the players.
“Yes. Why would you say that?” Mailata said. “It’s the NFL. It’s any given Sunday. We got our teeth punched in today because we went out there and we thought they were going to be a pushover? No.
“It’s the NFL. … No, Nick has not lost the locker room. I’m going to end it there.”
The Eagles have just one more game — a Week 18 trip to MetLife Stadium to face the Giants — to try and build some positive momentum before elimination games begin.
“I think there’s going to be a lot people trying to point the finger at different things and everybody’s got to stick together,” Sirianni said. “We win as a team, we lose as a team, and together is the most important thing we can be right now. We’re in the playoffs — a lot of teams want to be in the playoffs. We still can do some things here and our goals are still in front of us.”
Source: www.espn.com