The Philadelphia Eagles and head coach Nick Sirianni entered the 2024 season under considerable pressure. Philadelphia has managed to win two of its first three games this year, but the narrow win over the New Orleans Saints last Sunday and the late-game collapse in Week 2 have failed to silence some of Sirianni’s critics.
Former Eagles defensive lineman Chris Long is one such critic who has expressed doubts about Sirianni's decision-making process during critical parts of an NFL game.
During a recent appearance on the Scoop City podcast, Long referenced Sirianni's previous picks in fourth-down situations during recent games against the Falcons and Saints.
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September 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, BRA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. (Images by Kirby Lee-Imagn)
“What I mean is that all of a sudden we're above scoring three points in games that are going to be defensive battles,” Long said.
“It's going to be about possessions and I thought in those situations it was better to score points early in the game against Atlanta and early in the game against New Orleans.”
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Long added that while he appreciates Sirianni, he questions whether the head coach always has a good understanding of the “flow of the game.”
“I like Nick. I think he's done a good job. No, really. Right now, he's under a lot of scrutiny for the decisions he makes. He's not even the one dictating the rules of the game. So that's what I'm interested in. You have to own the feeling of the flow of the game.”
September 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reacts during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field. (Images by Bill Streicher-Imagn)
Getting a 15-12 win over the Saints on the road, despite some mistakes in the game, likely kept some of the noise around Sirianni from getting louder.
Long also noted that the group of players Sirianni is coaching now is much different than the one he coached in the 2022 season when the Eagles advanced to the Super Bowl.
“I'd give him a mirror to look at. This isn't the same team, certainly not yesterday, that went to the Super Bowl two years ago, where they're scoring 40 points a game,” Long said. “Sometimes you have to make layups. And when you have Saquon Barkley, sometimes you have to give him the damn ball, any three-yard gain can turn into 70.”
December 9, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long (56) on the sidelines of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
While Sirianni helped lead Philadelphia to the NFC title and a run to Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles slumped down the stretch last season, losing five of their final six games. The Eagles suffered a crushing loss in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Eagles management decided to retain Sirianni, but dispensed with the offensive and defensive coordinators.
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The Eagles will look to stay on track when they travel to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 29.
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