Weapon X Mailbag: Who deserves the most blame for the last two Eagles losses?

Well, Monday was a disaster.

If you have questions for a future mailbag, you can tweet at me or email bleedinggreeninfo@gmail.com.

Time for this week’s questions...

@NegadelphiaNorm: Who bares the brunt of the blame for the last two week, Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, or Jonathan Gannon?

1A. Nick Sirianni

1B. Jalen Hurts

2. Jonathan Gannon

Gannon is in a different tier than the first two, as the Eagles’ defense performed quite well against San Francisco. I’ll get more to how the D fared on Monday in a bit.

The issue with the Eagles’ offense right now lies more with play-designs rather than play-calling. Everything feels... just so uncreative (the galaxy brain Philly Special redux aside) and so bland.

I’ve been a huge Jalen Hurts proponent and perhaps there’s a bit of yolk on my face for that. He wasn’t an issue in Week 2 for me, but he was objectively a disaster in Dallas. His first interception made it look like he had zero depth perception. Whenever there was a break in coverage, he missed easy throws even in the short game. Hurts looked thoroughly overwhelmed and overmatched, much like Sirianni, and it was as if he was playing a different sport than Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Sirianni, after blowing the doors off fellow first-time NFL head coach Arthur Smith in Week 1, turned back into a pumpkin. Hurts at least had several moments where he looked sharp against the 49ers before crumbling on Monday.

They’re both problems right now, but the simplicity of Sirianni’s offense, one that lacks any semblance of an identity, is crushing right now.

@OcaptMyObvious: Is Jeff Lurie dictating pass play% to his rookie no power yet coach?

That’s not out of the question. I think back to owner Jeffrey Lurie allegedly being angry at former head coach Doug Pederson for running too much following an electric road win over the Packers in 2019 on Thursday Night Football.

I wrote all offseason about how worried I was with Lurie’s explicit influence over football operations. The hiring of Sirianni, a coach who had neither been a head coach nor a primary play-caller at any point in his life, didn’t do much to dispel that notion.

It makes sense that the Eagles threw a lot against the Cowboys given that they were trailing early, but only THREE rushing attempts for the team’s running backs is bonkers. It’s mind-blowing stuff. This is coming from someone who usually thinks, “They should just throw the ball every freakin’ play.”

@OcaptMyObvious: What is up with Gannon’s defense having seemingly significant challenges against the run?

Gannon’s inability to adapt in the slightest to the Cowboys’ run game was baffling. Dallas was playing straight bully-ball with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. Even in the red zone, the Eagles were playing a defense system that had no idea that yet another terrorizing run from the Dallas RBs was coming. I... I got nothing.

I will say that the absence of Brandon Graham looms large here. For as well-regarded as Graham is as a pass-rusher, he might be an even better run-stuffer. Dallas kept attacking the left side of the Eagles’ defense on the ground, where Graham typically lines up. The trickle down effect on the depth chart from Graham was huge, as those players were simply unable to replicate his level of play.

This team and injuries...

@ThisIsJoeMac: What healthy hobby should I try for the first time next Sunday at, oh idk, say like, 1 in the afternoon?

I might try to read Dune before the movie comes out next month instead of doom-scrolling on Twitter all day and night.

@PanasonicDX4500: Why? (That’s the question)

“I’d give anything to see the Eagles win the Super Bowl just once.”