In the blink of an eye, eight weeks of NFL action has come and gone. There have been plenty of breakouts, busts, and surprises across the league during the first half of the season and there is sure to be a lot more action as the young campaign continues to unfold. The Philadelphia Eagles, however, will simply spectate the marvels of Week 9’s installment of NFL football as they try to rest and regroup during their much-needed bye week.
Things haven’t exactly gone swimmingly for the reigning Super Bowl champs so far this season. Injuries, turnovers, and questionable play calling have slowed the Eagles to a sluggish 4-4 start to the season. The primary catalyst for the team’s lackluster start, however, has been poor offensive efficiency.
A huge part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run last season was Doug Pederson’s explosive offensive scheme. The Eagles absolutely tore teams apart on pace to an NFL leading 29.0 points per game and was met with little resistance as they frustrated opposing defenses with complex route concepts and seemingly flawless offensive execution in 2017. Needless to say, that hasn’t nearly been the case this season.
Through the first eight weeks, the Eagles rank 22nd in the NFL with just 22.2 points per game- a significant dip from its league-leading average last season. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this statistic is that the Eagles scoring output dropped despite them currently leading the league in time of possession for the third consecutive campaign. One of the reasons for this considerable drop in production has been the team’s complete inability to score early.
With just THREE first quarter scoring drives to their name, the Eagles are averaging an abysmal 2.6 points in the opening quarter- tied for second-worst in the league. Winning at the NFL level is a difficult enough task already, but the Eagles are really hurting their chances by not showing up until the second quarter.
First quarter scoring hasn’t been the only thing hindering the team though, as their red zone efficiency has also been a major problem. Despite recording the sixth-most red zone attempts in the league through eight weeks, the Eagles rank just 18th in offensive touchdowns per game (2.5)- converting just 54% of their red zone trips into TDs. While this flaw has been accentuated a bit by the struggles of sophomore kicker Jake Elliott, the Eagles simply have to improve in this area if they want to compete in the NFC. The league is scoring at a record pace this season and the Eagles are shooting themselves in the foot by consistently leaving points on the field when they get to the red zone.
The reigning champs struggles aren’t all scheme based, however, as the offensive line has regressed significantly this season. Jeff Stoutland’s unit is allowing the 11th-highest allowed sack percentage (7.78%) and eighth-most allowed sacks per game (3.2). It is incredibly difficult to score when your quarterback is being crushed by defensive linemen, and even more difficult to win when it’s happening with regularity, as evidenced by the 16-35-1 combined record of the seven teams currently allowing more sacks than the Birds. After being the driving force of the team last season, the offensive line’s struggles have been a bit puzzling this season but is an issue that needs to be addressed nonetheless.
Obviously, the season is still young and the Eagles do have a few positive trends going on offense, but they simply aren’t going to come close to their goal of a championship repeat if their offensive woes continue. Hopefully, the bye week affords them the time needed to iron out their issues as they gear up for the second half of the season.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports
