Much has been said about the Eagles and the decision made by Doug Pederson this past Sunday. In a close week 17 showdown against Washington, the Eagles Head Coach pulled Jalen Hurts in favor of 3rd string QB Nate Sudfeld after a barrage of poorly orchestrated drives. This resulted in a predictable loss and the acquisition of the sixth-overall pick as opposed to the ninth...but was the team right to take action that many perceive to be extreme?
Conveniently, two of our contributors, Nick Faria and Tim Sullivan, view the situation completely differently. In this court of Eagles tanking law, you can be the judge after reading both arguments!
The Eagles are crying over spilled Milk – Nick Faria
Does it ever really end when it comes to the Eagles? Being 4-11-1 in one of the worst seasons in team history wasn’t enough. A QB allegedly wanting to be traded wasn’t enough. A GM and Head Coach battling to see who gets absolved from the mess wasn’t enough. NFL Analysts and the New York Giants whining on TV because the team tried to lose wasn’t enough.
Now the Eagles PLAYERS have to get in on being upset because their coach played to lose.
Eagles players mad at Pederson
It was reported last night that several Eagles players were upset over Doug Pederson pulling Jalen Hurts down three at the start of the 4th quarter.
In the report by McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, some Eagles had to be pulled away from speaking to Doug Pederson. Everyone is in an uproar over a then 4-10-1 team for trying to get a better draft selection because of the integrity of the game.
My reaction to hearing the Eagle players complain is the same reaction I had when Max Kellerman and Ryan Clark complained about it on television:
Doug Pederson was right
I’ve been on record attacking Doug and Howie for their part in what has been an embarrassing season.
They were absolutely right to tank and the players are dead wrong.
If Miles Sanders and the other vets are so upset over Doug trying to tank, then maybe….just maybe, they should’ve executed better and not gone 4-11-1.
Doug has been bad this year, but the player performances weren’t good either. There was Miles Sanders fumbling at the Cleveland two-yard line earlier this year. Or how about the horrendous offensive line? The atrocious linebacker play at the start of the season and a secondary who, outside of Darius Slay was laughable for 16 weeks?
If players are THIS upset over tanking, then they shouldn’t have put Doug in the position to tank in the first place. The coach and General Manager’s job is to look at the best possible outcome for the team.
Doug did exactly that on Sunday.
What it really means
Let me give you a history lesson.
In 1969, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach, Chuck Noll addressed the (at the time) awful Steelers roster.
He was blunt in saying “the reason the team is bad is because you all don’t have enough talent. Most of you won’t be here when this team is actually good”
As strict a statement as we’ve ever heard in this league.
In the end, the Steelers players of 1969 could’ve whined and complained all they wanted to. They just weren’t good.
It’s the exact same thing we’re seeing in Philadelphia now.
In reality, we’re starting to see the true breakdown of the Super Bowl roster. Veterans who feel entitled to playing to win, and always getting a shot, no matter the outcome, are voicing their concerns because it means the outlook is changing.
The Super Bowl window is closed.
And now it is up to Doug Pederson and Howie to decide which of the older vets get to stay for the rebuild, or leave for greener pastures. The players complaining are only complaining because they realize the guard is changing in Philadelphia.
And many on the team won’t be here in a couple months anyway.
Read the opposing argument on the page below.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
