If you’re looking for a scapegoat after the Eagles’ disastrous first half against the Rams, the list of suspects is long. You could point at Jalen Hurts and his stalled offense. You could circle offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. You could even drag Vic Fangio into the mix. All are fair game.
But Nick Sirianni? He didn’t hesitate. He put the finger squarely on himself after the Eagles latest Copperfieldian trick.
On Monday, Sirianni was asked about the Eagles’ staggering run -19 wins in their last 20 games, the greatest 20-game stretch in the franchise’s 93-year history. Instead of celebrating history, he turned the spotlight back on his own shortcomings.
Full Accountability
“I don’t think I did a good enough job,” Sirianni admitted. “Our detail wasn’t what I wanted it to be and our team feels that same way.… Hey, we play like this, forget going 19-1 or whatever it is. You don’t win the next one or the next one when you play like that.”
That “play like this” was a train wreck. The Eagles were buried 19-7 at halftime, outgained 212-33, saddled with negative-one net passing yards, 0-for-6 on third down, and no big plays to speak of. When a Hurts turnover led to a quick Rams touchdown early in the third, Philly trailed 26-7.
Yes, the Eagles stormed back to win 33-26, staying perfect at 3-0 heading into Tampa. But Sirianni wasn’t in the mood for moral victories or cherry-picked stats.
“Obviously we have great talent, but we have a team that plays together and is tough and detailed,” Sirianni said. “And Sunday, it wasn’t detailed enough. So you say we’re 19-1 in our last 20 games, and then that’s the first thing I think of – well, if we’re going to do that again, we can’t be the type of detail that we had Sunday.”
Attitude Reflects Leadership
For Sirianni, the standard has never been about streaks. It’s about culture. It’s about execution. And to him, anything that slips on that front is a reflection of his leadership.
“Anytime I say, ‘Hey, the detail wasn’t right,’ I’m the only person I’m looking at,” he said. “Because if our detail’s not right, I know I didn’t do my job well enough.”
This is the same coach who led the Eagles to 10 straight wins last season, a Super Bowl run, and now a flawless September. Over their last 20 games, nobody, not even Brady’s Patriots in their prime has played better football. Yet Sirianni brushed all of it aside in favor of accountability.
Ugly halves happen. Ugly stretches happen. But Sirianni made one thing clear – if the Eagles don’t clean it up, they won’t be streaking, they’ll be stumbling and that, in his eyes, starts at the top.
Sirianni Doesn’t Point the Finger – Pulls the Thumb
“We’ve got to be more detailed and it starts with me,” he said flatly. “Anytime there’s missed tackles or drops or we’re not fielding the ball clean, I look at myself first. Because that detail and that fundamental is my job.”
So blame Hurts if you want. Point at Patullo. Scream at Fangio. But Sirianni already got there first. He’s owning it, because in Philadelphia, culture doesn’t mean ducking the hard questions – it means swallowing the blame.