PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A.J Brown dropped a third-down pass and was slow to get off the field when coach Nick Sirianni chased down the moody wide receiver on the sideline.
Brown and Sirianni bickered in a sideline spat that quickly forced chief security officer Dom DiSandro to intervene. Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled more in Sirianni’s direction — perhaps he could have used a good book — after the Eagles punted to end a drive.
Brown had nothing to say after the game – stay tuned for another possible cryptic social media post – his locker stall soon as empty as the offseason that awaits last season’s Super Bowl champions.
The Eagles were ultimately doomed in a championship repeat bid by another uninspired offensive output – the drops piled while the total yards failed to reach explosive heights – and they lost 23-19 to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC wild card game Sunday.
Just trash littered the field after the game – courtesy of an unrelenting wind that threw a winkle into both team’s gameplan – rather than the confetti that fell on the Eagles only 11 months earlier in the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
With the same talent back for an encore, the Eagles never found any consistent offensive success in a game where many players thought they could flip the proverbial switch in the postseason.
Much of the blame sits at the feet of embattled first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo – who had his house egged during the season – in a second-half effort against the 49ers where the Eagles never got any serious offensive production.
Jalen Hurts threw for only 168 yards and a touchdown and the Eagles failed to build off a 13-10 halftime lead by totaling only 36 total yards in the third quarter on 16 plays.
Hurts thew for only 75 yards in the second half. Saquon Barkley had only 35 yards rushing in the second half. The Eagles were just 2 of 9 on third downs in the second half. The biggest blow: The Eagles scored only six points in the second half.
“We didn’t make the plays when we didn’t make them,” Hurts said.
Indeed.
Jake Elliott missed an extra point in the first half that forced the Eagles to go for the winning touchdown on the final drive, rather than a tying field goal. Hurts was sacked and threw three straight incompletions to end a season where — even as mostly ugly wins piled — the Eagles never played like true Super Bowl contenders.
The Eagles also had four drops on third downs.
“It’s been a common theme for us this year,” Barkley said. “We haven’t done a good enough job of playing complete football. Putting two halves together. Sometimes you expect you’ll get to this moment, and you’ll figure it out.”
Brown, who had 1,003 yards receiving this season, had two drops on seven targets. He finished with only three catches for 25 yards.
With the drops, the stalled drives and heavy expectations weighing on the defending champs, it’s little wonder frustration finally reach a boiling point.
Sirianni, who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in two of the previous three seasons, said he rushed after Brown to get him off the field so they could punt.
Everything is cool between the two, Sirianni said. Honest.
“I love A.J. I think he knows how I feel about him. I have a special relationship with him,” Sirianni said. “We probably went through every emotion you can possibly have together. We’ve laughed together, we’ve cried together, we’ve yelled at each other. We’re both emotional. I was trying to get him off the field and that happens in this game.
“It happens in this game, but I love him.”
Do the Eagles love him enough to keep him for another season?
There doesn’t expect to be much turnover for the NFC East champions — thought Patullo and Brown could both be on the move.
The Eagles rode their defense to an NFC East crown — well, that, and playing in an especially weak division — that masked so many deficiencies in the play calling. The Eagles finished the regular season just 24th overall in the NFL in offense; 23rd in passing and 19th in scoring.
“It’s not on any individual,” Hurts said. “It’s on us as a unit.”
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