Is Conservative Play Calling Keeping the Eagles Offense from Flying?
The Philadelphia Eagles are now undefeated as they enter Week Four, but their offensive attack has been in question since game one. Through the first two weeks, the cracks in offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s strategies were masked by their perfect record. However, after the first half against the Rams last Sunday, the illusion was shattered. The incredible comeback to win certainly showed the talent ceiling and potential of the Eagles this season. Still, the NFC showdown with the Rams marked a turning point—one that brought Pattullo's playcalling philosophy into question.
Patullo was promoted to offensive coordinator this season with the departure of Kellen Moore, who became the head coach of the Saints. He inherited a team littered with potential—an MVP-caliber quarterback in Jalen Hurts; a loaded group of wide receivers featuring A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson; and star running back Saquon Barkley. With this arsenal of weapons, expectations were sky-high for Patullo, who now controls one of the league's most dynamic offenses. Through Weeks One and Two, the Eagles’ offense was able to secure the wins, but the passing game was underwhelming. Hurts threw for a combined 253 yards and failed to secure a touchdown pass. With the aerial attack in question, Patullo shared his emphasis on ball security and limiting risk to avoid turnovers, which did contribute to the first two wins. However, his list of priorities did not include winning the explosive play battle, which is central to Nick Sirianni’s game philosophy.
The broader issue of Pattullo's play-calling was exposed in the first half of the Week Three clash against the Rams. After being stomped by Barkley the last time the teams met, the Rams adapted to completely shut down the run game. Despite the inability to gain yards on the ground, Patullo called run after run, leaving Hurts with only 17 passing yards in the first half. Early in the third, Hurts took his fourth sack, leading to a fumble and turnover. Hurts was then seen on the sideline in what looked like a heated conversation with Patullo. Only after the Eagles were down 26-7 did the passing attack turn explosive, producing the kind of offense fans have been expecting. Hurts had 226 passing yards in the second half—that reversal left people thinking the QB himself was calling the shots. Though Sirianni confirmed it was still Patullo calling plays, the explosiveness in the second half was clearly what had been missing since last season, and was what ultimately won them the game. A.J. Brown mentioned in an interview that the team has so much underutilized talent, and that being a fast and aggressive team was the key to success—not the cautious approach.
With fans and players pushing for aggression, explosiveness, and freedom, Pattullo's conservative philosophy is under scrutiny. While ball security and preventing turnovers are crucial, he will have to compromise with more aggression to move the ball downfield. Giving Hurts the autonomy to take control of the field proved critical to the win over the Rams. The Eagles have elite talent—withholding their potential will only end in points left on the field. Going into Week Four against the undefeated Buccaneers, conservative football may not be enough to keep winning. In the words of Jalen Hurts, the team needs to “get out of playing not to lose.” Pattullo’s philosophy must match the hunger that fuels the franchise if Philadelphia is serious about another Super Bowl run.
