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PHILADELPHIA — Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was acting on instinct when he took the bullets in Week 15 for Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, whose off-script collaboration on a deep ball resulted in a game-killing interception late in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The bigger news for critics of players who draw up their own plays is that the quarterback has the green light to do so 24/7.
“He has total freedom to do what he needs to do to make a play,” Sirianni said Friday. “Sometimes that’s going to work and sometimes that’s not going to work. … I think Jalen does a really good job of that. When it doesn’t go right, like in that game, you have to be able to say, ‘OK, we’ll fix it. This might not have been the time to do it, or this was the right time to do it.’ No one is going to bat 1,000 within those decisions. I know this: He’s doing this and it’s working more than it’s not working in that particular case.”
The Eagles were a five-yard completion from being in range for Jake Elliott to kick a field goal that would have extended the game to overtime. Instead, they lost, 20-17.
Brown made his revelation about changing the play during an emotional, rambling locker room rant earlier in the week. Brown was upset that his frustration with the coaching staff had been misconstrued.
“For the Seattle game, that was on us,” Brown said of the fatal off-script play. “We messed that up. We improvised and we went on our own, and Nick came out and said, ‘I wanted to get a flag for interference,’ or something like that. He made himself look like a fool for us. I have nothing but respect for him.”
Sirianni shrugged off the emotional compliment citing coaching etiquette.
“When I played, and that was a long time ago, knowing a coach had my back was really important to me,” Sirianni said. “You’re a product of the things you went through. I felt like that would be important to them as well, and then we move on and correct the mistakes we make from that, myself and the players.”
With 19 giveaways, Hurts ranks among the league leaders in turnovers. The way Sirianni sees it, those mistakes aren’t just the fault of Hurts but in some cases because of poor timing, mistakes and inadequate coaching.
“Hell, yeah, he’s played really good football,” Sirianni said. “As a team, like I said before we got into the skid we’re in, he’s the No. 1 player in the (league). People would talk about him as far as MVP. Now we’re on a skid. We lost four out of the last five, and that goes away. If any player of ours plays bad, we take onus on that.”
Currently the fifth seed in the NFC, the Eagles (11-5) still have a shot at NFC East pennant and the second seed. They need to defeat the New York Giants (5-11) Sunday at MetLife Stadium and cross their fingers that the Dallas Cowboys (11-5) are upset at FedEx Field by the Washington Commanders (4-12). Otherwise, the Eagles are destined to start the second season on the road, likely against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8). A win in the wild card round and the Eagles could find themselves playing at Detroit or Dallas.
Even Eagles fanboys know how difficult it will be trying to get back to the Super Bowl.
Then again, all the adversity and criticism makes the Eagles a dangerous team.
“Right now, yeah, we got knocked down, but OK, we’re going to get back up,” Brown said. “And if we get knocked down again, we’re going to get back up. That’s what we’re trying to do. That’s all that we’re doing.”
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The Eagles listed wide receiver DeVonta Smith (ankle) and cornerback Darius Slay (knee) as out for the Giants. Running back D’Andre Smith, the 1,000-yard rusher fresh off his first Pro Bowl nod, is questionable with an illness.
The Eagles will need all three in the playoffs. But the Eagles have all other hands on deck for the Giants, who are 6.5-point underdogs.
Though Eagles starters are preparing for 60 minutes of football, that could change if the Cowboys pull away from the Commanders early and render their game meaningless. The Cowboys are 13.5-point favorites. The Commanders are likely on the verge of wholesale changes, starting with head coach Ron Rivera.
Additionally, the Eagles struggled in the second half of their 33-25 win over the Giants two weekends ago at Lincoln Financial Field. Rookie Kelee Ringo bailed the Birds out with an interception of Tyrod Taylor on a Hail Mary as time expired.
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The Giants will be without the services of safety Jason Pinnock (toe) Sunday.
Cornerback Deonte Banks (shoulder) is doubtful, while center John Michael Schmitz is questionable.
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